With every color of the rainbow, strewn across the table in lovely shapes, two community leaders enthusiastically shared their vision and hearts for Colorado Springs.“We decided we weren’t going to do Valentine’s for us this year, so then I thought we should do something nice for everyone else,” Hailey explained.“Same,” Ben carefully articulated, missing one of his front teeth.Hailey is wise at ten, speaking with eloquence usually found in someone twice her age. Ben, seven, is charming and full of life.

250 Valentines for 250 Colorado Springs Homeless Neighbors

A pink bumblebee, hand-drawn on green construction paper, flutters on top of a heart-shaped card. The card is adorned with candy and the words: Bee Happy! (The dot of the exclamation point is a small heart, of course.) This is just one of 250 valentines, each uniquely and thoughtfully created.250 neighbors staying in our homeless shelter received a heart-warming message of hope and encouragement they didn’t expect.

Community Leaders at an Early Age

They’re extraordinary leaders for their age. They wanted to do something fun and simple to brighten someone’s day. They asked us how many valentines they would have to create so none of our shelter guests felt excluded. They were surprised to find out they’d have to make 250, but they were really excited about the challenge.“Both of them have a really tender heart,” Hailey and Ben’s mom explained. “We have a special needs son, so, just naturally, I’ve found that Ben and Hailey tend to see people. We feel like if there’s anything worth doing, it’s worth doing well and putting our whole heart into something. So, we tried really hard on this, and it was a lot of fun.”This beautiful #ActofHope has set an incredible example for us to follow.

40 Days. 40 Acts of hope.

For the next 40 days, we are highlighting 40 Acts of Hope that are simple, quick and meaningful to those who receive them. They don’t have to be life-changing acts. Small, genuine, and thoughtful acts of kindness can make a world of difference for someone who needs a touch of hope and acceptance.Follow us on Instagram or like us on Facebook to see the daily Act of Hope challenge. Feel free to share your stories and experiences with your friends and neighbors online and remember to tag Springs Rescue Mission so we can share them with Hailey and Ben.We also have a daily devotional series starting March 1. If you want to join us, sign up to receive this exclusive, daily email written by more than 20 community pastors. This exclusive content explores what it means to provide hope. Sign up now.Most importantly, have fun, bee happy, and see people. You might feel vulnerable and get some unexpected reactions. But when you let someone know that you see them, that you value them, and that you care about them, you’ll never forget the moment hope brightens their eyes and lifts their spirits. Take Hailey and Ben’s word for it, it’s worth it.