Gazette Charities Foundation-El Pomar Foundation Empty Stocking Fund

The 41st annual Gazette Charities Foundation-El Pomar Foundation Empty Stocking Fund provides resources for local health and human service agencies in the Pikes Peak region on the front lines of helping people in crisis and assisting others in attaining self-sufficiency. Over the past 40 years, the Fund has raised more than $26 million. The Empty Stocking Fund team hopes to raise even more during the 2024-25 campaign season to meet the growing demand for services in our community.

The 2024-25 campaign will be held Thanksgiving Day through January 25, 2025.

Administrative costs are generously covered by The Anschutz Foundation, Gazette Charities Foundation, The Gazette, El Pomar Foundation, Pikes Peak Community Foundation, JH Edmondson Foundation, UCCS and Add Staff. Thanks to their contributions, 100% of the funds raised go directly to the agencies to support our neighbors in need.

Every dollar donated to the Empty Stocking Fund grows up to 45.3 percent through matching grants.

Bruni Foundation – Matches $1 for every $10 raised up to $100,000
Chapman Foundation – Matches $1 for every $5 raised up to $75,000
El Pomar Foundation – Matches $1 for every $3 raised up to $200,000

One donation. 20 agencies. A whole community served.

A donation to Empty Stocking Fund can transform lives. Every dollar donated to the campaign grows up to 45% through matching funds.

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Meet the Empty Stocking Fund Staff

Deb Mahan

Executive Director, Gazette Charities Foundation

Deb moved to Colorado Springs, just after college with a degree in Neuropsychology and started her career as Executive Director of Support & Recovery Ministries and Community Engagement at First Presbyterian Church. She later served as Campaign Director for a US Congressional candidate and worked in the private sector, as VP of Residential Lending and Corporate Sponsorship at Kirkpatrick Bank. Currently, her work is in philanthropy, as Executive Director of Gazette Charities Foundation, an affiliate foundation with The Anschutz Foundation, granting funds in El Paso and Teller counties.

She has served on many boards and committees in her 25 + years in the community. Among them, CASA, COPPeR (Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region), Kids on Bikes (which she helped found), Children’s Literacy Center, Ormao Dance Company, UCHealth Memorial Hospital Foundation, and Pikes Peak Community Foundation.

Deb is a dancer (modern ballet) yoga instructor (vinyasa) runner (recreational) and cyclist (road). She and her son – an NCAA Lacrosse player – love spending as much time outside as they can, in our beautiful backyard of Colorado.

Kelly Spieker

Marketing Coordinator, The Gazette and Gazette Charities Foundation

A proud Colorado native and graduate of Pikes Peak State College, Kelly has always had a passion for storytelling and communication. She began her professional journey at The Gazette in sales, where she quickly distinguished herself with drive and determination. However, as she navigated the corporate landscape, she discovered a true passion for marketing and event-planning.

In 2022, Kelly took a brief hiatus from The Gazette to lend her talents to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Colorado Springs, an experience that further enriched her professional and personal growth. While at NAMI Colorado Springs, she worked tirelessly to raise awareness and support for mental health, a cause she feels deeply passionate about.

Outside of her professional life, Kelly is a talented dot mandala artist, a skill that requires patience, precision, and an eye for intricate patterns. This artistic endeavor is not just a hobby but also a part of her entrepreneurial spirit. Kelly owns a small business called the Adopted Alien Project, where she showcases and sells her unique “projects.” She is an avid Colorado Avalanche fan and loves to attend rock concerts, read and relax with her husband, Matthew, and their two furbabies, Spike and Buttons.

Abigael "AJ" Vafiades

UCCS Fellow

AJ is a Colorado Springs native and a graduate student at the University of Colorado. She is currently getting her MBA in Project Management, but she received her undergraduate degree in Theatre and Dance from the university back in fall 2020. While in school, she found a passion for organization, managing programs and productions, and helping other people meet their goals and expectations for their projects.

She is honored to receive the Gazette Charities Foundation fellowship and to continue growing in her education of the best Project Management practices, as she hopes to manage projects for a tech company someday. In her spare time, she is still very involved in the local arts community and continues to learn every chance she gets!