Our History

In August 1968, fifteen Colorado Springs women felt there were school-aged children (kindergarten through high school) in need of suitable clothing for school.  They recognized the connection between appropriate school clothes and increased self-confidence, which translates to better performance at school.  These fifteen women started the Assistance Guild to meet these needs.  

In 1969, the first year of operation, seventeen children were provided with clothes at a cost of $7.50 per child.   We have grown considerably since then.  From our opening campaign in 1969 through May of 2025, a total of 105,000 children have received clothing and other necessary items through our Beyond the Classroom program. 

The work of the Guild was conducted in the same building as the Bargain Box Thrift Store, a small house at 509 South Tejon.  Shortly after creation, the Guild became affiliated with a national organization that allowed us to focus on our philanthropic programs. This affiliation helped put in place governance structures still in use today. We are deeply appreciative of the support and collaboration we experienced during our time with this organization. This affiliation contributed substantially to our growth.

It wasn’t long before the organization and the Bargain Box outgrew the South Tejon space. The city of Colorado Springs helped us with a new location in the County Courthouse, which is now the Pioneer’s Museum. Children found it interesting to enter the building through the Sheriff’s Office located in the basement and then go upstairs to one of the courtrooms to receive their clothing.

In 1974, the school clothing operation moved to a small house owned by School District #11 at 713 Uintah Street, near the school district administration building. We were permitted to use the house rent-free with the condition that we maintain the premises and pay all utilities. Through this partnership, District #11 showed their appreciation to us for all that the organization had done for its students. This sort of partnership is a cornerstone of our ability to leverage our efforts to benefit our community.

The Bargain Box rented a building at 209 Costilla in April 1975, and we were eventually able to purchase the building with help from an El Pomar Foundation grant. Despite the building being larger, there was still not enough room for all of our philanthropic efforts.  It was not until 1981, when we purchased the building adjoining the Bargain Box, that our school clothing operation was relocated from the house on Uintah.  In April 1983, we had a new "home" in the basement of this property, where we could store clothing until it was distributed at the beginning of the school year.  

Our school support committees purchased clothing and obtained hygiene kits, books, supplies, and/or back packs depending on grade level.  We purchased goods from local businesses and also purchased from clothing wholesalers.

In the 2000's, we were able to purchase both a larger Bargain Box storefront, located at 405 S. Nevada, and a Service Center on Cimarron Street. Both of these buildings allowed us to expand our offerings. In the fall of 2013, we began a trial year of partnering with a retail facility to clothe students in-store. This allowed clothing appointments to be held after school hours and on weekends, thus ensuring that students did not miss valuable school time. It also allowed parents to become more active in the clothing selection process. A total of 2,721 students were clothed in a three-and-a-half-week period during the fall of 2016. Elementary school students were allotted $65.00 per student, middle school students were allotted $75.00, and high school students received $90.00. One hundred and seventy-one schools in El Paso County were served. Hygiene kits were also given to each participating student.

Of course, COVID changed everything relating to schools and students. We pivoted to another way of meeting our core desire to help clothe students in need.  During the 2022-2023 school year, 2,203 Famous Footwear cards and 3,148 pieces of clothing were distributed to students in need. The school clothing program served 71 schools in the Pikes Peak region with a budget of $153,100.  In 2024, we partnered with United Way and are now offering clothing, hygiene supplies, and Famous Footwear gift cards out of a space in their Family Success Center. 

In 2025, after careful consideration and reflection, we decided to disaffiliate from our national organization, effective June 1, 2025. This decision was thoughtfully considered and rooted in our desire to better serve the changing needs of El Paso County and our community partners. As we transition into a new era of service, our mission to support the local community and the operation of our Bargain Box thrift store will remain the same. We will continue our commitment to improving the well-being of children, families, and neighbors in need under our new name, B-COS We Care for Our Community. We remain dedicated to fostering positive change in the El Paso County community.