$ 2 SUGGESTED DONATION @DenverVOICE VENDOR PROFILE: DAVID GORDON DOING MY BEST TO TR T Y TO FIND THEM FOR SEVEN YEARS, DALE SAWIN HAS HANDED OUT SANDWICHES, WTER, AND CLOTHING TO FOLKS LIVING ON THE STREETS. PAGE 8 BILLS ADDRESS HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS LAWMAKERS ADD NEW PROTECTIONS FOR RENTERS, LOW-INCOME EARNERS, AND COMMUNITIES TO HELP ALLEVIATE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DISCRIMINATION. PAGE 5 WE NEED TO BE HAVING CONVERSATIONS LISA RAVILLE WITH THE HARM REDUCTION CENTER TALKS ABOUT COLORADO’S SYRINGE ACCESS PROGRAM. PAGE 6 VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY PAGES 3, 4, 11, & 12 EVENTS / PUZZLES PAGE 13 RESOURCES PAGE 15 JANUARY 2021 | Vol.26 Issue 1 SINCE 1997, WE HAVE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE TO WORK. DONATE TODAY TO ENSURE OUR VENDORS CONTINUE TO HAVE JOBS. (DENVERVOICE.ORG) FROM YOUR VENDOR: CREDIT: PAULA BARD
EDITOR’S NOTE ELISABETH MONAGHAN MANAGING EDITOR WRITING THIS FIRST EDITOR’S COLUMN FOR 2021, I am not filled with the same enthusiasm as I usually feel this time of year. Looking ahead to 2021, I don’t want to dwell on the negativity that the past year spewed at the world, but it’s difficult to mention 2020 without mentioning how awful much of it was. Working with Denver VOICE vendors and our community partners has helped me keep my whining about the past 12 months somewhat in check. I have running water, electricity, clean clothes, warm meals, and a roof over my head. If I am exposed to anyone who may have tested positive for COVID, I can quarantine at home without fearing that the place I rest my head and keep my belongings will be swept while I’m away looking for food or work. Despite my reticence over expecting great things from 2021, I will continue to hope that the New Year delivers more positive news about good people and their acts of kindness. I’ve learned not to ask, “what could go wrong?” but my hope is that there will be more stories about things going right. So, I will go ahead and wish you all a healthy and happy 2021, which I mean most sincerely. ■ January CONTRIBUTORS PAULA BARD is an award-winning fine art photographer, writer, and activist. She lives on a mountain top southwest of Denver. DENVERVOICE.ORG CE.ORG GILES CLASEN is a freelance photographer who regularly contributes his work to the VOICE for editorial projects, fundraisers, and events. He has also served on the VOICE’s Board of Directors. ROBERT DAVIS is a freelance reporter for the Denver VOICE. His work has also appeared in Colorado Public Works Journal, Fansided, Colorado Journal, and Medium.com. @OCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jennifer Seybold MANAGING EDITOR Elisabeth Monaghan PROGRAM COORDINATOR Andrew Klooster GRAPHIC DESIGNER Hannah Bragg VOLUNTEER COPY EDITORS Ty Holter DOUG HRDLICKA is a Denver native who reports on the city’s changes. Kate Marshall Austin Scott Aaron Sullivan Laura Wing PHOTOGRAPHERS/ILLUSTRATORS Paula Bard Giles Clasen WRITERS Paula Bard Giles Clasen Robert Davis Doug Hrdlicka WHAT WE DO The Denver VOICE empowers homeless, impoverished, and transient individuals by creating job opportunities through our vendor program. We give our vendors a job and help them tell their stories; this creates a space for them to be part of a community again. Vendors purchase copies of the VOICE for 50 cents each at our distribution center. This money pays for a portion of our production costs. Vendors can buy as many papers as they want; they then sell those papers to the public for a suggested $2 donation. The difference in cost ($1.50) is theirs to keep. WHO WE ARE The Denver VOICE is a nonprofit that publishes a monthly street newspaper. Our vendors are men and women in the metro Denver area experiencing homelessness and poverty. Since 2007, we have put more than 4,000 vendors to work. Our mission is to facilitate a dialogue addressing the roots of homelessness by telling stories of people whose lives are impacted by poverty and homelessness and to offer economic, educational, and empowerment opportunities for the impoverished community. We are an award-winning publication, a member of the International Network of Street Papers and the Colorado Press Association, and we abide by the Society of Professional Journalists code of ethics. Daniel Angel Martinez Jerry Mullenix Marianne Reid Jerry Rosen Pete Simon Viggo Wallace BOARD OF DIRECTORS Nikki Lawson, President Michelle Stapleton, Vice President Lori Holland, Treasurer Jeff Cuneo, Secretary Donovan Cordova Raelene Johnson Josh Kauer Craig Solomon Zephyr Wilkins With the money they make selling the VOICE, vendors are able to pay for their basic needs. Our program provides vendors with an immediate income and a support group of dedicated staff members and volunteers. Vendors are independent contractors who receive no base pay. EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT editor@denvervoice.org VENDOR PROGRAM program@denvervoice.org • (720) 320-2155 ADVERTISING ads@denvervoice.org MAILING ADDRESS PO Box 1931, Denver CO 80201 VENDOR OFFICE 989 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO 80204 OFFICE HOURS: For the immediate future, we will be open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Orientation is held every day we are open. New vendors must arrive between 9 and 10 a.m. 2 DENVER VOICE January 2021 STAFF CONTRIBUTORS BOARD CONTACT US
VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY Vendor Profile: DAVID GORDON BY ELISABETH MONAGHAN Growing up in Denver during the 1970s, Gordon has witnessed first-hand the city’s growing pains and events that paved the way for the challenges the city and its residents face today. While the VOICE was on a printing hiatus, Gordon navigated the streets of Denver, observing the civil unrest over the killings of Black men and women throughout the country. If you ask him about his observations, he will tell you he doesn’t favor violence or the destruction of property, but he believes that for people to move past the pain, they need to have an uncomfortable conversation. For Gordon, it is active communication that will lead to healing – let people speak, even if you don’t agree with them. Listen to each other, and treat each other with respect. Gordon brings to the Denver VOICE his passion for people treating each other with dignity, no matter where they sleep or what their jobs may be. And he treats his customers or prospective buyers with that same dignity – even those who walk right past him, pretending he’s not there. When a group of sixth-graders recently visited the Denver CREDIT: ELISABETH MONOGHAN THIS IS THE DENVER VOICE’S FIRST TIME handing out a Vendor of the Year award, and even though the VOICE’s vendors are all worthy of recognition, it is David Gordon who received the award for 2020. VOICE, Gordon took time to speak to these students as his equals. When the students asked, “How can young people like us make a difference to those experiencing homelessness?” Gordon let them know that their voices mattered and reminded them that everyone deserves to be treated with compassion and dignity – regardless of a person’s age, or where they sleep at night. Based on the positive feedback we received from his customers and fellow vendors, it’s no wonder that David Gordon was recognized as the 2020 Denver VOICE Vendor of the Year! ■ OUR Streets: CHRISTINA & MICHAEL BY PAULA BARD CHRISTINA AND MICHAEL WERE LIVING IN ARIZONA UNTIL RECENTLY. WHEN THEY CAME TO DENVER, THERE WERE NO SHELTER BEDS AVAILABLE. THEY WERE TICKETED WHEN THEY TRIED TO FIND SHELTER FROM THE SNOW. CREDIT: PAULA BARD OUR Streets are stories of Denver’s unhoused residents as captured by Paula Bard, who walks the streets of Denver to photograph the faces and collect the stories of those her city has abandoned. HOW TO HELP The money we take in from vendors helps us cover a portion of our printing costs, but we depend largely on donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations to help us pay our rent and keep the lights on. DONATE Donations to the Denver VOICE are tax-deductable. Go to denvervoice.org to give a one-time or recurring donation. You can also mail a check to: Denver VOICE | P.O. Box 1931 | Denver, CO 80201 GET THE WORD OUT We rely on grassroots marketing to get the word out about what we do. Talk to people about our organization and share us with your network. Support us on @denverVOICE ADVERTISE Our readership is loyal, well-educated, and socially concerned. Readers view purchasing the paper as a way to immediately help a person who is poor or homeless while supporting long-term solutions to end poverty. If you are interested in placing an ad or sponsoring a section of the paper, please contact us about rates at ads@denvervoice.org. VOLUNTEER We need volunteers to help with everything from newspaper distribution to event planning and management. Contact program@denvervoice.org for volunteering information. SUBSCRIBE If you are unable to regularly purchase a newspaper from our vendors, please consider a subscription. We ask subscribers to support our program with a 12-month pledge to give $10 a month, or a one-time donation of $120. Subscriptions help us cover our costs AND provide an amazing opportunity to those who need it most. Go to denvervoice.org/subscriptions for more information. January 2021 DENVER VOICE 3
LOCAL NEWS Ask a VENDOR THIS COLUMN IS A PLACE FOR DENVER VOICE VENDORS TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS FROM OUR READERS AND STAFF. Q What positive changes are you hoping to make in 2021? LAWMAKERS PASS BILLS TO ADDRESS ISSUES ON HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS BY ROBERT DAVIS HISTORICALLY, COLORADO HAS BEEN a landlord-friendly state. However, lawmakers recently have added numerous protections for renters, low-income earners, and communities to help alleviate housing and economic discrimination. The following laws will either take or remain in effect on January 1, 2021. A JERRY MULLENIX I want to get my camper running and to make a lot more money [vending the VOICE]. JERRY ROSEN I hope to make more sales in 2021. I hope to please more people by doing a really good job in many aspects. I also will make positive changes by thinking positive and being more productive. VIGGO WALLACE Positive changes I would like to make: setting and sticking with my short- and long-term goals, being consistent with my goals and following up... take the time to celebrate people while they’re living, showing appreciation for life, stopping to smell the roses every now and then, working on personal growth – mentally and physically. SPECIAL SESSION HOUSING SUPPORT AND PROTECTIONS Governor Jared Polis announced on November 23 that he was convening a special session for lawmakers to address housing instability and economic issues caused by COVID-19. A week later, lawmakers held their first session, introducing several key pieces of legislation that would become law by the weekend. Some of the bills passed include: SB20B-0052 Direct Housing Assistance Payments SB20B-003 Money for Energy Bill Utility Payment Assistance HB20B-0034 Food Pantry Assistance Programs In total, these bills make $70 million available in grant funding. Of that, $60 million comes from the direct assistance payment program. Effective upon passage, these bills are scheduled to sunset in June 2021. All funds appropriated by these bills must be spent before the deadline. HB20-1332 PROHIBIT HOUSING DISCRIMINATION SOURCE OF INCOME In 2019, Colorado prohibited landlords from rejecting a potential renter’s application because of the source of their income. However, the bill lawmakers passed left much to be desired. During the 2020 session, the General Assembly added protections for those who draw government or private rental assistance by defining them as a person’s “source of income.” It also prohibits a landlord from refusing to rent, limiting the duration or terms of a rental agreement, or falsely advertising a home’s availability for the purpose of discriminating against someone’s income. SB20-224 What do YOU want to ask? If you have a question or issue you would like vendors to discuss, please email community@denvervoice.org. 4 DENVER VOICE January 2021 IMMIGRANT TENANT PROTECTIONS ACT Over the summer, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, lawmakers introduced the Immigrant Tenant Protections Act to help undocumented persons and families stay in their homes. The Act prohibits landlords from refusing to rent a unit or repossessing a unit based solely on a tenant’s immigration status, or demanding a current tenant prove their citizenship to avoid eviction. However, landlords are still required to comply with state and federal immigration laws. If a tenant brings a successful action against a landlord for violations under this Act, the tenant can be awarded up to $2,000 per offense and “other equitable relief the Court finds appropriate,” the bill says. HB20-1196 MOBILE HOME PARK ACT UPDATES Colorado adopted the Mobile Home Park Act in 1985 to regulate the relationship between landlords and their tenants. However, until 2019, these provisions were kept separate from the State’s other landlord-tenant laws and had no oversight authority enforcing them. Lawmakers updated the Act in 2020 to clarify notice requirements for landlords who intend to terminate a tenant’s occupancy. The bill increased the time a tenant has to cure instances of noncompliance from 30 days to 90 days. If a landlord intends to sell the property, the notice they must give tenants has increased from 60 to 90 days. Landlords must also give their tenants a 12-month notice if the property is rezoned for a different usage. Prior to the Act’s passage, mobile home management companies could charge up to two month’s rent as a security deposit. This law reduced that to no more than one month’s rent. HB21-1201 MOBILE HOME PARK RESIDENTS OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE The additional notice requirements give mobile home tenants time to make financial plans to purchase their units, if the opportunity arises. In an instance where a mobile home management company intends to sell their property, they must give tenants a 12-month notice. Tenants then have 90 days to submit an offer to the management company to purchase the unit the tenant currently occupies. If a sale occurs and the tenants are not the buyers, the company must send their city and county an affidavit of compliance with the law. SB20-106 CONSENT TO SHELTER FOR HOMELESS YOUTH Individuals who are at least 15 years old are now allowed to enter the homeless shelter system. Referrals can be made by county social workers or a host family. However, the stay cannot last longer than 21 days. Within 72 hours of intake, the shelter or care center caring for the youth must attempt to contact the youth’s parent or legal guardian and identify counseling options, the availability of longterm care, or a possibly refer the youth to a county department. Youths between the ages of 11 and 14 years-old, who return to a shelter or care facility, will automatically be referred to a county department. ■ To read more about these bills, visit: https://leg.colorado.gov/ special-session-bills-authorized-sponsors-pre-release.
PROGRAM UPDATE Volunteer of the Year: LANIE LEE COOK BY ELISABETH MONAGHAN A LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO, Lanie Lee Cook saw a post from the Denver VOICE come across the news desk at KDVR/KWGN, where she works as an assignment editor. Curious, she read the post and saw the VOICE was looking for volunteers to help on different days of the week. Among those days was Wednesday, the one day that Cook happened to have open. Cook called the VOICE to ask how she could get started. Since joining the team of VOICE volunteers, Cook has proven to be a calming influence and significant morale booster for the Denver VOICE vendors and staff, alike. Cook studied journalism in Lafayette, Louisiana, which is where she grew up. After cutting her teeth as a journalist in Louisiana, she was ready to take on a bigger market and decided to move to Denver. When she returned to the VOICE after our offices were closed from March through May, due to the pandemic, Cook helped establish safety protocols for Denver VOICE vendors, so they could purchase their papers while remaining socially distanced. Cook said she had no idea what volunteering at the VOICE would be like, but as a newcomer to Colorado, she saw quickly how homelessness here was very visible. She wanted to know more about the causes behind homelessness and to know more about the people experiencing CREDIT: ELISABETH MONOGHAN homelessness. Volunteering for the VOICE was a way for her to learn. The fact that the Denver VOICE produces a newspaper appealed to Cook’s journalist side, but it is the social interaction with the vendors that she appreciates the most about her volunteer work. Cook’s kindness and her ability to remain calm amid the numerous challenges wrought by 2020 have been a beacon to the Denver VOICE community, and we are so grateful for her generous and compassionate spirit. ■ NEW ITEMS NEEDED: Socks Bottled water, ARE YOU READY FOR TAX SEASON? TAX PLANNING & PREPARATION | PAYROLL & BOOKKEEPING INVESTMENT MGMT. & WEALTH ADVISORY | NETWORK MARKETING non-perishable snacks Hand-warmers, toothpaste, deodorant, chapstick Paper products for the office 1” notebooks GENTLY-USED ITEMS NEEDED: Refurbished laptops or desktop computers Heavy jackets Scarves Winter hats Gloves Backpacks WE CAN HELP! VISIT US AT DBS-CPAS.COM For years, 10x Business Consultants, Inc. has been providing quality, personalized fi nancial guidance to individuals and businesses. Our expertise ranges from basic tax management and accounting services to more in-depth services such as tax planning and QuickBooks advisory services. 10x Business Consultants, Inc. is one of the leading fi rms in and throughout the area. By combining our expertise, experience and the team mentality of our staff, we assure that every client receives the close analysis and attention they deserve. Our dedication to high standards, hiring of seasoned tax professionals, and work ethic is the reason our client base returns year after year. DENVERVOICE.ORG/VENDOR-NEEDS Drop-offs are accepted Mon, Weds, Fri., 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., or schedule a drop-off by emailing program@denvervoice.org. January 2021 DENVER VOICE 5 Winter WISH LIST
LOCAL STORY CREDIT: GILES CLASEN WE NEED TO BE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT SYRINGE ACCESS PROGRAMS BY GILES CLASEN LISA RAVILLE JOINED THE HARM REDUCTION CENTER in 2009 as its executive director. The center is the largest syringe exchange program in the state of Colorado and provides clean needles to drug users, as well as other support services, to more than 10,000 individuals. In 2020, the program had more than 4,000 participants. What makes the center unique is that it provides services to both participants who are housed as well as those experiencing homelessness. The organization seeks to build trust with the people it serves and does not judge individuals seeking new needles. This approach, at the very least, helps reduce the public health risks related to drug use. (Raville is eager to tell you no one has gone to rehab after they died.) The center’s success lies in the fact that the staff treats all participants with the highest level of respect and provide other services. The organization also can be a place to receive mail, find help getting on Medicaid, or even receive wound care. Ultimately, the Harm Reduction Center helps keep individuals alive by teaching the safest way to use drugs. It also teaches individuals to never inject alone and provides training on how to administer Narcan, a medication that can quickly reverse an opioid overdose. Additionally, the Harm Reduction Center collects and safely disposes of thousands of used syringes a year, which helps protect the public and the environment from exposure to the waste. Since Raville joined the Harm Reduction Center, the organization has worked to help pass multiple pieces of statewide legislation to expand services to drug users and helped make multiple policy changes in Denver. The following are comments Raville made during a recent interview and have been edited for clarity. HOW HAS 2020 IMPACTED DRUG USE IN DENVER? I just got the new numbers from the coroner’s office on drugrelated deaths in Denver this year, and they’re super high, so everyone’s upset, as you can imagine. There have been 284 drug-related deaths in Denver, as of December 4, 2020. In 2019 the number of deaths was 225, so this is the deadliest year ever in Denver for overdoses, and we’ve got to do better. Doing better will take a multi-pronged approach. We need to be having conversations with folks that fentanyl is here. Getting fentanyl testing strips and having access to Narcan is essential. We also know that using alone is a problem, so we need overdose prevention sites, where we can remove use out of the public sphere and put it into a controlled environment. We need to be having conversations about stimulant overdoses. A lot of people who use stimulants don’t know that they can overdose on them. Stimulant overdoses present a little different, more like a heart attack, stroke, or seizure. I think we need a lot of education and a supervised use site. Lastly, we have a very unpredictable drug supply so we need to start talking about what a safer supply would look like, as they do in other countries. WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO CREATE OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITES? It’s difficult to go from zero to an overdose prevention site. We have to talk about what we can currently do with a syringe access program and engage with folks in the deadliest overdose crisis we’ve ever had in parallel with an unprecedented global pandemic. The number one substance use treatment admission requirement in Denver, Colorado and the United States is that people have to be alive. Dead drug users do not have the opportunity for recovery, and when people are alive, there’s hope. The problem is there’s no good media representation of a syringe access program. A lot of times people think it’s dark and dingy; they’re not sure what’s going on in there. We had a lot of those issues initially with syringe access programs. In particular, we heard, “Oh, it’s going to decrease property values in the neighborhood; they’ll be terrible neighbors.” Well, of course, we’ve been great neighbors, dare I say, award-winning neighbors. What’s nice about how we’re 6 DENVER VOICE January 2021
LOCAL STORY pushing forward is that syringe access programs, such as the one I oversee, have a good relationship with neighbors. We know that people need to be a good neighbor in the community and have folks rise to that occasion. [Critics] were concerned that [the center] would increase inappropriately discarded syringes in the neighborhood. We have safe disposal here, so it’s better to be within a mile of a syringe access program because people can take those used syringes and properly dispose of them here. What happens is there’s a lot of misinformation. I’m always on the defense rather than being able to be on the offense. Misinformation comes out and people just start spewing it. It’s very difficult to come back to them with evidence, science and public health, and things like that. Ultimately, people don’t want to hear you’re going to be a good neighbor; they want to see it. That’s why it’s so important for us to be a good neighbor in the communities in which we serve. Our folks are invested in being that good community member because they want to be part of a community; they want to keep us safer and healthier. I want to be really clear: in the state of Colorado, when we talk about an overdose prevention site, it’s simply a program arm of an already flourishing syringe access program. We can do everything possible to prevent and eliminate the transmission of HIV and Hepatitis C — resources, referrals, naloxone (Narcan), fentanyl testing strips — but it’s not legal for them to inject on my property. Use and possession on the property can get seized. So [our participants] go a few blocks away to an alley or a business bathroom and they inject there, often alone. Then they’re dying in these public places. We can do better than that. HOW DO OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITES BENEFIT THE WHOLE COMMUNITY? Everybody that overdosed was found by somebody. We know that RTD transit stations struggle. They’ve had 13 overdose deaths in the last two-and-a-half years in a transit station in Denver. Who’s coming up on people overdosing in the transit station? Is it a transit worker, or is it a community member? WHO’S TALKING TO THAT PERSON AFTER THAT? It’s a larger community trauma issue that no one’s really talking about. We want to reduce that larger community trauma. I want [it to be safe and legal for] people to inject at my place. I want them injecting with me present. When has anyone said something like that? It’s safer [to inject] when experts are present. We want to take that off of the businesses and the larger community, as well. It reduces public injecting and promotes public safety. Harm reduction increases public safety. Drug use is already happening. We want to reduce the harms associated with public injecting; we want to reduce the harms associated with overdosing and dying of overdoses. When people are alive, there’s hope. So, 284 drug-related deaths in Denver in 2020 is unacceptable; 225 in 2019, unacceptable; 209 in 2018, unacceptable. We need to be chipping away — we’re getting worse, not better. WHAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE PUBLIC’S PERCEPTION OF SYRINGE EXCHANGE PROGRAMS? The United States has never done a good job with the war on drug users. The war on drug users has been incredibly racist and classist. The DEA, the police, they can’t arrest their way out of drug use. They continue to try stigma, shame, and incarceration. Incarceration never should have been the answer and never worked. Stigma and shame haven’t worked, either. We’ve never had a good conversation in the United States, in general, about drug use. There’s so much misinformation out there. There’s a lot of misinformation even among health care CREDIT: GILES CLASEN providers about chaotic drug use. Health care providers have a lot of terrible information, too. Here’s the thing: I don’t want it to have to affect you for you to give a fuck. I don’t want to give the example of, “What if it was a family member?” That shouldn’t even matter. People should not have to die of preventable overdoses. People matter, even if they use drugs. So many people have such misinformation about people who use drugs like, “Oh, they’ll never go to a syringe access program, they don’t care about their health.” Actually, [our participants] do. That’s all we talk about sometimes: necrotizing fasciitis, osteomyelitis, endocarditis, Hep B, Hep C, HIV. My people thirst for factual health information. I think there’s just so much misinformation, and then, it just perpetuates that stigma. DO NEEDLE EXCHANGES AND OVERDOSE PREVENTION SITES ENABLE DRUG USERS? People talk a lot of shit about “enabling.” I’m not sure where that comes from. Rock bottom is death. We need to have a better conversation about that. We’re enabling folks for a healthier and safer “them” today. We are engaging with folks with dignity and compassion. When [drug users] want to do something different, we’re the first folks they come to. WHAT WILL CHANGE WHEN MEDICAID BEGINS COVERING DRUG ADDICTION? I think a lot of people are thirsting for an inpatient setting. Twenty-eight days, though, isn’t the greatest inpatient that’s ever lived. That’s all that usually the insurance companies will pay for. But 28 days to give you some time to figure out what life is going to look like without using substances has value. But there aren’t a lot of great solutions to drug use. Medicationassisted treatment is a possible answer. The problem is that you have millions of people using drugs, and you only really have a few treatment modalities: inCREDIT: GILES CLASEN patient, AA/NA, LifeRing or Lifeline, and medication-assisted treatment. That’s about it. WHAT IF TREATMENT DOESN’T WORK? There is a lot of relapse that happens for folks in recovery, but also sometimes, people are like, “Oh, I don’t know, I failed treatment.” And it’s like, “No, what that sounds like is treatment failed you. So how can I be supportive?” We need to be supportive. Our staff doesn’t talk about treatment unless participants bring it up with us. The world wants [the people using drugs] abstinent, and for one reason or another, today may not be the day. And abstinence may never be in the cards. But today is the day to do something healthier and safer and engage with folks who are just, quite honestly, fucking rooting for you. We’re rooting for you. WHAT HOPE IS THERE FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP DRUG USERS? 2020 has been a hard year for being optimistic, I got to tell you. But I think there’s still hope. There are still opportunities for people to find solace in one another, to find mutual aid opportunities to save people’s lives. We continue to train drug users to help one another, to use Narcan. People who use drugs are the true first responders in midst of this overdose crisis. I also see people testing their drugs with fentanyl testing strips and being, like, “Yeah, I did a behavior change; there was something I did differently because I knew what was in my drugs.” That’s overdose prevention. Fentanyl testing strips test to see if fentanyl or fentanyl analogs are present in your drug before you use your drug. It just shows if it’s positive or negative. It doesn’t say how much or anything like that. Once you know what’s in your drug, you can do something about it. Sometimes, they’ll throw the drug away entirely. Sometimes they do a little bit — they don’t do as much as they were initially going to do. Once you know what’s in your drug, then you can do something about it, and that’s an overdose prevention technique. They’re quite literally lifesavers. ■ January 2021 DENVER VOICE 7
COMMUNITY PROFILE CREDIT: PAULA BARD DOING MY BEST TO TRY TO FIND THEM BY PAULA BARD SCOUTING OUT MARGINAL SOULS living on Denver’s streets, Dale Sawin wends his way through Confluence Park, downtown Denver, and then catches the edges of the RINO district. One of his gloved hands firmly grasps the handle of his wagon train. It’s cold. He devotes hours to making sandwiches and shoring up his wagons before he heads out on Saturday afternoons, often trudging late into the evening. From his wagon train, called “Atheist Alley,” he hands out sandwiches, jackets, water, socks, and sometimes, cans of beer, to folks living on the streets. He has been doing this for seven years. He went out once a week until last summer, then backed off to just once a month. for now. Sometimes, he brings his kids, but mostly this is his personal project. He collects donations from friends, coworkers, and local businesses. “For the most part I buy the food myself,” Sawin explained. “Sometimes, families will call me up and say they’d like to make the sandwiches. But mainly, I get a lot of donations, like socks, toiletries. Last year the Fallen Owl [tattoo parlor] on West Colfax, did a huge donation and asked everybody on their mailing list to donate. They filled up my truck with their donations. Sometimes, my work [at Jeffco Open Space] gets together donations; they all know what I do.” His mission has evolved. “The first year I didn’t really tell anybody, but these days, lots of people donate. I thank everybody. Otherwise, I couldn’t afford this. I have spent thousands and thousands of dollars doing this. But you know what? I’m not starving, and my kids aren’t starving. And the mortgage is paid, so why not try to give a little bit?” CREDIT: PAULA BARD 8 DENVER VOICE January 2021 CREDIT: PAULA BARD
COMMUNITY PROFILE Street Stories FROM DALE SAWIN THE THIRD TIME I WENT OUT, I wasn’t sure I was going to keep doing this. I knew people were hungry, and I knew people were living on the streets, but I didn’t know people were actually starving, ya know? So, the third time I went out, I went out through Confluence Park, and I got right to where the creek and river meet, right there by that little hill, and I was walking through. A guy was sitting in the grass, sitting in the sun, he felt blah, just kind of there. So, I walked by, and I said, “Hey, Man, do you need anything, are you hungry?” He didn’t answer the first time, and he looked up, and he said, “What did you say?” I said, “Are you hungry? I have sandwiches CREDIT: PAULA BARD and water.” And he looked at me and just started crying. He was just crying non-stop, and I thought he was kind of crazy at first. I was like,“Hey, Man, are you all right?” And he was like, “Dude, I can’t even tell you how hungry I am right now.” He was just crying, like non-stop. “I rode the train from Kansas City to here, I don’t know anybody here. I don’t know where to go, I don’t know where the shelters are, and I haven’t eaten in three days. I am so hungry you wouldn’t believe it.” And he was crying. Because he was so hungry, he was crying. I didn’t realize there were actually people in the streets that were starving. There must have been a hundred people CREDIT: PAULA BARD CREDIT: PAULA BARD GROWING UP ON DENVER’S WEST SIDE. Sawin went to Alameda High School. Once a painter with an art degree, he now works at Jefferson County Open Space. Earlier, his life followed the predictable pattern; married and two kids within a secure Baptist community and family. Uncles and cousins were Southern Baptist ministers. He had an affinity for “old Denver,” which he loved to document. He played a record player for the elderly at the Barth Hotel, downtown. Still does. But at some point, his life fractured, and he found himself in a painful divorce, while around him, his secure Baptist life broke open and let in the sharp light of doubt. Sawin’s life faltered. And then, he resurrected himself; created a new path. And thus, the name of his wagon train was etched: Atheist Alley. WHEN I STARTED QUESTIONING, I REALIZED I JUST DIDN’T BELIEVE ANY OF IT ANYMORE. “There was a lot of hypocrisy going on. I just didn’t believe the whole thing of it.” I was like, ‘this is not real.’ That was cool; I felt free all of a sudden. But it was frightening because when you give up religion, you give up everything with it.” Although Sawin welcomed a new level of accountability, it came with added responsibility. He worried that at the end of his life he would look back and say, “Ya know, I lived a full life, and I did the best I could. I have no regrets. What does that mean for me…? I gotta do something with my life, more than I’m doing now.” His answer to those deeply human and unsettling questions was to hook up a wagon full of homemade sandwiches and make his way downtown. He made direct contact with troubled folks and brought sustenance. “If I only have one life, I’ve got to make the most of it. What can I do to make the world a better place? I didn’t know. I don’t have any way, you know? But I knew I could make a few sandwiches and walk them out to those kids on ‘Stoner Hill.” Stoner Hill sits just west of Confluence Park, and unsheltered kids began making it their home back about seven years ago. “And that’s what I did. That first day I took ‘em out I was like, ‘oh my god, this is something. It’s a little thing. But man, it’s something better than just going to work, and being a dad, and being a good son, and a good employee. It’s something more than that.’ That’s when I started doing it.” The wagon train was born. Sawin now looks for the few people off by themselves to contact, and he offers food, conversation, and warmth. “Because, you know, that the people in the camps are going to share everything they’ve got, or they can make it to the shelters. Or, they can show up for dinners at the places that provide them. But, there’s always the people that are more isolationist, or by themselves. That’s why I always start at the far-off places like down by the river, or at Confluence, to hit those guys that are by themselves, but then I work my way to the camps, too.” ■ walking by him; nobody knew this guy was sitting there. Just in total isolation, in the middle of this huge city, starving. He was the same age as me, so at the time, late 40s. But he was so desperate, he didn’t know what to do; he didn’t know where to go. I gave him a bunch of food and told him where the shelters were. THE HUMANITY BETWEEN THEM I was walking down 16th Street with one sandwich left. And this guy walks by and says, “Is that food? Oh my god, I’m so hungry.” And he just took the bag and started eating it, like right there. He ate the sandwich, and he ate the chips, and he was standing right there, right in the middle of the mall, just eating everything as fast as he could. And this other guy walks by and asks if we have any sandwiches left. I’m like, “No, Man. This guy just got the last one.” And the homeless guy, who just ate the sandwich, says, “Oh wait, there’s still a candy bar left here. You can have it.” I was like, “Holy shit! You know people sitting in a restaurant aren’t going to say, ‘Hey, I’m not going to eat this, do you want it? You eat it.’” How they share everything. They seem more giving, more human, than the majority of the world. From those few sandwiches for kids out on Stoner Hill to reaching out to the hundreds of marginalized and unseen folks on Denver’s harsh streets, Sawin’s epiphany brings a touch of kindness to those among us who need it the most. ■ January 2021 DENVER VOICE 9
LOCAL STORY CREDIT: GILES CLASEN 2021 POINT-IN-TIME SURVEY EXPECTED TO REVEAL RAVAGES OF PANDEMIC BY DOUG HRDLICKA THE ANNUAL POINT-IN-TIME (PIT) count is set to take place at the end of January, and many wait with bated breath to see the impact the past year has had on people experiencing homelessness, as well as the strain on services for the upcoming year. The 2020 PIT count revealed that 6,104 people were experiencing some form of homelessness at any given time. It was the latest number in an increasing statistic, yet only telling of pre-pandemic life. Projections predict the severe cost-burdened population will double by 2022. And to make matters worse, on August 28, the unemployment trust entered a state of insolvency and is estimated to remain there until 2026, while Colorado borrows from the federal government to pay out its current claims. The Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund Status Report of 2020 reported that “Benefits will continue to be paid through loans from the Federal Unemployment Account after the UITF becomes insolvent. Those federal loans are interestfree through 2020—no determination has been made as to whether the interest deferral will continue beyond that.” The last far-reaching catastrophe this alarming was the Great Recession of 2008. The PIT count documented more than 8,000 people experienced some form of housing insecurity. During that time, many homes were foreclosed, 10 DENVER VOICE January 2021 and the job market yielded few opportunities. There are similarities between the two catastrophic events regarding housing and unemployment, but in the past, the City of Denver was able to launch construction projects to offset the backlash. Colorado has used many of its funds to offset depleted trusts and provide healthcare initiatives and short-term housing, among countless other programs, all while revenue streams from small businesses have been cut off. Last March, Gov. Polis issued several executive orders to help curb the fallout and slow the spread of the virus. One of the most talked-about is the eviction suspension moratorium. The order protects renters who have been culled from the workforce and whose unemployment benefits fall short of financial demands. As of December 31, 2020, all measures protecting tenants from evictions will have lifted, and the New Year could mark the beginning of 26,112 evictions that were filed in 2020. But it is difficult to say whether or not these evictions are a true representation of the renter landscape, considering the freeze. To help understand and offer guidance on how to proceed, Gov. Polis formed the Special Eviction Prevention Task Force made up of people with diverse backgrounds. “Eviction filings are slightly lower than they were during the Great Recession. Colorado eviction filings peaked between July 2008 and 2009 at 55,000 annually—or nearly 4,600 per month,” the Special Task Force reported. Between August 26 and Nov. 28, the Task Force set out to estimate just how critical the housing situation is. Once it is disbanded, the Task Force will be absorbed by the Department of Housing. During non-pandemic times, the renter population for Colorado is 760,000, the study reported. Of these, 150,000 are cost-burdened and pay 50 percent or more towards living; one-third of whom face evictions each year. The renters most affected are those who have historically been pushed to the fringes, such as low-income families and communities of color. According to the Task Force, “Models based on unemployment predictions and cost burden suggest that between 150,000 and 230,000 Colorado households could be at risk of eviction by December 31, 2020.” By January 2021, the cost-burdened population is estimated to reach 360,000. With influenza and COVID-19 in full swing, the strain of services and aid could reach a critical point. “As of October 2, 2020, Colorado’s new Emergency Housing Assistance Program (EHAP) has served 1,192 households, with nearly $2.5 million of assistance provided. The Department of Housing (DOH) estimates that current funding dedicated to the EHAP program will run out in late December 2020,” the Task Force reported. After the report was completed, the Task Force offered short-, medium-, and long-term solutions to mitigate against mass evictions. They recommended another eviction moratorium and to increase funds for rent relief, late fees, and interest forgiveness. “The primary purpose of regulatory intervention in landlord/tenant laws is to mitigate the most extreme consequence of housing instability—housing displacement that leads to homelessness,” the Task Force reported. ■
WRITING THROUGH HARD TIMES COURTESY OF DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY AND LIGHTHOUSE WRITERS WORKSHOP THE HARD TIMES WRITING WORKSHOP IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY AND LIGHTHOUSE WRITERS WORKSHOP. IT’S OPEN TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY THOSE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. EACH MONTH, THE DENVER VOICE PUBLISHES A SELECTION OF WRITING FROM THESE WORKSHOPS. INFORMATION ABOUT VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS: LIGHTHOUSEWRITERS.ORG/WORKSHOP/DENVER-PUBLIC-LIBRARY-HARD-TIMES MORE WRITING BY THE POETS FEATURED IN THIS COLUMN: WRITEDENVER.ORG PETE SIMON THE SWEARING-IN CEREMONY Everything was too quiet, all was too peaceful as they welcomed another believer into their unmasked midst. The procession continued too quiet, when the invisible destroyer fell them one-by-one; leaving each gasping for air; like gasping ones who were placed on triage, because there are not enough hospital beds and respirators left. Like Old Man River, The Invisible Destroyer of no boundary; no social; no economic status; just keeps quietly moving along. DANIEL ANGEL MARTINEZ TIME TO BURN Under a viaduct a homeless veteran stands before a barrel fire. He feeds it with badnewsletters, notwantedads and crumpledpastlifenotes. An overwhelming smoke joins forces with storm clouds overhead conspiring to stir up the barrel ingredients to create a toxic brew. Will it swallow him up or will he swallow it up? He takes a deep breath, reaches in his tattered coat for his rot gut (now his chaser) and he drinks his medicine. MARIANNE REID ACROSTIC POEM Racial unity Essential to our survival Cultural exchange to engage Options for meaningful peace No political division Careful to honor the Image of God we see in each person Loved equally Inspired forgiveness A peace that overcomes fear To cover us, to Inhibit misconceptions Of others Nothing is impossible PRESENTED BY: January 2021 DENVER VOICE 11
IN YOUR OWN WORDS CREDIT: GILES CLASEN PRETTY LIGHTS TELL SAD STORIES BY ELISABETH MONAGHAN FOR THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW, a display of purple and white lights has returned to Sonny Lawson Park and will remain there until the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) conducts its annual Point in Time survey of those experiencing homelessness in Denver. Each of the purple lights represents an individual sleeping unsheltered at night, and the white ones represent individuals staying in shelters or transitional housing. The total number of lights in the display at Sonny Lawson Park is a little more than 4,000, which is up from 2019’s total of 3,445. Among those represented by these lights is Denver VOICE vendor Jerry Mullenix. Mullenix recently purchased a camper, but before that, he spent his most of his nights in encampments around Denver. On Tuesday, November 17, Mullenix was staying at the encampment located on 19th Avenue and Emerson Street when the Denver Police Department conducted a sweep of the property. Following is an account of his experience. “The camp that I was at got raided by the police on Tuesday. We were asked to pack up and go, and we had a week to do so. [Protesters from] Denver Homeless Out Loud got put in jail for trying to stop the police, who put up a fence around our campsite to make us move out of the area. I left the camp with what I could grab, which was not much, just my pillow and blankets.” As unemployment rates surge and more people are being evicted from their homes, we can expect the number of lights in next year’s display, and the individuals represented, to be even higher. ■ CREDIT: GILES CLASEN WE MOVED! 12 DENVER VOICE January 2021 Our vendor offi ce is now located at : 989 Santa Fe Drive Denver, CO 80204 We are still settling into our new Denver VOICE office at 989 Santa Fe Drive. When it is safer to gather in large groups again, we hope you will stop by and say hello!
EVENTS WHEN: Anytime (online) COST: Free MORE INFO: dazzledenver.com/dazzle-online-stage COOKING ON-DEMAND Whether you’re looking to make empanadas, pierogies, fondue, quiche, or curries, this online library of cooking classes will make your tummy growl. WHEN: Anytime (online) COST: $35 MORE INFO: theseasonedchef.com/cooking-on-demand ACROSS GENTLE YOGA FOR TERRIBLE TIMES Simple and accessible breathing exercises, stretches, and guided meditation for all bodies, minds, and spirits. No experience necessary but you must register in advance. WHEN: Jan 9, 16, 23, and 30, 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. (online) COST: Free MORE INFO: eventbrite.com 1. Small whirlpool 5. Factions 10. “Hey, over here!” 14. Singer India.___ 15. Braid 16. On the safe side, at sea 17. Comfortable indoor setting PAUL RAMIREZ JONAS IN CONVERSION WITH KENDAL HENRY What is “public” about public art? And who is the public it’s for? Join artist Paul Ramirez Jonas for a conversation with artist and curator Kendal Henry, who directs the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs’ Percent for Art Program, about public art – how it’s made, who it’s for, and why it’s important. WHEN: Jan 13, 5 p.m. (online) COST: Free MORE INFO: mcadenver.org/events ANTI-HERO SHORT FILM FEST The Anti-Hero Short Film Festival seeks to share and celebrate stories and experiences that have been left out of history by highlighting the voices of women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ communities. WHEN: Jan 22, 6 p.m. (online) COST: Free MORE INFO: mcadenver.org/events 20. Crabwise 21. Religious retreat 22. Andrea Bocelli, for one 23. “Pat, I’d like to buy ___” 24. Isolating by race 31. Leveling wedge 35. Way to go 36. Time piece 37. Cotton fabric 38. ___ Wednesday 39. Sicilian rumbler 40. From a distance 41. Beginning 43. “No sweat” 44. Traditional 47. Carte start 48. Battery type, briefly 52. Sustained, in music 56. Scampered 59. With deep grief 61. Filly’s father 62. Spiny Scottish shrub 63. Allocate, with “out” 64. Writes 65. ___ limit 66. Periods DOWN 1. All ___ 2. French right 3. Electron tube 4. Land on the Red Sea 5. Harpoon wielder 6. Full of certain shade trees 7. Beanies 8. 20-20, e.g. 9. Peculiar 10. Trail 11. Epithet 12. “Buona ___” (Italian greeting) 13. Abound 18. Rare bills 19. ___ Minor 23. Heavens (Var.) 25. Australian monitor lizard 26. Either director of “Avengers: Endgame” 27. Quaker’s “you” 28. Little bit 29. Women with habits 30. Overcast 31. Petty quarrel 32. LP player 33. Muslim holy man 34. Filly’s mother 41. Tea varieties 42. Like some professors 45. Despise 46. Scuttlebutt 49. ___ de menthe 50. Support person 51. Atlanta-based airline 52. Cookbook abbr. 53. Lake near Niagara Falls 54. Norse goddess of fate 55. Hawaiian strings 56. Arid 57. Detective’s assignment 58. Salon supplies 60. ___ Fastpass (TriMet fare card) COURTESY OF DEAR DENVER DEARDENVER.NET PUZZLES Thanks to Deborah Lastowka, with Dear Denver.net, for coming up with some great ideas for entertainment people can enjoy while practicing social distancing. DAZZLE ONLINE STAGE PERFORMANCES Free, on-demand performances from your favorite or soon-to-be-favorite musicians. COURTESY OF STREETROOTS ANSWERS ARE ON PAGE 15 January 2021 DENVER VOICE 13 PUZZLE COURTESY OF STREET ROOTS, DENVER VOICE’S SISTER PAPER IN PORTLAND, OR PUZZLE COURTESY OF STREET ROOTS, DENVER VOICE’S SISTER PAPER IN PORTLAND, OR
DONOR LIST WE LOVE OUR DONORS! WHEN YOU SUPPORT THE DENVER VOICE, YOU ARE HELPING SUPPORT HUNDREDS OF HOMELESS AND IMPOVERISHED INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE WORKING TO REALIZE SELF-SUFFICIENCY THROUGH EARNING A DIGNIFIED INCOME. YOUR GIFT MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS. HERE, WE LIST THOSE WHO HAVE GIVEN $500 AND MORE IN THE LAST YEAR. DENVERVOICE.ORG/DONATE $25,000+ Denver Foundation The NextFifty Initiative Help Colorado Now $10,000+ John & Laurie Mcwethy Charitable Fund Kenneth King Foundation Max & Elaine Appel DEDO Nonprofit Emergency Relief Fund The Christian Foundation $5,000 - $9,999 Anschutz Family Foundation Community Foundation of Boulder County Jerry Conover Meek-Cuneo Family Fund $1,000-$4,999 Kauer Construction & Design Matthew Seashore & Nikki Lawson Josh Kauer Bright Funds Donald Weaver Network for Good Arc Thrift Stores Russell Peterson Jeremy Anderson City Side Remodeling Matthew Rezek Schuster Family Foundation PEN America Gaelina Tesfaye Craig & Teresa Solomon Signs by Timorrow Jim Ashe Wynkoop Brewery George Lichter Family Foundation Walker Family Foundation The Sidney B. & Caleb F. Gates Jr. Fund Gaetanos Restaurant Patrick & Jan Rutty Conover/Wonder Family Fund Phoenix Capital $500-$999 Comedy Works Michelle Stapleton & James Thompson Michael Dino Christine Muldoon and Pete Iannuzzi Jill Haug Caring Connection Alistair Davidson Paul Manoogian Kroger Grocery Ridley McGreevy & Winocur Lighthouse Writer’s Workshop, Inc. Keyrenter Property Management Denver Gaspar Terrana 10x Business Consultants, Inc. Travis & Margaret Ramp Elizabeth A. Mitchell Stephen Saul Leigh Bingham and Chris Forgham James Stegman William Thorland Betty & Warren Kuehner Zephyr Wilkins Celestina Pacheco ACM LLP Cuneo Law Firm Paul Hoffman Jim and Nancy Thomas Peggy Mihelich Susan B. Jones Michael Vitco Jennifer Stedron Graham Davis 10xBusiness-Consultants Jeff Cuneo SPONSORSHIP LEVELS THE DENVER VOICE’S ANNUAL SPONSORSHIP SUPPORT LEVELS PROVIDE BUSINESSES LIKE YOURS THE OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN WORK EMPOWERMENT, HOMELESS PREVENTION, THE CHALLENGING OF COMMUNITY PERCEPTIONS, AND TO BE A PART OF PROVIDING OUR COMMUNITY WITH QUALITY AWARD-WINNING JOURNALISM THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE THROUGH OUR WRITERS AND VENDORS – AN INVALUABLE PART OF DENVER’S COMMUNITY. YOUR INVOLVEMENT WILL HELP HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING POSITIVE ACTION TO COMBAT HOMELESSNESS AND IMPOVERISHMENT. AS A SPONSOR, YOU HAVE A WAY TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND GIVE SOMETHING BACK AT THE SAME TIME. ANNUAL SPONSORSHIPS BENEFITS INCLUDE YOUR LOGO LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE HOMEPAGE, MONTHLY AD SPACE IN OUR PAPER, AND SPECIAL EVENT PERKS FOR YOU AND YOUR EMPLOYEES ALL YEAR LONG. IT’S A GOOD DEAL FOR A GOOD CAUSE, AND YOUR GIFT IS 100% TAX-DEDUCTIBLE! ABOVE THE FOLD: $5,000 • One complimentary full page ad in the newspaper ($1,000 value) • Table of 10 and Sponsor recognition at annual Rise and Thrive Breakfast (200 attendees) • Sponsorship recognition at our annual Pints Fighting Poverty event (200 attendees) • Business logo highlighted on website homepage, and in the Above the Fold Sponsorship list • Logo highlighted in our annual report, along with logo in quarterly support feature of the paper GALLEY: $2,500 • One complimentary half page add in the newspaper ($600 value) • Table of 10 and Sponsor recognition at annual Rise and Thrive Breakfast (200 attendees) • Sponsorship recognition at our annual Pints Fighting Poverty event (200 attendees) • Business logo highlighted on website homepage, and in the Galley Sponsorship list • Logo highlighted in our annual report, along with logo in quarterly support feature of the paper HONOR BOX: $1,000 • Table of 10 and Sponsor recognition at annual Rise and Thrive Breakfast (200 attendees) • Sponsorship recognition at our annual Pints Fighting Poverty event (200 attendees) • Business logo highlighted on website homepage, and in the Honor Box Sponsorship list • Logo highlighted in our annual report, along with logo in quarterly support feature of the paper FLY SHEET: $500 • Two complimentary tickets to our annual Pints Fighting Poverty event ($50 value) • Business logo highlighted on website homepage, and in the Fly Sheet Sponsorship list • Logo highlighted in our annual report, along with logo in quarterly support feature of the paper 14 DENVER VOICE January 2021
RESOURCE LIST FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IN DENVER DENVERVOICE.ORG/RESOURCE-LIST DIAL 211 FOR A MORE COMPLETE LIST OF RESOURCES IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH. PROVIDES INFORMATION FOR FOOD, MEDICAL CARE, SENIOR SERVICES, YOUTH PROGRAMS, COUNSELING, EDUCATION, SHELTERS, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, HOLIDAY ASSISTANCE, AND MORE. EMAIL EDITOR@DENVERVOICE.ORG WITH CORRECTIONS OR ADDITIONS. FREE MEALS AGAPE CHRISTIAN CHURCH 2501 California St., Sat., 11am CAPITOL HEIGHTS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 1100 Fillmore St., Sat. lunch at 11:30am capitolheightspresbyterian.org CAPITOL HILL COMMUNITY SERVICES Go to mealsforpoor.org for meal locations CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION 1530 Logan St.; sandwiches & coffee Mon.-Fri. 8:30am denvercathedral.org CHRIST’S BODY MINISTRIES 850 Lincoln; Mon. closed, Tues.-Thurs. 10am-3pm, Fri. 8am-11pm; groceries & hot meal on Sat. at 2pm (at 16th & York); Sun. church service at 6pm, dinner at 7pm. christsbody.org CHRIST IN THE CITY Home-cooked meal; Civic Center Park at Colfax & Lincoln at 1pm every Wed. & 2nd Sat. christinthecity.org CITYSQUARE DENVER 303-783-3777, 2575 S. Broadway; Food pantry Tues. 10am-6pm citysquare.org DENVER INNER CITY PARISH 303-322-5733, 1212 Mariposa St., VOA Dining Center for Seniors, free 60 yrs and older, Wed.-Sat. 9am-12pm. Food Bank, Wed.-Fri., tickets at 9am, food bank open 10am-12pm. dicp.org DENVER RESCUE MISSION 1130 Park Avenue West, 3 meals 7 days/week: 5:30am, 12pm, 6pm 303-294-0157 denverrescuemission.org FATHER WOODY’S HAVEN OF HOPE 1101 W. 7th Ave. 303-607-0855. Mon.-Fri. 7am-1pm. Not open weekends. Breakfast is at 8am, and lunch is served at 11am frwoodyshavenofhope.org FEEDING DENVER’S HUNGRY Food service on the second and fourth Thurs. of each month; locations found at feedingdenvershungry.org/events.html FOOD NOT BOMBS Wed. 4pm/Civic Center Park facebook.com/ThePeoplesPicnic HARE KRISHNA TEMPLE 1400 Cherry St., free vegetarian feast on Sun., 6:45-7:30pm krishnadenver.com HIS LOVE FELLOWSHIP CHURCH 910 Kalamath, community dinner on Thurs., 6-6:45pm, men’s breakfast 1st Sat. of the Month, 8-10am, women’s breakfast 2nd Sat., 9-11am. hislovefellowship.org HOLY GHOST CATHOLIC CHURCH 1900 California St., sandwiches, Mon.-Sat., 10-10:30am holyghostchurch.org JORDAN AME CHURCH 29th and Milwaukee St., Tues. lunch 11:30am-1:00pm jordanamedenver.churchfoyer.com OPEN DOOR MINISTRIES 1567 Marion St., Sat. morning breakfast: 8am, Sun. dinner (required church attendance at 4:30pm) meal served at 6pm. 303-830-2201 odmdenver.org/home ST. ELIZABETH’S Speer Blvd. & Arapahoe St. on Auraria campus, 7 days/week, 11:00am; food, coffee. stelizabethdenver.org ST. FRANCIS CENTER 2323 Curtis St., Wed. & Fri. 3-4:30pm (except third Wed. of each month). sfcdenver.org ST. PAUL’S LUTHERAN 1600 Grant St., Street Reach meal Mon. 1-4:30pm. Grocery room open at 11:30am every Mon. saintpauldenver.com ST. PETER AND ST. MARY 126 W. Second Ave., dinner at 6 on Tues. 303-722-8781 stpeterandmary.org SAME CAFÉ 2023 E. Colfax Ave. Restaurant serving mostly organic food—not free, but pay what you can or work off your meal in the kitchen: Open Mon.-Sat., 11am to 2pm, Closed Sun. & holidays, 720-530-6853 soallmayeat.org SENIOR SUPPORT SERVICES 846 E. 18th Ave. 3 meals, Mon.-Fri. 7am-7pm; Sun. 11am-4pm. 55+ seniorsupportservices.org/programs TRINITY UNITED METHODIST 1820 Broadway, meals served Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. 11:45-12:15 trinityumc.org URBAN OUTREACH DENVER 608 26th St., Thurs. dinners, 6pm-7pm lovedenver.org VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA 2877 Lawrence St., breakfast (8am), lunch (11:30am), dinner (5pm) Mon.-Thurs., 12pm on Fri., 1pm on Sun. Food & clothing bank 9:30am-4pm Mon.-Thurs. voacolorado.org/gethelp-denvermetro-foodnutrition-themission CAREER SERVICES COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY CENTER Level 4, Denver Central Library, 14th Ave. & Broadway. 720-865-1706. Hours: Mon. & Tues. 10am-8pm; Wed., Thurs., Fri. 10am-6pm; Sat. 9am-5pm & Sun. 1-5pm; FREE services include computer/internet use, wifi, computer classes, job search/resume classes and one-on-one tech help appointments. denverlibrary.org/ctc THE WESTSIDE ONE-STOP CAREER CENTER Denver Department of Human Services, 1200 Federal Blvd., Mon.Fri., 7:30am-4:30pm; Services include: employment counseling, assisted job search, résumé preparation, job/applicant matching, phone bank for calling employers, access to computers, copiers, fax, etc. careercenteroffices.com/center/231/denver-westside-workforce-center MEDICAL & DENTAL SERVICES ACS COMMUNITY L.I.F.T. CareVan at Open Door Ministries, 1567 Marion St., Tues. 9am-12:30pm DENVER HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER 303-436-6000, 777 Bannock St. denverhealth.org HARM REDUCTION ACTION CENTER 303-572-7800; 112 E. 8th Ave.; Mon.-Fri., 9am-12pm. HIV/Hep C/ Gonorrhea/ Chlamydia testing available. Our services are restricted to active IV Drug Users. Offers clean syringes to active users, as well as safety training on how to properly dispose of dirty syringes. harmreductionactioncenter.org LIVER HEALTH CONNECTION 1325 S. Colorado Blvd., Suite B302. Resources and support for those affected by Hep C. Free Hep C testing offered. 800-522-4372, info@hepc-connection.org, liverhealthconnection.org INNER CITY HEALTH CENTER 303-296-1767, 3800 York St. Mon., Wed.-Fri. 8am-5pm; Tues. 9am-5pm; Sat. 8am-2pm. Emergency walk-ins. SALUD CLINIC 6075 Parkway Drive, Ste. 160, Commerce City; Dental 303-286-6755. Medical 303-286-8900. Medical Hours: Mon.-Wed. 8am-9pm, Thurs.-Fri. 8am-5pm; Sat. (Urgent Care only) 8am-5pm; Dental Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8am-5pm; Pharmacy Hours: Mon.-Fri. 1-5pm; After Office Hours: 1-800-283-3221 saludclinic.org/commerce-city STOUT STREET CLINIC 303-293-2220, 2130 Stout St. Clinic hours for new and established patients: 7am-4pm Mon., Tues., Thurs., & Fri. The clinic is open Wed. 11am-7pm. coloradocoalition.org/healthcare VA MEDICAL CENTER 303-399-8020, 1055 Clermont St. va.gov/find-locations/facility/vha_554A5 WORKNOW 720-389-0999; job recruitment, skills training, and job placement work-now.org DROP-IN & DAYTIME CENTERS ATTENTION HOMES 303-447-1207; 3080 Broadway, Boulder; contactah@attentionhomes.org. Offers safe shelter, supportive programming, and other services to youth up to age 24 attentionhomes.org CITYSQUARE DENVER 303-783-3777; 2575 S. Broadway; Mon.-Thurs. 10am-2pm, Denver Works helps with employment, IDs, birth certs; mail services and lockers citysquare.org FATHER WOODY’S HAVEN OF HOPE 303-607-0855; 1101 W. 7th Ave.; Mon.-Fri. 7am-1pm. Six private showers & bathrooms, laundry, lunch & more thoh.org THE GATHERING PLACE 303-321-4198; 1535 High St.; Mon., Wed.-Fri. 8:30am-5pm, Tues. 8:30am-1:30pm. Daytime drop-in center for women, their children, and transgender individuals. Meals, computer lab, phones, food bank, clothing, art programs, GED tutoring, referrals to other services, and more. tgpdenver.org HARM REDUCTION ACTION CENTER 303-572-7800, 231 East Colfax; Mon.-Fri. 9am-12pm. Provides clean syringes, syringe disposal, harm-reduction counseling, safe materials, Hep C/HIV education, and health education classes. harmreductionactioncenter.org HOLY GHOST CATHOLIC CHURCH 1900 California St., help with lost IDs and birth certificates holyghostchurch.org HOPE PROGRAM 303-832-3354, 1555 Race St.; Mon.-Fri. 8am-4pm. For men and women with HIV. LAWRENCE STREET COMMUNITY CENTER 2222 Lawrence St.; 303-294-0157; day facility, laundry, showers, restrooms, access to services homelessassistance.us/li/lawrence-street-community-center OPEN DOOR MINISTRIES 1567 Marion St.; Mon.-Fri. 7am-5:30pm. Drop-in center: bathrooms, coffee/tea, snacks, resources, WIFI odmdenver.org ST. FRANCIS CENTER 303-297-1576; 2323 Curtis St. 6am-6pm daily. Storage for one bag (when space is available). Satellite Clinic hours- Mon., Tues., Thurs, Fri. 7:30am-3:30pm; Wed. 12:30-4:30pm sfcdenver.org SENIOR SUPPORT SERVICES 846 E. 18th Ave. For those 55 and older. TV room, bus tokens, mental/physical health outreach, and more. seniorsupportservices.org SOX PLACE (YOUTH SERVICES) 2017 Larimer St. Daytime drop-in shelter for youth 12-30 years old. Meals, socks, clothing bank, personal hygiene supplies, internet access, intentional mentoring and guidance, crisis intervention, referrals to other services. Tues.-Fri. 12-4pm & Sat. 11-2pm. soxplace.com THE SPOT AT URBAN PEAK (YOUTH SERVICES) 2100 Stout St. 303-291-0442. Drop-in hours Mon.-Fri. 8-11am. If you are a youth aged 15-20 in need of immediate overnight shelter services, please contact 303-974-2928 urbanpeak.org/denver/programs-and-services/drop-in-center URBAN PEAK (YOUTH SERVICES) Youth 14-24 in Denver and Colorado Springs. Overnight shelter, food, clothing, showers, case workers, job skills and training, ID and birth certificate assistance, GED assistance, counseling and housing. 730 21st St. 303-974-2900 urbanpeak.org January 2021 DENVER VOICE 15 DON’T LOOK NOW! PUZZLES ARE ON PAGE 13
Since 2007, the VOICE has provided jobs for more than 4,400 people experiencing homelessness. For every dollar we take in, we put $3.00 directly back into the pockets of those who need it most. WITH YOUR HELP, WE CAN DO MORE. DENVERVOICE.ORG/DONATE
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