$ 2 SUGGESTED DONATION @DenverVOICE SURVIVING COVID ON THE NA T AJO RESERVTION LIFE WAS DIFFICULT ENOUGH FOR THE NAAJO PEOPLE. THEN COVID-19 HIT PAGE 8 STATE HOUSING POLICY DURING PANDEMIC SCORES LOW RESEARCHERS GIVE LOW GRADE FOR STATE’S FAILURE TO AID THOSE FACING EVICTION. PAGE 4 RESTORING VOTING RIGHTS TO FLORIDA’S EX-FELONS FORMER LAWYER TAKES CAREER BREAK TO REGAIN VOTING RIGHTS FOR EX-FELONS. PAGE 10 NEW BILL ADDRESSES FOOD INSTABILITY SINCE THE PANDEMIC, ONE IN THREE COLORADANS FACES FOOD INSTABILITY. PAGE 6 VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY PAGES 4, 5, 11 EVENTS / PUZZLES PAGE 13 RESOURCES PAGE 15 NOVEMBER 2020 | Vol.25 Issue 11 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: JOYCE DALE SITS IN THE KITCHEN OF HER 50-YEAR-OLD HOUSE. DALE HAD A STROKE SIX YEARS AGO AND HAS BEEN IN A WHEELCHAIR SINCE. HER HOME HAS BEEN IN DISREPAIR FOR DECADES BECAUSE OF THE BENNET FREEZE. CREDIT: GILES CLASEN
EDITOR’S NOTE ELISABETH MONAGHAN MANAGING EDITOR WHEN VENDORS VISIT the Denver VOICE office to pick up their papers, either they will tell me, or I will overhear them telling someone else about someone they met or conversations they had while vending the VOICE. Frequently, when someone stops long enough to focus on what the vendor is telling them about the VOICE and suggests a $2 donation in return for a copy of the paper, the passer-by will ask something like, “Why should I give you $2 for that paper?” Hearing vendor Raelene Johnson talk about her latest encounter with someone who asked why the paper was worth $2 was what prompted the Ask a Vendor question for this issue. (For those who are not familiar with how the process works, Denver VOICE vendors purchase each of their papers for 50 cents. Anything they receive over that amount is theirs to keep, so for the suggested donation amount of $2, the vendor keeps $1.50.) Sometimes, a vendor’s response to the question in Ask a Vendor is just a few words. Other times, it is a long answer woven around an experience, but before they answer, every one of the vendors takes time to think about the question. If, as you read this or some future issue of the VOICE, you wonder how the vendors might react to or think about a situation, I hope you will take a minute to send an email to editor@denvervoice.org and let me know. That way, we can pose that question to our vendors. Not only does this give the Denver VOICE community a chance to get to know the vendors better and learn more about the difference a donation makes to a vendor, but it also gives the vendors another opportunity for their voices to be heard. ■ NOVEMBER 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 @OCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jennifer Seybold 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. MANAGING EDITOR Elisabeth Monaghan PROGRAM COORDINATOR Andrew Klooster GRAPHIC DESIGNER Hannah Bragg 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. VOLUNTEER COPY EDITORS Kate Marshall Aaron Sullivan Laura Wing PHOTOGRAPHERS/ILLUSTRATORS Paula Bard Giles Clasen 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. WRITERS Paula Bard Rea Brown Giles Clasen Jerome Cotton Robert Davis Shaleen Vanese Figueroa Raelene Johnson Jerry Mullenix Benjamin Eric Nelson Janis Olson 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 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 1600 Downing St., Ste. 230, Denver, CO 80218 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. 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 November 2020 STAFF CONTRIBUTORS BOARD CONTACT US
VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY INTRODUCING OUR NEW PROGRAM COORDINATOR, ANDREW KLOOSTER LAST MONTH, we introduced Denver VOICE readers to our new program coordinator, Andrew Klooster. Klooster recently relocated to Denver from Cleveland, Ohio, where he worked for the Doan Brook Watershed Partnership. Kooster has a B.A. in anthropology and sustainability from the University of Michigan and an M.S. in natural resources and environment with a focus on environmental justice from the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment. The timing of Klooster’s arrival at the Denver VOICE could not have been better for the organization. With new safety and social distancing protocols in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the VOICE and its vendors have had to make a number of adjustments. From the moment he arrived, Klooster has focused on getting to know the vendors, catching up on paperwork, moving forward with best practices, and identifying areas in need of improvement. As program coordinator for the VOICE, Klooster oversees the Peer Navigation Program and works closely with Denver VOICE vendors to meet our mission of providing individuals experiencing homelessness or poverty a chance to take their first steps towards a more stable life. ■ OUR Streets: MARK BY PAULA BARD “I’M 44, I DID EIGHT YEARS in the United States Marine Corps, 2000-2008. Then, after that, I became a New Mexico State Police officer. I came from New Mexico, I was living in Longmont, me and my wife. She passed away on me. She had a pacemaker. She was living on life support. I gave up on her, I lost her. I couldn’t take it no more. So, I left Longmont. That’s how I ended up down here. This was October 14, last year, 9:02 a.m. Every day after work, I went down to the hospital just to be next to her, hold her hand, you know, stuff like that. I been through a lot, man. I lost my brother, I lost my gramma, I lost my niece. There are a lot of uncles and aunties I lost. Everything went downhill ever since I lost my wife. So, I am working on picking myself up right now. But at the same time, it’s not working. Cuz of all this peer pressure that’s around me. You know what I mean? I mean, at some point, I’ve got to think about my health, too. It’s a main issue. A lot of people told me a lot of things to do, different ways. But it’s up to me. I am a Navajo, Diné, full blood.” ■ Author’s Note: In the fall of 2015, just ahead of Colorado’s winter, Denver sent the full force of its police department and SWAT team to destroy five tiny homes that people “living without homes” had built north of downtown. Something in me snapped: Denver is behaving like a bully! Denver has more than 6,000 people without homes, and more than 3,000 trying to survive on its streets. It is an ugly business. In 2012, Denver passed an urban-camping ban making it illegal for the homeless to protect themselves with “any form of cover or protection from the elements other than clothing.” Violations can bring a $999 fine or a year in jail. I began walking those streets where the homeless are trying to survive, photographing the faces and collecting the stories of those my city has abandoned. So began OUR Streets – stories of Denver’s unhoused residents. CREDIT: PAULA BARD 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. November 2020 DENVER VOICE 3
LOCAL NEWS ASK A VENDOR Because the pandemic has affected vendors differently, we hope to give all of our vendors a chance to tell their stories. Some are vendors we’re hearing from for the first time since we started printing again. When someone asks, “Why should I donate $2 for the paper?” what do you tell them? Q A REA BROWN Who are we kidding? Something’s missing far from social distancing and face covering. Everyone seems to sound a death knell as they spray paint on the wall. Although many try to stay calm and stand tall, the hushed whispers call, screaming, “It’s all gonna fall.” Good thing we can trust the law, or, should I say, can we trust the law? After all, we saw and see in real life and TV or PC, the police policing harshly is starting to be a recurring news theme. Protesting, grouping and burning, in the midst of campaigning, COVID, and burning. Yet, I stand under the economy, not returning, learning how to survive with low or no earnings, trying my best to evade germing. But I have a paper to vend with my sanitized hand. So, what I would say to the woman or man who asks why should they give $2? What I can say is one good deed is multiplied in three different ways, 12 times a year, and that to me, is an awfully small price to pay. RAELENE JOHNSON This paper is the best thing that ever happened for homeless people. The VOICE doesn’t care if you’re a convicted felon, or have no education, no job history or references. I became a vendor in Jan of 08. I’d been homeless and living under the Arapahoe Bridge in Boulder. The VOICE gave me a chance to be self-employed. By January of 09, I was the top female VOICE vendor, and boy, did that give me pride. [Vending] the newspaper has given me self-esteem. It gives people an opportunity, and it’s up to you what you do with that. The paper has allowed me to become who I was meant to be, and now, 13 years later, I have my own home, my own car. I’m even on the board and treated as a valued member of the organization. So, your $2 donation empowers and impacts a vendor’s life. It gives them an opportunity for a home, and maybe a vendor eventually leaves the paper, but while they’re vending, it gives them money until they find what they really want to do. Or someone like me, who can’t get a job anywhere else, can work here as long as they want to. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ASK? We would like to engage more Denver VOICE vendors and readers. If you have a question or issue you would like vendors to discuss, please email community@denvervoice.org. 4 DENVER VOICE November 2020 EXPERTS GIVE COLORADO’S COVID-19 HOUSING POLICY HALF-STAR REVIEW BY ROBERT DAVIS A RECENT REVIEW of state COVID-19 housing policies by Eviction Lab, a team of housing and poverty researchers at Princeton University, rated Colorado’s response a half-star out of five for failing to provide basic protections and assistance programs for those facing eviction because of the pandemic. Colorado’s half-star rating was good enough for an 18thplace finish in Eviction Lab’s 50-state COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard report. Massachusetts earned first-place honors with a score of 4.15. The report was compiled in consultation with state housing and homelessness lawyers and advocates, along with tenant groups and public health experts from around the country. The data is current as of September 12. Each state was scored after researchers analyzed state governor emergency declarations, state legislation, and court orders. They focused on state prohibitions on initiating evictions, suspension of court procedures, enforcement of eviction orders, short-term assistance, and tenancy preservation measures. According to Eviction Lab’s website, the two categories that were most influential in a state’s review were “initiation” (40 percent) and “tenancy preservation measures” (20 percent). As for initiation protections, Governor Polis signed an order on June 13 allowing landlords to begin evictions proceedings against tenants who are behind on their rent. On the other side, Colorado law offers its nearly two million renters scant protections. Landlords are allowed to initiate evictions for nonpayment after providing the tenant a 30day notice, can evict tenants who have experienced financial hardship caused by the pandemic, and can evict tenants for non-emergency reasons. Colorado has just as few tenant preservation measures, according to Eviction Lab. State law allows landlords to raise rents during the pandemic and does not guarantee legal representation for tenants who face eviction. Instead, courts rely on eviction defense fund grants from the General Assembly to fund legal defenses. In 2020, the lawmakers appropriated $350,000 to the Eviction Legal Defense Fund. In September, the CDC published a rule in the Federal Register placing a nationwide moratorium on evictions through the end of the year. However, the rule didn’t reach all renters and only covered renters in federal housing. Absent local protections, as many as 40 million people could have been at risk for eviction, according to CDC estimates. The moratorium had three goals: keep people in their homes and out of congregate housing, stop the increase of people experiencing homelessness, and inspire states to pass their own eviction protections. Had eviction been allowed to proceed, it could contribute to an increase in homelessness, a class of people the CDC says are a high-risk population. “It may be more difficult for these persons to consistently access the necessary resources in order to adhere to public health recommendations to prevent COVID-19. For instance, it may not be possible to avoid certain congregate settings such as homeless shelters, or easily access facilities to engage in handwashing with soap and water,” the moratorium says. While housing advocates are hopeful Colorado lawmakers will step in and pass a moratorium similar to the CDC’s, they are also preparing for the alternative. Colorado Village Collaborative (CVC) recently debuted its model temporary safe outdoor space, a sanctioned campsite that would provide homeless residents basic services and connect them with employment options and treatment programs. Some of the services offered would include food, clean drinking water, handwashing stations, laundry, and shower units. CVC plans to provide residents with tents, self-care baskets with hygienic products, and weather-proof storage containers that they can take with them upon departure. ABOUT EVICTION LAB Eviction Lab was founded by Matthew Desmond, who began studying poverty, housing, and eviction in 2008. Through his research, Desmond discovered that eviction is often the cause, not a symptom, of poverty. His work was summarized in the book Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City (2016). He currently serves as the Maurice P. During Professor of Sociology at Princeton University. According to its website, Eviction Lab receives funding from the Gates, JPB, and Ford Foundations, as well as the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Eviction Lab hosts nationwide eviction data on its website to provide educators, policymakers, nonprofit organizers, and communities statistically-driven understanding of eviction at a local level. If you want to know more, visit Eviction Lab’s website: https://evictionlab.org/ ■ NEW REPORT FINDS METRO DENVER’S HOMELESS DISPROPORTIONATELY BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR BY ROBERT DAVIS BLACK, INDIGENOUS, and people of color experience homelessness at significantly higher rates than their white counterparts in the Denver metro area, a new report by the Metro Denver Housing Initiative (MDHI) concluded. The report synthesized information from the sevencounty body and federal data from the Point in Time Count, the Homelessness Management Information System, The Vulnerability Index, and the number of students identified by schools as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act. “For the first time, we have real-time data on how many people are seeking support as a result of homelessness,” Matt Meyer, executive director of MDHI, said in a statement. “While there are variances between data sets, one thing is consistent – racial inequity.” The report argues against the stereotypical narrative that homelessness is often caused by drug abuse and mental health issues. Instead, the report posits high housing costs, loss of work, and strained relationships with family are the primary causes. At $471,084, average home values in Denver are more than twice the national average of $231,000, according to data from Zillow. Since last year, home values have grown 3.3 percent and are predicted to grow another 4.4 percent by 2022. Even though the secretary of state’s office reported Colorado’s wage growth outpaced national wage growth in 2019, the Colorado Fiscal Institute (CFI) found this growth was due largely to the detriment of Colorado’s Black, Indigenous, and people of color because it raised the cost of living and helped usher low-wage jobs out of the state. Currently, a minimum-wage worker in Colorado would need to work 88 hours per week to afford a market-rate twobedroom apartment, the report found. In Denver specifically,
LOCAL NEWS / IN YOUR OWN WORDS the same worker would need to log 100 hours per week to afford the same home. Black, Indigenous, and people of color are more likely than their white counterparts to work minimum-wage jobs, jobs Colorado has shed faster than the national average since 2016, CFI found. This decline is due to the state’s historic low unemployment and rising minimum wage, both of which contribute to the prevalence of part-time employment in lowwage jobs. CFI found 56 percent of low-wage workers work 30 hours per week. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Black people have been unemployed twice as frequently as white people since the COVID pandemic began in March. However, a report by Colorado Public Radio found they only represent 7.5 percent of unemployment claims filed during that timeframe. BLS did not report on indigenous populations. “We have yet to see the full impact of the pandemic,” Jamie Rife, director of communications and development at MDHI, said in a statement. “We’re nearing a cliff on evictions. Once the moratoriums expire at the end of the year, we’ll see the full impact of households that have fallen months behind on rent, right as the winter months are at their worst.” The report argues part of the reason the metro area struggles with responding to homelessness is that they do not operate under a consistent definition of the problem. Instead, different agencies define homelessness based on what part of the homeless experience they are meant to serve, thus leading to inconsistencies in data collection and racial reporting. Another reason is that city planners in the separate counties update their zoning codes without considering the impact of those changes on neighboring jurisdictions. So, when jurisdictions pass restrictive zoning codes that decrease housing affordability, the impacts ripple throughout the metro area. The report also mentions ways counties and cities can begin making lasting impacts on homelessness, like addressing inequalities in criminal justice, healthcare, and allowing those who are currently experiencing homelessness to help craft responses to homelessness. “As a community, we must strive for racially equitable response. This begins by outcomes in our homelessness recognizing this inequity, measuring this disproportionality at a population level, and striving to ensure an equitable response with the ultimate goal of eliminating overrepresentation of any one population,” it reads. ■ MY STORY BY JERRY MULLENIX, VOICE VENDOR MY STORY BEGINS IN IDAHO. I am homeless, and I have been moving around from state to state. Now I am here, and I have been fighting for the rights of the homeless in the nation. I am now in the great state of Colorado. I have bought three tents and have been living out on the Platte River for almost a year. Then I bought a camper, and it caught fire. I was burnt in it. As soon as it went up, I was out of it. The police took it to the pound yard, and I went to the hospital for minor burns to my skin, face, hands and arm. I went back to the hospital for blood poisoning, and they put me on antibiotics to get rid of it. ■ WHEN I SEE YOU BY JEROME COTTON, VOICE VENDOR When I see you standing and needing, I feel a pain inside, my heart is bleeding. When I see you walking until your shoes are worn, I do not judge, I can only mourn. When I see your sign that reads “Anything helps,” I want to give, but I also have no money. When I see the tent where you live, I want to tell you a better day is coming. When I lay my head to sleep, I see you there. My heart for you, it weeps. When I see you there, I am praying for you, don’t forget I care. ■ NEW ITEMS NEEDED: Socks Bottled water, non-perishable snacks Hand-warmers, toothpaste, deodorant, chapstick Paper products for the office 1” notebooks NEXT MONTH: WRAPPING PAPER ISSUE! GENTLY-USED ITEMS NEEDED: Refurbished laptops or desktop computers Heavy jackets Scarves VOICE vendors have been busy coming up with wrapping paper designs for our December issue. Keep your eye out next month for the 2020 creations, and use them to wrap your holiday gifts! Winter hats Gloves Backpacks Drop-offs are accepted Monday–Friday, 9–12 p.m.,or schedule a drop-off by emailing program@denvervoice.org. AUTUMN WISH LIST DENVERVOICE.ORG/VENDOR-NEEDS November 2020 DENVER VOICE 5 2019 ART BY VOICE VENDOR RAELENE JOHNSCE V NE JOHNSON ON VENDOR RAELENE JOHNSON 2019 ART BY VOICE VENDOR BRIAN AUGUSTINE VOIC VENDOR BRIAN AUCE V AUGUS GUS USTINE 2019 AR 019 ART BY VOICE VENDOR REA BROWNE V
COMMUNITY PROFILE CREDIT: PAULA BARD FOOD PANTRY BILL OFFERS ONE SOLUTION FOR FOOD INSTABILITY BY PAULA BARD 6 DENVER VOICE November 2020 “ONCE COVID HAPPENED, WHAT REALLY MATTERED WAS HELPING PEOPLE IMMEDIATELY.” –Colorado State Representative Lisa Cutter STATE REPRESENTATIVE LISA CUTTER, who is finishing her first term representing House District 25 in Jefferson County, recently explained one of the bills she sponsored during the 2020 legislative session. “We originated the Food Pantry Bill in the House,” said Cutter. “It happened very quickly at the end of the legislative session. [State Representative] Daneya Esgar and I worked on it with Hunger Free Colorado. People were eager to support it.” According to the text of Food Pantry Bill, nearly one in three Coloradans report being concerned about the costs of food since the coronavirus pandemic hit. Passed in May, the grant program now connects emergency food providers around the state with Colorado-grown fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat products from local farms. For many of Colorado’s small farmers, this program is an opportunity to shore up their business following coronavirus-related revenue losses. The Bill’s seed was planted when Hunger Free Colorado surveyed food pantry clients on the impact of the coronavirus. Eighty-three percent of pantry clients wanted more produce, meat, and dairy products during their visits. Jason Harrison, food pantry network manager, recalled, “We worked with our pantry partners and members of the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) to create a program that would provide pantry clients with those critical resources while simultaneously supporting our local agriculture communities.” Through the CARES Act, Colorado received almost $1.7 billion in federal coronavirus aid, signed into law on March 27. Over half of this money was directed to education, but the Colorado Proud and Food Pantries Act, HB20-1422, was awarded $500k in May from this CARES Act money. Governor Polis issued an executive order on October 9, allocating another $100k.
COMMUNITY PROFILE FOOD PANTRIES ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE PANDEMIC BY PAULA BARD IN THE MOUNTAINS of Jefferson County, tucked up behind what long-time area residents call the “old Safeway” (as distinguished from the “new Safeway” across the highway), sits a large, rambling building called the Mountain Resource Center of Conifer. Just off of Highway 285, it offers an abundance of services to mountain folks, covering anything from emergency financial assistance to boxes of food. They even offer cooking classes. The pantry also offers support services to veterans, and parents can enroll their children in the Resource Center’s early childhood classes. Community advocates hand out tents and sleeping bags. Supporters can purchase hand-made bowls at the yearly fundraiser. Between March and June, Food Pantry Coordinator, Ingrid Wilson saw a 145 percent increase in food needs over what they distributed in 2019. They currently serve 250-400 families a month, 50 food boxes a day, Monday through Thursday. “It’s a drive-through right now, and we will have to adjust in the winter,” Wilson explained. Winter hits hard in Conifer; their drive-through setup will indeed become treacherous, if not impossible. Wilson sends a driver down to Food Bank of the Rockies every Monday to Thursday. “We pick up boxes of food and supplies. We get a bunch of dry goods and a bunch of fresh goods. It ebbs and flows,” said Wilson. “We try for fresh goods, but it just depends on what they’ve got. We pick up anything else that looks good — like we got corn on the cob for people. Last week, we got deodorant and diapers, baby supplies, toilet paper, toothpaste.” The mountain community contributes to this effort generously. As Wilson explained, “For grocery rescue up here in Conifer, we go to Starbucks, Safeway, Natural Grocers, King Soopers, and the Kum and Go. Last year, we rescued nearly 20,000 pounds of food.” The food pantry has two full-time staff members, Wilson and Shellie Logan McKeown, who organize this extensive, bustling, and efficient food transfer. Regular volunteers drive the food up from Denver. One or two extra volunteers come in each day to help fill boxes, organize the food, and hand it out to community members. A recipient of the Food Pantries Act grant, the Conifer Food Pantry brings much-needed food to hungry families, as well as some mountain folks who now live in their cars and even tents. This effort aims to keep the Conifer community fed. ■ CREDIT: PAULA BARD CREDIT: PAULA BARD Colorado Food Pantries report an increase of two to six times their previous client numbers. In April, Healthier Colorado conducted a survey on the impact of the coronavirus, which painted a disturbing picture for many Coloradans. According to their findings, 47 percent of respondents said they or someone in their household had lost their job, lost income, or had hours reduced due to the coronavirus. People taking the brunt of this economic contraction include younger people 18-29 (64 percent lost job/income), people who rent (57 percent), those who work outside the home (57 percent), those on Medicaid (61 percent), households living on $30K income or less (53 percent), and homes with an individual 18 years or younger (54 percent). Cutter understood the urgent necessity for the Food Pantry Bill in this dire economic environment. “Hunger is something that I have always cared about. It has been important to me. It has been a problem for a long time,” Cutter said. CREDIT: PAULA BARD Hunger fits into a broader vision for Cutter. “I’m really interested in the juxtaposition of hunger, food waste, climate change, soil health, and composting. All of these come together. Climate change is going to make it harder to feed people. Regenerative agriculture, good soil health – that’s what’s going to help folks. We have to look for solutions that address this on a number of levels and create systemic change.” Cutter believes the Food Pantry Bill is a start. If she wins a second term during the November election, she will continue focusing on these issues. ■ November 2020 DENVER VOICE 7
NATIONAL STORY FROM LEFT SHUNDEEN WILLIAMS, MARIE WILLIAMS, KEVIN FURCAP AND GLORIA ERIACHO REST IN THE SHADE AFTER COOKING DINNER. ALL FOUR HAD COME BACK TO CARE FOR THEIR MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER. CREDIT: GILES CLASEN CREDIT: GILES CLASEN SURVIVING COVID ON THE NAVAJO RESERVATION BY GILES CLASEN HAULING WATER Every day Franklin Martin walks to the Chevy truck he inherited from his cousin, who died too young in an alcoholrelated driving accident. Martin’s life has been marked by the loss of loved ones long before COVID-19 came to the Navajo Reservation. Today, however, that loss feels closer than years past because the spread of the coronavirus has hit his people uniquely hard. Martin could replace the truck; it is well over 20 years old and has the miles to match. Still, Martin likes the connection to his past, even the tragedy. He doesn’t want to forget the people he has lost. These days Martin uses the truck to transport water and other supplies to individuals in need on the Bodaway-Gap chapter of the Navajo Reservation. He and his daughter, Alicia Martin, started hauling water and other supplies to individuals living on the Navajo Reservation in March of this year. To live in the Arizona desert without running water requires each family to haul water to their home. Often, Navajo families live on less than 100 gallons of water a week to cook, clean, and drink. The average individual in the United States uses close to 100 gallons of water in a day, but the Navajo Nation has had a precarious relationship with water for years. The Arizona desert is very dry, and the bedrock is difficult to break through. Even if you could dig deep enough to reach water, the uranium mining of past decades has made much of the ground water unsafe for human consumption. THE VIRUS STRIKES Day to day life was difficult enough, then COVID-19 hit. In the early days of COVID, the Navajo Nation had some of the highest case rates for the virus in the United States. The Federal Government did little to help. The situation got so bad that Doctors Without Borders stepped in to help control the spread. The guidelines to stay safe were simple. Wash your hands, wear a mask, and social distance. When water is scarce, it is difficult to follow the guidelines. It is difficult to clean and wash your hands with such little water. It is difficult to social distance when you need to drive into a city center frequently to get more water. Arizona does not have a statewide mask mandate, and outside the reservation, mask usage is somewhat scarce in the smaller cities. As of October 14, there have been 10,780 confirmed cases on the Reservation. That is nearly one case per 30 people. Simply put, the Navajo Nation is not in a strong position to fight COVID-19 without help. THINKING BIGGER At a local level, individuals like Alicia and Franklin also sought to help. “We started collecting supplies and delivering them as soon as we could,” Alicia said. “It’s not right to say, ‘No’ when someone needs help, and people are dying right now. Our people need help.” The work started slowly, as the two learned how to organize a relief team. With permission from the restaurant where she was working, Alicia took water to give to families. Her restaurant had been shuttered due to the virus, and she had been furloughed. She began thinking bigger. In April, Alicia started a GoFundMe campaign and raised $10,000. She brought in help to manage the money and ensure the donations went to supplies for her people. Things were moving rapidly. Then, Franklin was diagnosed with the virus. He spent two weeks in the hospital recovering. By the time the two got back to delivering water and supplies, three family members, Franklin’s aunt, uncle, and cousin, had died from COVID-19. DELIVERING SUPPLIES As the battle with the virus took a personal toll on the Martins, they continued delivering supplies. Cheryl Osorio and her family live in a house that is not connected to the power grid and has no running water. Osorio uses a generator to power her house when needed. She uses her wood stove to cook and purify her water. Osorio and her family hadn’t been willing to drive into Page, Ariz. The city didn’t enact a mask mandate until June 24, and the trip to the tourist town seemed too risky. Osorio is grateful to the Martins for the supply runs, but living conditions on the Reservation remain difficult. “I want to move out of here,” Osorio said. “I feel like we’re forgotten with everybody else getting help. This has been going on a long time. Just with COVID, it’s different now. It is scarier.” The Martins eventually started receiving help from other sources. Compassionate Colorado delivered four trailers of food, water, and cleaning supplies to the Martins in June. (See “Compassionate Colorado Lives up to Its Name” in the Denver VOICE July 2020 issue.) 8 DENVER VOICE November 2020
NATIONAL STORY KENDRICK WEEKS CARRIES HIS SON ARIES WHILE PUTTING DONATED SUPPLIES INTO HIS TRUCK. CREDIT: GILES CLASEN The Martins insisted every can of food, diaper, and water bottle be cleaned with bleach before going into storage. They couldn’t risk carrying the coronavirus onto the Reservation. The items in highest demand have been hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes. “They are like gold,’ Alicia said. FROM BAD TO WORSE The problems for the Navajo people started long before COVID. A land dispute between the Navajo and Hopi tribes led to a freeze of all development and construction on the Navajo Reservation. The Bennet Freeze, as it was known, was intended to encourage negotiations between the two tribes. Instead, it prevented individuals from legally repairing or replacing their homes. The Freeze lasted over 40 years, until the Obama administration removed it in 2009. But the ramifications continue to impact individuals. Joyce Dale lives in a home that has no working plumbing. The foundation became damaged during the freeze and went unrepaired for years. Dale qualified for a subsidy to help with her housing, but her home was deemed damaged beyond repair, so she is not permitted to use the subsidy to repair the home. “I’m fighting to keep mice and other wild things out,” Dale said. “I’m so ashamed of my house, how it looks. I wish I lived in a better home in a place with water. I wish we could repair what we have.” The house has been re-sided with plywood over the years, and she has a bathroom that stores boxes because the plumbing doesn’t work. She and her husband repeatedly apply hand sanitizer and are isolating themselves to avoid COVID. She fears that if she were to get COVID-19 she would not make it through. She is medically vulnerable due to having had a stroke. DOING WHAT THEY CAN “People don’t understand what we are going through on the Reservation,” Alicia said. “We were forgotten long before COVID, and now we are struggling more because of years of being abandoned.” The Martins are doing what they can to help people during COVID but are already thinking about what they can do for their people once COVID-19 is no longer a threat. They have set up a nonprofit — Families to Families Ajooba’ Hasin — and are close to raising another $100,000 on GoFundMe. Franklin is running for president of his Navajo Chapter. He and Alicia have been talking weekly with their nonprofit board to organize deliveries and seek needed supplies. They work six days a week, often 12 or more hours a day. The Martins are hopeful that their work can help their people today and create more opportunity for their people in the future. They have no plans to stop. ■ To donate to or learn more about the Families to Families Ajooba’ Hasin COVID Relief Fund, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/clean-water-for-navajo CHERYL OSORIO TELLS HER SON JESUS TO TURN THE LIGHTS OFF TO HER HOME. OSORIO AND HER FAMILY LIVE IN A HOUSE WITH NO RUNNING WATER AND NOT CONNECTED TO THE POWER GRID. OSORIO USES A GENERATOR TO POWER HER HOUSE WHEN NEEDED. SHE USES HER WOOD STOVE TO COOK AND PURIFY HER WATER. CREDIT: GILES CLASEN November 2020 DENVER VOICE 9
LOCAL STORY RESTORING VOTING RIGHTS TO EX-FELONS IN FLORIDA : AN INTERVIEW WITH SARAH PARADY BY GILES CLASEN SARAH PARADY IS A FORMER LAWYER and current partner of Parady Lebsack Law Firm, which specializes in employment law and civil liberties. Parady was the president of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association in 2019-2020 and was recognized as the 2017 New Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association. But when she first became a mother a couple of years ago, Parady found it difficult to balance her professional responsibilities with mothering responsibilities. She said the weight she felt for her clients was almost overwhelming. She often served individuals with mental health issues in employment cases and fought for their rights. When she first started having panic attacks, she didn’t recognize that she was the one who needed mental health care. Parady went to her partners in early 2020 to let them know she was struggling. The next day, the firm reassigned her cases to help her recover. Parady has been taking a break from the law since then but has not stopped living her values. She began working as a volunteer with Resistance Labs and has sent more than 8,000 texts to individuals in support of community outreach on progressive campaigns. Parady said she recognizes that not all individuals are as fortunate as she has been. Not all are able to take leave of their careers when it interferes with their health. She also believes this needs to change so all people can meet their needs and their families’ needs no matter the circumstances. She believes employees’ rights and the American Safety Net program need to be strengthened. The following interview with her has been edited for length and clarity. “LEADING UP TO THE ELECTION, I tried to test drive different ways to help with different get-out-the-vote campaigns. I wanted to do anything to bolster our democracy into the run-up to this election. I eventually signed up for an organization called Resistance Labs that CREDIT: GILES CLASEN voting access. The goal is to return to felons the rights that the voters intended. There’s a court decision upholding the law that the legislature passed; it’s just that the courts have punted on and essentially have refused to consider it on an emergency basis, all the way up to the Supreme Court. And so, getting involved in as far of the opposite end as runs text campaigns for all kinds of mostly smaller, progressive nonprofits and campaigns around the country. They do local elections, they do different kinds of get-outthe-vote programs, and a lot of stuff with the 2020 Census. One of the campaigns this year was for the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC). What they had us do was to send out massive numbers of text messages to people in Florida asking if they or anyone they knew needed to pay off legal fines to be able to vote. Florida succeeded at the campaign [to give ex-felons back their voting rights], and then immediately after that, the state legislature turned around and passed a law that said that, essentially, in contravention of what the state’s residents had voted on, former felons could not vote unless they had paid off all of their fines and fees from the criminal justice system. These fines can be thousands and thousands of dollars. And that might include restitution to victims, but it can include other things, as well. So, the FRRC campaign involved raising money to help people pay off those fines so that they could get back their 10 DENVER VOICE November 2020 you imagine: sending texts to people and saying, ‘Hey, do you need help with your fines and fees so you can vote?’ was just satisfying on a level that I can’t even begin to explain. It was like, ‘Forget the Supreme Court, we can fix this sort of democratically,’ and I would get quite a few responses. Throughout the campaign, I texted thousands of people, and I’m sure I got at least 50 or 60 that said they needed fines or fees paid off or knew someone who did. One of the beautiful things about that is that it’s not just that you’re going to get your voting rights back. Any kind of debt is probably impacting people’s ability to get housing, lines of credit, all those things. Assisting people’s reentry to society is a fantastic anti-poverty measure, as well. The instructions we received were detailed. For example, we might be told ‘If you’re viewing [specific information] on your phone screen, you may need to shrink the window to see Question Four, and that may be why you’re getting that error.’ We walked people through the steps, helping them get their applications in. We made sure to follow up and help people get to the polls. That’s as direct a relationship to helping people access their constitutional rights as I’ve ever had, and it was a lot of fun.” In some ways Parady felt this campaign work was more impactful than the work she did to restore rights to individuals in the courtroom. “One thing that is a little bit frustrating for an attorney is the ratio, the limited number of clients we’re allowed to take on. There are two different outcomes that a case can have. Obviously, the number one concern is helping the client right the wrong that happened to them, but another possibility is that you might make a good case law for another case, and that happens from time to time. For example, I had a case once that was a wage theft class action. We got the first ruling in the District of Colorado saying that two different entities, whether employer or temp/ staffing agency, could be jointly liable for unpaid wages. This is important in this economy because you frequently have things like staffing agencies, temp agencies, franchising, or what people call fissuring of the workplace. The Colorado wage laws provide that if you are acting as someone’s employer, then you and whomever you shifted that job off to on paper should be jointly liable for the terminated employee’s wages. That case made it so you can’t contract away your obligations as an employer. A decision like that is helpful and important and is kind of motivating in a different way. But when it came to representing individual clients, I worried about them and tried to stick with them through the big slug of litigation to eventually get them a good outcome. It took a lot of their time, a lot of my time. It was very emotionally difficult to get there for a lot of my clients, to spend all this time in this very uncertain state where you’re waiting to see if you’re going to get compensated. You have financial worries, and you’re having to tell the story of what happened to you over and over again, the system is super complex. Those outcomes often, at the end of the day, were very, very good. We’re frequently able to recover a lot of money for some of our clients, but it’s not immediate. And it’s a whole lot of effort for both the attorney and the client to get there. So, it’s pretty different [from the volunteer work with the FRRC], I would say. In Colorado, we don’t have felon disenfranchisement, which is a wonderful thing. Several states still do. There’s been a movement for decades now to try to change that. The thought is that you’ve paid your debt to society and you’ve seen a part of society that a lot of us haven’t seen, frankly. Most Americans have never even been inside a prison or jail or had a relationship with someone who was. [Being inside a prison] really does change your view of what the government does and how the government should use its power. Those are people who I want to see voting because they’ve experienced both the criminal justice system, the courts, the legal system, maybe the public defender system, and then incarceration in a way that many people have not. They have a very relevant and important voice. More fundamentally than that, they’re citizens of this country, and once they’ve done their time and been released, I see no reason why we should continue to keep them out of our political processes.” ■
IN YOUR OWN WORDS WRITING THROUGH HARD TIMES Each month, the Denver VOICE publishes a selection of writing from workshops sponsored by Lighthouse Writers Workshop. The Hard Times Writing Workshop is a collaboration between Denver Public Library and Lighthouse Writers Workshop. This workshop is open to all members of the public—especially those experiencing homelessness. Contact the Lighthouse Writers Workshop for details about virtual Hard Times writing workshops: lighthousewriters.org/workshop/denver-public-library-hard-times The Lighthouse sponsored workshop at The Gathering Place is specifically for that organization’s clients. To check out more writing by the poets featured in this column, go to writedenver.org. JANIS OLSEN THE KEY SHALEEN VANESE FIGUEROA CHARLOTTE & WILBUR I still have her keys Singing in all the betweens The key to her heart. Such the tangled web we weave, When first we conspire to deceive. Direly at a loss, we diligently strive, to indeed achieve, To retain a win we had once thought, We would never ever receive. BENJAMIN ERIC NELSON WEPT Leaves are placed upon his dead body His eyelids pulled down for respect Ambulance is coming... Oddly To scoop him up he is blessed Order of name Scrub belief Scrub insane To lose my mind was a release It helps sometimes Force of habit Spell unwinds Alure is tragic Honor kept Seeing another one has wept Hurry up and wait. That’s how we play the game. Each day in and each one out, Seems to just never cease to amaze. Just never winning for losing, Is just LIFE, very simple, and cruising, Praying that one day there will be a win for all that losing, And maybe we can triumph over all those hardships, we tend to just daily grieve. ...To be continued. PRESENTED BY: November 2020 DENVER VOICE 11
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EVENTS WHEN: Nov 2, 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. COST: Free entry WHERE: Stanley Marketplace – 2501 Dallas St. MORE INFO: facebook.com/OhHeyStanley MLK/FBI AT THE DENVER FILM FESTIVAL MLK/FBI is the first film to uncover the extent of the FBI’s surveillance and harassment of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Based on newly discovered and declassified files and utilizing a trove of documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act and unsealed by the National Archives, this documentary explores the government’s history of targeting Black activists and leaders and the contested meaning behind some of our most cherished ideals. WHEN: Nov 7 COST: $18 MORE INFO: Online at denverfilm.org/dff43 VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE UNIVERSE No spaceship? No problem. Learn about our place in the universe, how we fit into the solar system, and the ways we are integrally connected to space, all from the comfort of your own living room. Content is geared towards the entire family. WHEN: Nov 11, 6:30 p.m. COST: $8 MORE INFO: Online at facebook.com/DMNSorg OPENING DAY OF THE DENVER CHRISTKINDL MARKET This festive holiday tradition moves to Civic Center Park this year, allowing for more social distancing between guests. However, much of the charm will remain with festive music, big beers, Gluhwein, traditional cuisine, craft vendors, and heat lamps scattered throughout the park. Market runs through December 23, 2020; check the website for daily hours and entertainment. WHEN: Nov 20, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. COST: Free entry WHERE: Civic Center Park – Colfax & Broadway MORE INFO: christkindlmarketdenver.com AFRO-CUBAN DANCING IN THE PARK Although the world of Afro-Cuban dance is vast, the instructor will focus on a few concepts for each class, explaining each movement and the connection of the dance to the music and history. All are welcome, this class takes place outdoors. Masks are required. WHEN: Nov 29, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Cheeseman Park – 1599 E. 8th Ave. MORE INFO: facebook.com/RastaSalsaDance November 2020 DENVER VOICE 13 ACROSS 1. “Aladdin” prince 4. 2006 Pixar film 8. Said something 13. (In) harmony 15. Sandler of “Big Daddy” 16. Reacted to fireworks 17. Jewish month 18. ___ good example 19. “___ Green Tomatoes” 20. Keystone XL and Dakota Access, for two 22. Muscle weakness 23. Had a homecooked meal 24. Emmy-winning Lewis 26. TV teaser 28. Croquet hoop 32. Beach, in Barcelona 35. Alternative to a fade 37. Reverse 38. Campus military org. 39. Dizzy 40. Opera house box 41. Aroma 42. Counter call 43. Wait with ___ breath 44. Take off 46. Fragrant wood 48. Consider, as options 50. Who’s who 53. Islamic teacher (Var.) 56. Withdrawing clerical status from 59. Be of use 60. “I’m ___ your tricks!” 61. Edible taro root 62. Change, as a clock 63. Ancient 64. Slap on, as paint 65. Flip, in a way 66. Viral sensation 67. Floral necklace DOWN 1. PDQ 2. One of the sisters in “Pride and Prejudice” 3. Not suitable 4. Slot spot 5. Gulf of ___, off the coast of Yemen 6. Numbers needed when converting currencies 7. Huge hit 8. Wildlife ___, animal park in Winston, Oregon 9. Specified 10. Buckeye State 11. Astute 12. Small whirlpool 14. Bugs 21. Turkish money 25. Missing from the Marines, say 27. Filly’s mother 29. Granny ___ 30. Halftime lead, e.g. 31. Pigeon-___ 32. Egg on 33. Mother ___ 34. Above 36. Network of nerves 39. Debate side 43. Island near Java 45. Property 47. Crack 49. Twilight, old-style 51. Kind of wave 52. Provide (with) 53. Neighbor of Earth 54. Eye layer 55. Glasgow gal 57. Tabloid twosome 58. Mongolian desert 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. DAY OF THE DEAD FAMILY CELEBRATION Come experience this unique tradition at this family-friendly event, featuring music, dancing, a pumpkin patch, and beautiful altars throughout the building. Masks will be required inside and outside of the Marketplace. COURTESY OF STREETROOTS ANSWERS ARE ON PAGE 15 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
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RESOURCES 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 November 2020 DENVER VOICE 15 DON’T LOOK NOW! PUZZLES ARE ON PAGE 13
NOVEMBER 19, 2020 THURSDAY, 6-7:30 P.M. The Denver VOICE’s second annual Pints Fighting Poverty Pub Crawl on November 19, 2020 is an incredible opportunity to show support for those in our community experiencing homelessness and/or poverty, gain insight into the realities, and make an impact by helping us raise the funds to continue to provide economic, education, and empowerment opportunities for those we have the privilege of serving! Happening during National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, the evening kicks off VIRTUALLY this year with a special online guest speaker and a series of featured vendors - includes four virtual stops and a host of exclusive drink selections at some of Denver’s premier brewery and spirit locations! You can register as an individual, couple, or host a small group in your home with special group pricing packages. 100 percent of proceeds raised go toward our mission 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 during a time when need is at an all time high and the challenges of the pandemic mean your support is more important than ever before. TICKETS: DENVERVOICE.ORG/PINTSFIGHTINGPOVERTY fighting Pints poverty a fundraiser v i r t u a l 2 0 t 2 r 0 t o u r
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