ASK A VENDOR THIS COLUMN IS A PLACE FOR DENVER VOICE VENDORS TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS FROM OUR READERS AND STAFF. THIS MONTH’S QUESTION WAS SUGGESTED BY DENVER VOICE VENDOR RAELENE JOHNSON. Q A In honor of Thanksgiving, what person, event, or experience are you most grateful for? CASSANDRIA CARMOUCHE One of the greatest gifts that has been placed in my life is the Denver VOICE. I have been given the opportunity to be a vendor, a writer, an advocate, a volunteer, and best of all, a chance to have my voice heard. The entire staff, board members, as well as other vendors have become family to me. There is so much love, honor, and respect from everyone. My heart smiles every day with the thought of just being a part of such an amazing organization that truly cares for the ones that sometimes slip through the cracks in today’s world. RALENE JOHNSON I have had many blessings this past year, and I have also had some health challenges. I am grateful that I have good and supportive medical care, but I am most grateful for my daughter, who is moving to Colorado to help me get through the latest health issues I am facing. JASON MARTIN On August 3, 2023, Ivy Jade Vincent was born into the Martin family. Meghan (my daughter) was very excited about becoming a mother. So, Meghan was prepared for this adventure they’re embarking on. And seeing all of this unfold has made me the most grateful man on Planet Earth. Ivy looks a lot like my daughter, as well. So at the end of the day, remember to give thanks and be GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING you do or are a part of. ALYSSA WILL This year, I’m grateful for more things than I’ve been grateful for any other year. On the first day of being 19, I became stuck, and furthermore, homeless, due to the economy and how expensive everything is now. I’m grateful for the churches and organizations like the VOICE and supporters of the VOICE that help those of us who struggle. But most of all, I’m grateful for the person who has been my rock the whole time, Timothy Jones, who has shown me that love is stronger than any tide. MICHAEL BURKLEY I’m grateful to have the opportunity to work with James Kay, our executive director for the Denver VOICE. He has really helped a lot of our vendors, including myself. Mr. Kay is a testament to all that is good in the world. JERRY ROSEN I am so thankful for knowing God. I’m thankful for so many wonderful things. I am also grateful because I lost a few things [that were important to me], and I found them. LARMARQUES “MISHA” SMITH Most organizations geared towards helping the homeless, only operate from Monday-Friday, 9-5. It can vary, but generally, these places are closed on the weekends. Needless to say, the weekend has become the part of the week I least look forward to. Until I discovered Café 180. Café 180 is a restaurant in Englewood, and much like the Same Café on Colfax, Café 180 allows its patrons to perform a task or chore as payment for a meal. You pay what you can afford, or you complete the task for an entrée, a side, and a dessert. Café 180 has become part of my weekend routine. So now, on Saturdays, my partner and I venture down to Café 180 for a nice Saturday afternoon lunch. 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. 1 4 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 DONATE Donations to the Denver VOICE are tax-deductible. 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 3 VOLUNTEER We need volunteers to help with everything from newspaper distribution to event planning and management. Contact program@denvervoice.org for volunteering information. 5 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. @denverVOICE 2 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. November 2023 DENVER VOICE 3
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