DIRECTOR’S NOTE LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, things at the Denver VOICE have looked a lot different in 2020. Our offices aren’t jam-packed with folks the way they normally would be, and with social distancing guidelines in place, our holiday celebrations won’t be quite the same. Since March, we temporarily JENNIFER SEYBOLD EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR halted printing; established a vendor relief fund as we shifted our focus during stay-at-home orders to more immediate needs of vendors; instituted Venmo sales; decreased the rate our vendors pay for the paper by 50 percent when we resumed printing; canceled one fundraiser, while shifting a second fundraiser to a virtual event; distributed papers in the parking lot of our building; and trained several new vendors, increasing the number of individuals we’ve served since 2007 to 4,600. That’s a lot of change, but thanks to your unwavering support, we have managed to not just survive but thrive in the face of challenge! For 24 years, the VOICE has provided opportunities and given a voice to those experiencing homelessness and poverty. This year, alone, we’ve tackled major challenges of inequity, division, and community misunderstanding and bias that most heavily impact individuals like our vendors. And while this year has presented a constant stream of challenges, it has also provided reasons to celebrate, including the addition of new vendors and community supporters. Another positive step for the VOICE is our move to a new home in the Santa Fe Art District, which will allow us to serve our vendors more effectively, even as the pandemic and social distancing continue to be the norm. As you reflect on 2020, I hope you will recognize the resilience of our community, which your generous support has made possible. As the VOICE heads into our 25th year, I am so proud of the incredible community you’ve helped us build and look forward to the promise the future holds for all of us. Thank you! ■ DECEMBER CONTRIBUTORS DENVERVOICE.ORG CE.ORG PAULA BARD is an award-winning fine art photographer, writer, and activist. She lives on a mountain top southwest of Denver. 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. 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 Robert Davis 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 Brian Augustine Paula Bard Giles Clasen Ed Curlee Robert Davis Doug Hrdlicka 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 @OCE 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 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. WE’VE MOVED! 2 DENVER VOICE December 2020 VENDOR OFFICE (AS OF DEC. 1, 2020) 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. STAFF CONTRIBUTORS BOARD CONTACT US
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