$ 2 SUGGESTED DONATION @DenverVOICE COMMUNITY FRIDGES COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY DENVER ORG HELPS FEED THE HUNGRY WITH BRIGHTLY-PAINTED FRIDGES BURSTING WITH FREE FOOD PAGE 8 ALLIANCE COMES TO MOBILE HOME RESIDENTS’ AID GROUP WORKS WITH THOSE IN MANUFACTURED HOUSES TO UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS PAGE 4 ZONING’S IMPACT ON HOMELESSNESS IN DENVER CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE ON CPD’S LATEST OVERHAUL TO DENVER’S ZONING CODE PAGE 5 2020’S ANNUAL HOMELESS PERSONS’ VIGIL IN UNUSUAL YEAR, SOMBER VIGIL AND FESTIVE HOLIDAY MARKET HAPPEN SIMULTANEOUSLY PAGE 6 VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY PAGES 4, 11, 12 EVENTS / PUZZLES PAGE 13 RESOURCES PAGE 15 FEBRUARY 2021 | Vol.26 Issue 2 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 EVERY MONTH, when it is time to identify the question for Ask a Vendor and I don’t already have one lined up, I ask the vendors if there is a question they answer all the time. In the past, because vendors frequently have people ask why they’re homeless, we asked, “How do you respond when people tell you they think homelessness is a choice?” For the February issue, the question “Why do you think homelessness has existed for so long?” was suggested by Denver VOICE Vendor Rea Brown. This question is not one that anyone can succinctly answer; however, based on the participating vendors’ responses, it is a subject they felt compelled to address. As long as people continue to assume that homelessness is a choice or an inconvenient unpleasantness that interferes with a city’s charm, these two questions will continue to resurface, and Denver VOICE vendors will continue to talk about them. If you have a question you’d like the vendors to answer, or if there’s a topic you’d like them to discuss, please send it to me at editor@denvervoice.org. ■ DOUG HRDLICKA is a Denver native who reports on the city’s changes. February 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 Kate Marshall Austin Scott Aaron Sullivan Laura Wing PHOTOGRAPHERS/ILLUSTRATORS Paula Bard Giles Clasen WRITERS 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. 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, but prospective vendors must arrive by 10:00 a.m. John Alexander Paula Bard Rea Brown Kendell Clarke Giles Clasen Robert Davis Fran Ford Doug Hrdlicka Raelene Johnson Jerry Rosen Val U Able Rodney Woolfolk 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 2 DENVER VOICE February 2021 STAFF CONTRIBUTORS BOARD CONTACT US
VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY OUR Streets: LEVI BY PAULA BARD LEVI IS FROM THE SOUTH, where his children still live. He came to Colorado when marijuana was legalized. He caught a staph infection when he stayed in Denver’s homeless shelters. 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. 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. February 2021 DENVER VOICE 3
Ask a VENDOR THIS COLUMN IS A PLACE FOR DENVER VOICE VENDORS TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS FROM OUR READERS AND STAFF. Why do you think homelessness has existed for so long? Q A JERRY ROSEN It has existed so long due to economic situations. A lot of people cannot afford housing, as some people don’t make that much money. A lot of people want to save money, and they don’t want to spend it on housing. RODNEY WOOLFOLK Lack of compassion. I was homeless for many years, and no one would help me. Everywhere I’d go, the answer was, “No!” But these days, eyes are opening because homelessness is now in their backyard. JOHN ALEXANDER “Things are bad, and they are going to get worse before they get better.” These are the words from our leaders and experts. With this kind of attitude, homelessness will always be around. One reason homelessness has existed so long is greatly because of negative attitudes and lack of understanding – especially among our leaders and so-called experts. Our society, as a whole, must understand that there is no big mystery about where homeless people come from. Simply put, homelessness is caused when an individual is faced with situations beyond their control. Homelessness can and does happen to anyone, regardless of age, color, gender, political affiliation, etc. You show me someone that has experienced homelessness, and I will show you a person who has experienced a difficult situation they had no control over. 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 February 2021 MOBILE HOMES ARE SEEN AT THE BELLA-B MOBILE HOME PARK, WHERE OWNER YACOV SINAI DECREASED RENTS BY $225, OR ABOUT 27%, TO HELP RESIDENTS IN DIFFICULT ECONOMIC SITUATIONS DUE TO THE COVID-19 OUTBREAK, IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON. CREDIT: REUTERS/DAVID RYDER “UNOFFICIAL” ALLIANCE COMES TO MOBILE HOME RESIDENTS’ AID BY ROBERT DAVIS AMANDA COBB COULDN’T FIND THE EMERGENCY CONTACT for Denver’s Front Range Mobile Home Park after her gas was inadvertently shut off on December 26. So, she turned to her friends in a Facebook group, the Colorado Mobile Home Residents Alliance (CMHRA). Within an hour, she was in contact with the manager. “We went the whole weekend without gas. Luckily it was nice that weekend, but we still couldn’t cook, shower, or heat our home,” she told the Denver VOICE. Little wins like Cobb’s success with reaching CMHRA are exactly what the group is about, according to its founder, Billy Bear Jarrett. He describes CMHRA as an unofficial residents’ union because the group has helped members win legal battles, find jobs, furnish their homes, and understand their rights as manufactured home residents under Colorado law. Jarrett said a 2019 lawsuit filed against Kingsley Management, a Utah-based corporation that owned several manufactured home parks in Colorado, really solidified the group’s resolve. In the lawsuit, plaintiffs claimed Kingsley should return unwarranted fees it charged tenants. In response to the lawsuit, Jarrett said the management company sent residents outrageous water bills, and that he and other group leaders were also subjected to intimidation tactics. An investigation by Colorado’s Consumer Protection Division revealed Kingsley had wrongfully held security deposits and collected more than $20,000 in excessive fees. The lawsuit was settled in October 2020, with state Attorney General Phil Weiser returning a $150,000 settlement. Jarett said the victory doesn’t change the fact that several families were illegally removed from their homes, but it is progress. “Before this, and even for the first couple of years, I had no clue that mutual aid existed. I thought it was just us vs. them. If that had been true, CMHRA wouldn’t exist at all. I would hope that we’ve been of some help to all of [the families] in return. I know I do my best to jump to assist any time any of them have a need, and a lot of others do too.” PROTECTIONS FOR MOBILE HOME RESIDENTS A decade ago, Jarrett may not have been able to bring the lawsuit against Kingsley. Colorado law simply didn’t have a mechanism for mobile home renters — who are often lowwage earners — to bring claims against landlords without paying for a lawyer. In 2019, Colorado’s Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) released a sunset review recommending lawmakers update the Mobile Home Park Act (MHPA), a bill from 1985, that outlines the rights and responsibilities of mobile home landlords. Shortly thereafter, legislators like Edie Hooton (D-Boulder) got to work. During the 2019 legislative session, lawmakers passed HB-1309, which allows both park owners and residents to file complaints with DORA’s Division of Housing. Before the law passed, park residents could only request a voluntary mediation with the owners. “MHPA set the standards for park living before 2019, but it lacked teeth because there was no public enforcement mechanism,” Hooton told the VOICE. “With the Dispute Resolution and Enforcement Program, every homeowner in a park can now file a complaint if they believe their rights have been violated, even if they don’t have the money for an attorney.” During the 2020 regular session, lawmakers passed two bills strengthening other protections for mobile home residents. HB-1196 increases the time a homeowner or renter has to cure instances of noncompliance from 30 days to 90 days, and HB-1201 requires landlords to provide a notice of impending sale or land-use change. It also allows renters a 90-day window in which they may purchase the rental property from their landlord if it is put up for sale. Hooton said her team isn’t working on any legislation specific to manufactured homes for the 2021 session, but they are considering taking action to continue protecting renters from eviction. She added that these policy decisions will be guided largely by both state and federal approaches to evictions. During the 2020 extraordinary session, held between November 30 and December 3, lawmakers passed a housing relief bill that provided $60 million in direct rental and mortgage assistance. “The pandemic has led to serious economic problems, which has taken a great toll on people of fixed or lower incomes. Increases in homelessness right now will only make the public health impacts of the pandemic worse, especially during our cold weather months,” Hooten said. “This is a time when we as a society need to make sure as many Coloradans as possible have warmth, running water, and shelter,” she added. FAIR SHAKE Jarrett thinks mobile home residents are better off now than they were because of the new laws, but there are still several issues to resolve. Chief among them is housing affordability. “It’s hard enough overcoming the park owners, now we’re contending with major developers too, who are building $300,000 ‘low income’ housing they think will be subsidized when in truth, there are really no subsidies left,” Jarrett said. But simply lowering the cost of homes is just the start. Once people like Jarret can afford to move into other neighborhoods, the community needs to be willing to accept them. “I don’t know if we’ll ever actually see fair treatment across the board. The parks see us as an exploitable commodity, most of the city governments consider us ‘trailer trash’ and uneducated LOCAL NEWS
LOCAL NEWS drug addicts that lower their tax income and property values,” Jarrett said. CMHRA is working on developing a pilot program that will place mobile home residents in stable affordable housing. In partnership with local food banks and other service organizations, Jarrett thinks the program can help lower someone’s cost of living to around $700 a month or less, depending on the family size and size of the home. Until that day arrives, Jarrett hopes local leaders focus on helping people keep the homes they’re in until the pandemic ends. Otherwise, the state could see a drastic increase in poverty and homelessness. “COVID-19 distracted everyone from the lesser epidemic, the national housing crisis, which is really going to go crazy when the moratoriums on evictions eventually expire,” he said. ■ ZONING’S IMPACT ON HOMELESSNESS IN DENVER BY ROBERT DAVIS zoning classification and was used primarily in neighborhoods like Cherry Creek, Washington Park, and Hilltop. This new group is known as Former Chapter 59. Today, 20 percent of Denver’s land is zoned as Former Chapter 59, according to estimates by Community Planning and Development (CPD). In 2015, Denver’s auditor conducted a performance audit of CPD’s administration of both codes. He found they hampered the agency’s ability to produce equitable re-zonings, even though the code is intended to promote the “health, safety, morals, or general welfare” of city neighborhoods. Denver also places limits on who can be considered a household or a family, thereby restricting who can buy homes in certain areas of town. Under the 1925 code, dwellings were limited to one household which consisted of “any number of individuals, depending on the type of unit, sharing one kitchen.” This definition could allow multiple generations or different families to live together under one roof. In 1956, Denver’s zoning code further restricted households to just “families,” or “any number of persons immediately related by blood, marriage or adoption.” City Council also added new zoning classifications and increased restrictions to keep certain dwelling types out of the city. For example, rooming houses and basement apartments were prohibited under the R-0 residential classification, the City’s most restrictive form of residential zoning. These dwelling units were primarily rented by Blacks, immigrants, and poor whites. MAP COURTESY OF DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY’S WESTERN HISTORY COLLECTION. LAST DECEMBER MARKED THE 110TH ANNIVERSARY of the first comprehensive zoning codes in the U.S. Passed in Baltimore, Md., on December 17, 1910, The Baltimore Sun hailed the law as “probably the most remarkable ordinances ever entered upon the records of a town or city in this country.” At the time, limited zoning ordinances had been on the books for two decades. Washington D.C. enacted height requirements in 1899. Los Angeles later adopted the first “use” zoning ordinances to separate residential and industrial developments in 1908. But, the deliberate targeting of Black and immigrant communities by Baltimore’s ordinances was unique to the times. While the practice of overt racial segregation in housing was outlawed six years later by the Supreme Court in Buchanon v. Warley (1917), racially motivated zoning continues to impact communities of color, the impoverished, and people experiencing homelessness to this day. ZONING IN DENVER Denver’s form-based zoning code, restrictions on what qualifies as a “family,” and deference to residential development all are regulatory burdens on the city’s ability to help its poor and unhoused. The City adopted form-based zoning in 2010 after emerging from the 2007 housing crash nearly unscathed. Form-based zoning does not consider a building within the context of a city, only its built form. It also nullifies the ability of city councilors to reject a project for political reasons. Applications that meet the requirements outlined in the zoning code are approved, no matter the consequences. A component of the City’s new zoning code was that properties previously zoned as R-0 in Denver’s 1956 code were exempt from the new provisions. R-0 was the most restrictive HOMELESSNESS AND GROUP LIVING CPD’s latest overhaul to Denver’s zoning code is up for a vote by City Council on February 8. Known as the Group Living Text Amendment, it would expand the definition of “family” to include four unrelated adults and allow community corrections and residential care facilities to be developed in single-family neighborhoods. Under current zoning guidelines, homeless shelters and other residential care units can only be built in industrial areas along I-70 and some areas of southwest Denver. This amounts to about 1,200 parcels citywide, CPD estimates. The Group Living proposal would increase the number of available parcels to approximately 19,000 by “allow[ing] these uses on commercial corridors around the city, where there are structures that could accommodate them and access to transit, jobs, and daily needs,” according to the proposal. While the group living proposal is a big step forward for equity in Denver’s city planning, it does not address more burdensome aspects of the zoning code that impact homelessness. For starters, the amendment doesn’t address the review criteria city officials are expected to adhere to. For homeless shelters, officials must consider whether a proposed development would “substantially or permanently injure the appropriate use of conforming residential properties located within 500 feet of the proposed use.” Furthermore, shelters are limited to 200 beds and are not permitted near many residential and mixed-use zone districts. Buildings must also be able to provide commercial parking. Other use restrictions apply depending on what kind of entity operates the shelter. Like other aspects of law, zoning codes are malleable to public sentiment. According to CPD’s website, some of the primary concerns property owners raised about the prospect of a homeless shelter operating in their neighborhood include the “spacing, density, and size” and “unintended consequences” of homeless shelters. So while lawmakers spar with residents about the amendment’s impacts on residential properties, thousands of unhoused Denverites eagerly await the day fighting in their name is as noble a venture. ■ NEW ITEMS NEEDED: Socks Bottled water, non-perishable snacks Hand-warmers, toothpaste, deodorant, chapstick Paper products for the office GENTLY USED ITEMS NEEDED: Refurbished laptops or desktop computers Heavy jackets Scarves Winter hats Gloves Backpacks Winter WISH LIST 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. February 2021 DENVER VOICE 5
LOCAL STORY CREDIT: GILES CLASEN COVID-19 CHANGES FORMAT OF ANNUAL HOMELESS PERSON’S VIGIL BY GILES CLASEN NOT A NORMAL YEAR Most years, the stairs of the Denver City and County Building create a shelter for the “We Will Remember: Homeless Persons’ Vigil;” the building’s U-shape blocking out the noises and lights of the city. Normally, the event put on every December 21 by the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is attended by a few hundred individuals who stand in silence while the name of each individual who died during the year is read. But 2020 wasn’t a normal year, and the vigil was surrounded by dissonant brightness and noise because a short distance from the site, Civic Center Park was hosting the annual Christkindl Market. The Market was moved to the larger venue for 2020 to accommodate social distancing requirements. Sharing the space with the Market meant those enjoying the holiday wares were festive and upbeat, while those attending the vigil mourned. Still, the reverence for the people Denver lost was front and center. REMEMBERING EACH ONE “It is so important to remember each individual,” said Cathy Alderman, chief communications and public policy CREDIT: GILES CLASEN officer for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. “Many of these individuals aren’t connected to family and generally don’t have funerals. Sometimes they can feel forgotten. We think it is really important to honor each person that passes and make sure that we’re acknowledging the risks people experience when they’re forced to sleep outside.” To ensure safety and compliance with COVID 19 restrictions, the Coalition changed the structure of the 2020 event. Instead of a group gathering in one space, the vigil was streamlined, so participants could pass through the space individually, safely socially distanced from others. Rather than read the names of the more than 220 people who died, each name was printed on a lantern. The sidewalks were lined with rows of names, giving a visual sense of how many of those living in homelessness were lost. Among them was Dwayne Pride, a beloved Denver VOICE vendor. PRIDE MEMORIALIZED Pride was a gentle man and very kind. An important part of the community, he lived a humble life. Pride died after being found sick on a bus while traveling to Detroit in 6 DENVER VOICE February 2021
LOCAL STORY community. He had been volunteering with other organizations and helping in so many different ways.” She even learned he had been a long-time member of the African American Council in Denver. “He really broke all of the stereotypes of individuals experiencing homelessness,” Seybold said. The VOICE was planning a memorial for Pride when COVID-19 restrictions made it an impossibility. Seybold said more than 350 people were expected to come together to remember Pride. Now, like so many others, it may be a long time before a group can gather to honor his memory. “I think it is a reminder that people often die too young and for senseless reasons when they are living in homelessness and poverty,” Seybold said. “That was a really tough loss for us.” Individuals living unhoused existences die from many different causes and often have multiple contributing factors. They are more likely to die from trauma or accidents than their housed counterparts. Trauma includes violence but also exposure to extreme temperatures. With COVID-19 came an resulting in the deaths of at least 14 people in Denver who were stricken with the virus while living on the streets. WE’RE NOT DOING ENOUGH According to Alderman, the annual vigil serves as a call to action because every year the number of individuals dying while living on the streets of Denver goes up. “If more people are dying while experiencing homelessness, then we’re not doing enough,” Alderman said. “It is a call to the community that not only do we need to remember these individuals that passed, but we also need to do better to make sure these numbers don’t continue to increase.” As the vigil wound down, the somber mood of the vigil CREDIT: GILES CLASEN February 2020. He was adventurous and on occasion would scrape together enough money to visit friends or go watch a basketball game in other cities. When he was found, the only ID he had with him was his Denver VOICE badge. Authorities had trouble tracking down Pride’s family, so they reached out to Jennifer Seybold, executive director of the Denver VOICE. With a little help from Facebook, Seybold was able to reach Pride’s family. Then, she began to learn more about Pride than she had known while he was alive. “He was an amazing person,” Seybold said. “When he passed, I heard from hundreds of community members. I had no idea that he was doing so much in the Denver attendees did not go unnoticed by some of those visiting the Christkindl Market. One woman leaving the Market, strobe wand in-hand, inquired about the vigil. Upon learning the purpose of the quiet gathering, she said to the friend leaving with her, “I didn’t even know this was happening. It’s so sad. We should do something about it.” ■ additional vulnerability, CREDIT: GILES CLASEN CREDIT: GILES CLASEN February 2021 DENVER VOICE 7
COMMUNITY PROFILE COMMUNITY FRIDGES COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY CREDIT: PAULA BARD BY PAULA BARD “IT IS THE MOST SIMPLE HUMAN THING YOU CAN DO.” – Jim Norris, Mutiny Information Cafe I VISITED THE COMMUNITY FRIDGE on Ellsworth Ave. and Broadway St. on a warm Saturday afternoon recently. This Denver fridge, bursting with free food, sits outside Mutiny Information Cafe. Painted exuberantly with greens and blues and orange mountains, you can’t miss it! The neighborhood has made sure to keep the well-organized and clean fridge jam-packed with food. The fridge is quickly becoming a valuable neighborhood resource. While I was there, a man and woman came by and left a loaf of fresh, home-baked bread. “Still warm!” the woman announced, clearly pleased with her contribution. With trepidation at first, Jim Norris of Mutiny Information Cafe agreed to host the fridge. Now, after a trial of two months, he is delighted and feels that “this gives the people donating a sense of ownership in our community. You give food to someone in your neighborhood, you see that reaction right away.” Norris has lived in the neighborhood for 20 years. “We can make sure that our community is fed and is safe,” said Norris. “We can do it ourselves. We can do these things.” It is important to him that they are not relying on the government or charities for help. As Norris explained, “We can watch people that have been lying in the street, watch their color improve, it gives them a sense of self-confidence because they’re eating regular food. It is the most simple human thing you can do.” Mutiny Information Cafe’s community fridge opened at the beginning of December and has been embraced by the neighborhood. Since then, three more community fridges have opened in Denver. Denver Community Fridge was founded by Eli Zain, a graduate student at the University of Colorado. What exactly is a community fridge? According to the Denver Community Fridge website, “Our fridges are a type of mutual aid project that is aimed for local business and community members to drop off fresh plus homemade meals to support and combat food insecurity within the community.” Zain believes that “if you give people the opportunity to step forward and help their community, they will.” These fridges are beautifully painted, well maintained, and abundantly stocked! Clearly, the community has embraced this mutual aid food exchange as a critical, collaborative way to sustain each other. Base Coat Nail Salon hosts a fridge at 27th Ave. and Walnut St. in the RINO district. Huckleberry Roasters hosts their fridge at North Pecos St. and 43rd Ave. Amethyst Coffee company hosts theirs at 4999 W. 44th Street in the CREDIT: PAULA BARD CREDIT: PAULA BARD CREDIT: PAULA BARD Sunnyside neighborhood. There are more planned for East Colfax and Capitol Hill. Ana Sofia Cornelius, an organizer with Denver Homeless Out Loud, said they are looking at putting one in front of their office at Park Ave. and California St., north of downtown. That is, if they can figure out the electrical hook-up situation. Estimates vary, but the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment has estimated that 25 percent of the population is struggling with food scarcity some or most of the time. That amount represents one in four, a staggering number that has more than doubled since the pandemic started. IT BEGAN IN BROOKLYN The first community fridge in the U.S. was placed last February, by Thadeus Umpster, an organizer with In Our Hearts and associated with the Bed-Stuy Food Not Bombs community food share. He set up the group’s first refrigerator in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, a city struggling with hunger, calculated around 25 percent. According to an article in the New York Times, Umpster had snatched the fridge from Craigslist for free, hoping to put it in his building’s laundry room. But when it didn’t fit through the front door, it ended up outside and was immediately utilized by the community. “We are trying to have a different type of relationship with people, a relationship between equals and not a hand out from a higher authority or privileged person,” said Umpster, referring to the standard lack of hierarchy, which is a core value of mutual aid projects. The idea of community fridges and offering free food to those who need it – has been around for decades. More than 50 years ago, the Black Panther Party distributed free breakfasts to children. Mutual aid groups have been stepping up to sustain each other through hard times since the mid8 DENVER VOICE February 2021
COMMUNITY PROFILE CREDIT: PAULA BARD nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. During the big mining strikes, workers pooled resources and offered medical care, women’s health care, strike pay, food, and sick leave. Community fridges have continued to take off in New York and New Jersey. Los Angeles and Oakland both have Community Fridge networks which are expanding to Houston, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Miami, and Seattle. Fridge Yourself (freedge.org) encourages everyone to start a community fridge in their neighborhoods. They track the community fridge movement expanding worldwide: UK, Canada, Quebec, Ontario, Brazil, France, Germany, Argentina, Singapore, China, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Israel, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Denmark, and India. Community fridges are spreading rapidly across the U.S. and the world, as poverty and food scarcity, currently exacerbated by the pandemic, roll through communities. In true mutual aid fashion, neighbors are getting involved because they see a need, and, in the most fundamental and essential ways, they are reaching out to the vulnerable, stepping up to sustain each other. Citizens are seeing each other through this crisis. ■ CREDIT: PAULA BARD CREDIT: PAULA BARD February 2021 DENVER VOICE 9
LOCAL STORY PHOTO PROVIDED BY NIKKI JOHNSON, PSY. D. DENVER SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT APPOINTS FIRST CHIEF OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES BY DOUG HRDLICKA ROUGHLY 50 PERCENT of people incarcerated are suffering from mental health issues at any given moment, noted Dr. Nikki Johnson, chief of mental health services for the Denver Sheriff Department. Upon intake, 35 percent of incarcerated people report that they’re either homeless or transient, and 65 percent report they have nowhere to go upon release. “Those individuals stay in jail longer than individuals without mental health issues,” Johnson said. “I definitely think that the treatment of those with mental illness is a large priority for the Denver Sheriff Department.” Johnson has led an impressive 15-year career migrating, overseeing, and bolstering mental health access to inmates at correctional institutions. That time includes long stints at the Colorado Department of Corrections, in a maximumsecurity prison, and as program coordinator of Jail Based Evaluation and Restoration for the Colorado Department of Human Services, to name just a few. Most recently, Johnson served as the director of mental health for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Detention Facility before moving to Denver to assume the first-ever position of chief of mental health services. “I think that this position will really give the Denver Sheriff’s Department the opportunity to be at the forefront of criminal justice reform,” Johnson said. 10 DENVER VOICE February 2021 During her first year with the Denver Sheriff Department, Johnson plans to focus on three main goals. First, she plans to implement a 12-bed competency restoration program trial to track an inmate’s level of competency during the court process. That trial will happen in partnership with the Office of Behavioral Health. “We have at least weekly meetings, where we have an ongoing list of individuals who are involved in the competency process,” Johnson said. Her second goal is to bring on a round-the-clock team of civilians with backgrounds in mental health and crisis intervention to step in when inmates succumb to behavior brought on by mental illness. “Crisis in the jail can look similar to in the community,” she said, in reference to Denver’s Co-Responder Program, which enlists the help of medical and mental health professionals on scenes in lieu of officers. Johnson’s team will act much like the folks on the CoResponder Program to help prevent the worst outcome for both inmates and staff. “Criminal charges can be pressed if [a mental health breakdown] escalates, so the goal is that we decrease those types of incidents and keep our staff safe,” Johnson said. Next, she plans to develop a strong exit strategy with the aim of reducing a person’s likelihood of returning. This starts with access to basic needs like shelter, food, and employment. “The third goal is looking at entry-to-exit mental health treatment in the jail system and reviewing and ensuring that we are really providing the best practices from right when the individual enters the facility to when they exit the facility,” said Johnson. “A large focus will be on that reentry process and making sure those individuals have those connections they need to be successful within the community.” Many of the programs were put in place prior to Johnson’s arrival, but with oversight and implementation of new and useful tools, the aforementioned 50 percent of inmates with mental health issues might find reprieve. “I think there are a lot of options within the Denver community, and we’ll be partnering and working with them to make sure we can create those relationships and foster that transition process.” ■
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 FRAN FORD IHELDMYBREATHALLTHROUGHTHEINAUGURATION Half expecting something awful to happen, but it didn’t! So my gratitude is-Oh! like helium, like white water under the keel, like a sapling that curls under my heels between my toes and sunders the soil with roots that swell and draw power from the core of every blessed, beautiful, earthly, molecular thing until the tender shoot shoot shoots thick branches that embrace the sky and leaf-lips that kiss the slender fingers lifted by the clouds. What an even greater relief it is to remove this mask of our transparent authenticity with a mask exodus to end our mask-erade once and for all! VAL U ABLE MASK-ERADE It wasn’t your typical masquerade ball. It didn’t fall on Halloween, nor New Year’s Eve. Instead, on this sweltering summer day we sat sizzling in the scorching sunshine... invited over by a brave soul, amidst a cacophony of COVID cancellations. Following precisely prescribed guidelines, one by one we marched single file around the side yard of our host’s home and perched on the parched lawn the predetermined 6 feet apart, all mouths muzzled and voices muffled by masks. As a primary portion of our group discussion, we were encouraged to contemplate, then share, what we’ve learned from the lingering global pandemic. My immediate conclusion was: what a relief it is to remove the mask! This concept cascaded into an additional reckoning of the invisible mask we all tend to wear — and wore long before a virus forced us to don a facial facade. PRESENTED BY: February 2021 DENVER VOICE 11
IN YOUR OWN WORDS SELF, THANK YOU FOR LOVING SELF BY RAELENE JOHNSON, VOICE VENDOR WHY HOMELESSNESS HAS EXISTED FOR SO LONG BY REA BROWN, VOICE VENDOR VALENTINE’S DAY POEM BY KENDELL CLARKE, VOICE VENDOR RAELENE JOHNSON. CREDIT: CORTNEY TABERNA REA BROWN. CREDIT: GILES CLASEN SELF, THANK YOU FOR LOVING SELF! When Self doesn’t love Self, we let others do wrong to Self. Self, you finally found Self. Before finding Self, you let people walk all over you! Before Self knew Self, Self was very lost. Self didn’t know how to stop the abuse. Over time, the only thing Self knew was pain and couldn’t find a way out. Why did this or that happen to me? Why do they cause me pain? Questions that keep you stuck in pain. That pain can last for years until Self steps up for Self and wants the pain to stop. Self must start to love Self. Self must speak up so everyone knows, “You can’t talk to me that way. You can’t use me anymore!” Speak up and show love to Self. When you stop letting bad things around you, then you can start to love Self. Over time, Self will find Self, and then, Self will find peace in Self. When Self has found love and peace, Self will live a happier life. February is the month of love, so truly love Self because if Self doesn’t speak up, you will be lost. Thank you, Self, for letting me find my Self. Self, now we have found real love and peace in Self. May you find your true Self, and give it love, and find peace. ■ The following is a poem that Rea Brown wrote in response to the question he suggested for this month’s Ask a Vendor: Why do you think homelessness has existed for so long? Because there was no space in that column for his response, we are including it here: IT’S AMAZING, to say the least, wickedly nonetheless, that such a thing should exist on a planet so blessed. I ask How can Africa have poverty bleeding diamonds forever, year-round good weather with gold and historical pleasures. Yet poverty has continued so long? From the richest to the poorest country, it’s all the same, weak or strong the blame falls on the grown, as well as the child and has carried on from the first man until now it’s wherever in man selfishness found all those years and it still drags us down it’s crazy how much it is true it’s like the ancients knew when they made the golden rule do unto others as you would have them do unto you ■ KENDELL CLARKE. CREDIT: JUSTIN CANELAS SWEET SUGAR, add a little lemon lime for my valentine. Right on time beneath the sunshine. Bright or dark wine, depending on the circumstances of a treasured time. Sharing your heart with the intentions of being smart, Optimistic of the bridge, which is built on a solid foundation of two equal parts, never to depart Cheers. Glad everyone’s happy and yelling loud Cause someone must have let out a silent fart Even the dog was smart to bark! ■ WE MOVED! 12 DENVER VOICE February 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 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. VIRTUAL STORYTIME WITH RIO CORTEZ Tattered Cover welcomes author Rio Cortez as she reads aloud from her newest book, The ABCs of Black History, a story that spans continents and centuries, triumph and heartbreak, creativity and joy. WHEN: Feb 4, 10:30 a.m. COST: Free MORE INFO: facebook.com/tattered.cover COLORADO DRAGON BOAT FILM FESTIVAL Founded in 2016, this four-day Asian and Asian-American Film Festival is programmed with the theme, “representAsian,” which focuses on films, organizations, and individuals that boldly highlight culture and identity. This yeah, the entire festival will take place online. WHEN: Feb 4 – Feb 7 COST: $12 - $15 per film MORE INFO: denverfilm.org BEER SCHOOL Learn about a variety of beer styles in these educational, guided tastings. Classes will be offered virtually and the link and “shopping list” will be sent out by Wednesday prior to each class. WHEN: Feb 13, 20, and 27, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. COST: $20 MORE INFO: facebook.com/doslucesbrewery ARVADA WINTER SESH This year’s WinterFest will look a bit different, hence the name change. However, a few core things will remain - local artisan and craft vendors, food trucks, a beer garden, and family-friendly entertainment. WHEN: Feb 20, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: McIlvoy Park – 5750 Upham Street MORE INFO: arvadafestivals.com MEDITATE & MINGLE - COMMUNITY WELLNESS Meditation and breathwork can improve your state of being, state of performing, and your overall ability to show up in areas of your life. In this session, participants will be shown how to tap into the power of breath to enhance the ways they think, behave, and interact with the world. WHEN: Feb 28, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. COST: Free WHERE: Cheesmen Park Esplanad – on Williams St., between E. 7th Ave. and E. 8th Ave. MORE INFO: facebook.com/HabitualRoots ACROSS 1. Auspices (Var.) 5. Have the lead role 9. Cookbook abbr. 13. Hands (Sp.) 15. Container weight 16. Ancient alphabetic character 17. Trudge through melting snow 18. Guinness and others 19. Persia, now 20. Follower of the Pope 23. Dejected 25. Tolkien beast 26. Pain in the neck 27. One who came before 31. Fairly tale baddies 32. Gardener’s supply 36. Lug 37. Macbeth, for one 39. Backside 41. Mast attachment 43. Small lizard 44. Letters notifying customers of a partial refund 47. Noah’s landfall 51. Cause for a shootout 52. Anger 53. Chief commander of combined armed forces 57. “Dream on!” 58. Level, in London 59. Church council 62. Apple, pear, or other fleshy fruit 63. “___ do you good” 64. Big mess 65. Water pitcher 66. White hat wearer 67. Choir member DOWN 1. Middle of summer? 2. Hoedown participant 3. “...___ form a more perfect Union” 4. Mediocre 5. Position on an issue 6. After-bath powder 7. Region 8. Residential care facility 9. Small bands 10. Tree knots 11. Slowpoke 12. Change for a shilling 14. Nobodies (Var.) 21. ___ welder 22. Stringed instrument 23. Assist, as a weightlifter 24. Insider’s vocabulary 28. Hard to fathom 29. Burn with hot water 30. Prince, to a king 33. Creme-filled cookie 34. Type of sofa 35. Selfish sort 37. ___ acid (baking powder component) 38. Hurry 40. Like some wines 42. Slash mark? 43. Banded metamorphic rock 45. “The only thing we have to fear is fear ___” 46. “___ the season to be jolly” 47. Slack-jawed 48. Seed again 49. “Cowboy Bebop” genre 50. Allude (to) 54. Strip of wood used in building 55. “Cast Away” setting 56. Chatty bird 60. Frequently, in poetry 61. Tegan and Sara, e.g. COURTESY OF STREETROOTS ANSWERS ARE ON PAGE 15 February 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 Meek-Cuneo Family Fund Jerry Conover Cranaleith Foundation, Inc $1,000-$4,999 Kauer Construction and Design Bright Funds Russell Peterson Phoenix Capital, Inc. Signs by Tomorrow City Side Remodeling SEI Giving Fund Matthew Seashore & Nikki Lawson Josh Kauer Caring Connection Kroger Gaelina Tesfaye Network for Good Charities Aid Foundation of America Jim Ashe Walker Family Foundation The Sidney B. & Caleb F. Gates Jr. Fund Matthew Rezek Conover/Wonder Family Fund The Sidney B. & Caleb F. Gates Jr. Fund Patrick & Jan Rutty Conover/Wonder Family Fund Phoenix Capital $500-$999 Colorado Cross Disability Colalition Graham Davis Betty & Warren Kuehner Jeremy Anderson Lighthouse Writer’s Workshop, Inc. Community Health Charities Michelle Stapleton & James Thompson Michael Dino Paul Hoffman Michael J. Fehn & Jan Monnier Jennifer Stedron Mr. Paul Manoogian Lori Holland Jill Haug Travis & Meggie Ramp Alistair Davidson Jim and Nancy Thomas Jennifer Seybold Sheryl and John H Parker Susan B. Jones Maggie Holben Elsbeth Williams Michael Vitco Gaspar Terrana Catherine Hegedus Christine Muldoon and Pete Iannuzzi James Stegman 3M Foundation 10X Business Consultants 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 February 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 CAPITOL HILL COMMUNITY SERVICES Hot meals served at 1820 Broadway (in front of Trinity United Methodist Church), Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri. 11:45-12:15 mealsforpoor.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 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 February 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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