$ 2 SUGGESTED DONATION @DenverVOICE SWEPT A ENCAMPMENT SWEEPS MEAN EMOTIONAL TRAUMA FOR THOSE WHO HAVE TO MOVE. PAGE 8 LOCAL ORG “EEQUAL” COMES OF AGE THREE YEARS AFTER FEATURING THEM, THE VOICE CATCHES UP WITH EEQUAL’S MATINE KHALIGHI AND ALYSSA GORKIN. PAGE 5 CATS NOT COPS THEY WERE FORMED TO STAND AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY. TODAY, THEY FOCUS ON FEEDING THE UNHOUSED. PAGE 6 DENVER’S AFFORDABILITY CRISIS THE CITY’S LACK OF LOWINCOME HOUSING IS PUSHING MANY ADULTS INTO HOUSING INSTABILITY. PAGE 10 VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY PAGES 3, 12 EVENTS / PUZZLES PAGE 13 RESOURCES PAGE 15 AUGUST 2021 | Vol.26 Issue 8 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: GILES CLASEN
EDITOR’S NOTE ELISABETH MONAGHAN MANAGING EDITOR AS I WRITE THIS, locals and tourists alike are flocking to downtown Denver for the 2021 Major League All-Star Game. The game comes when local businesses need an infusion of funds and optimism. The city streets that were practically empty this time last year are bustling with activity. Many who have been jobless for the past 18 months will return to work – at least during the All-Star festivities. Unfortunately, that same pride that has gone into showcasing all that makes this such a great location for big events like the All-Star Game is also responsible for sweeping the homeless camps lining the city streets. It is easy to understand why the homeless encampments are not a feature Denver wishes to show off, but what about those individuals who sleep in the tents? Where are they supposed to go? Even if every one of those who were of sound mind and body were to hit up all of the businesses looking for workers, how are they supposed to “clean up” so they can look presentable? It’s not like the encampments have shower stalls with running water. Those camps don’t even have latrines. Where do the people living on the streets clean the few clothes they have? If that weren’t challenging enough, a high percentage of these folks don’t even have the documents employers require for proof of identity, given that many who may have had these records lost them during previous sweeps. It’s no simple matter to get duplicates of birth certificates or social security records without an ID. No doubt, the camps and those living in them are an endless headache for our city. The street enforcement teamsMayor Hancock recently created is a solution to sweep the camps and keep folks from resettling, but is that really the best we can do? ■ August CONTRIBUTORS 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. CAT EVANS is a Colorado native born and raised in the Baker neighborhood of Denver. She is a musician, poet, photographer, cinematographer, and free thought enthusiast. She is focused on translatable activism through visuals and sound. DOUG HRDLICKA is a Denver native who reports on the city’s changes and covers stories on people and organizations who often are overlooked. DENVERVOICE.ORG CE.ORG @deeOCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jennifer Seybold MANAGING EDITOR Elisabeth Monaghan PROGRAM COORDINATOR Anthony Cornejo GRAPHIC DESIGNER Hannah Bragg VOLUNTEER COPY EDITORS Kersten Jaeger Aaron Sullivan Laura Wing PHOTOGRAPHERS/ILLUSTRATORS Paula Bard Giles Clasen Cat Evans WRITERS Paula Bard Giles Clasen Edward Curlee Cat Evans Doug Hrdlicka Raelene Johnson V. beRt 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 Denver metro 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: Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. Orientation is held every day we are open, but prospective vendors must arrive by 10:00 a.m. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Nikki Lawson, President Michelle Stapleton, Vice President Lori Holland, Treasurer Jeff Cuneo, Secretary Chris Boulanger Donovan Cordova Pamela Gravning Raelene Johnson Zephyr Wilkins 2 DENVER VOICE August 2021 STAFF STAFF BOARD CONTACT US
VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY OUR Streets: BILLY MCAFEE BY PAULA BARD AT 72, BILLY MCAFEE IS FRAGILE. He negotiates the world in a wheelchair piled high with his belongings – a precarious balance. He spends his days on Denver’s 16th Street Mall, seeking out shade in the summer. He makes his way to the Rescue Mission at night and catches their bus out to the 48th Avenue “I WISH I HAD SOMEONE TO HELP ME. ” CREDIT: PAULA BARD Center shelter to sleep. “I had a camera, used to videotape the eagle nests out at Barr Reservoir. Did photography for years. Had my first photo published in the New York Times when I was seven! I Grew up in Capitol Hill. Worked at Jefferson County Schools and the Parks and Rec. Retired in my 50’s. My brother, David, died of COVID last year, [at age] 68. Didn’t go to the hospital. They found him right inside his door. I just cry. My other brother is in Arizona with cancer. No more family. I pray every day — ‘God, why is this my path?’ I have been in car wrecks, and I have brain injuries. I have trouble getting stuff done. I wish I had someone to help me. Just got out of the ER. Yep, just turned me out. Sometimes, I stay with my friend out on Parker and Havana. I take buses. I spend time out at the church on South Pearl.” McAfee waits, while Jessie, who works for Allied Security, stops by and then calls the Rescue Mission to get McAfee some transport help. “Yeah we know him,” Jesse explains. “He was showing me yesterday how he used to box. Used to be a boxer. Everybody knows him down here. The kids all help him. If he starts yelling they will come running to help.” It turned out, there was no transport available to help Billy make it the 10 blocks back to the Rescue Mission. ■ 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 our city has abandoned. HOW TO HELP The money we take in from vendors helps us cover a portion of our printing costs, but we depend largely on donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations to help us pay our rent and keep the lights on. DONATE Donations to the Denver VOICE are tax-deductable. Go to denvervoice.org to give a one-time or recurring donation. You can also mail a check to: Denver VOICE | P.O. Box 1931 | Denver, CO 80201 GET THE WORD OUT We rely on grassroots marketing to get the word out about what we do. Talk to people about our organization and share us with your network. Support us on @denverVOICE ADVERTISE Our readership is loyal, well-educated, and socially concerned. Readers view purchasing the paper as a way to immediately help a person who is poor or homeless while supporting long-term solutions to end poverty. If you are interested in placing an ad or sponsoring a section of the paper, please contact us about rates at ads@denvervoice.org. VOLUNTEER SUBSCRIBE We need volunteers to help with everything from newspaper distribution to event planning and management. Contact program@denvervoice.org for volunteering information. 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. August 2021 DENVER VOICE 3
INTERNATIONAL NEWS A DRUM IS HELD ALOFT DURING A WOMEN’S MEMORIAL MARCH IN VANCOUVER HONOURING MURDERED AND MISSING INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND GIRLS. CREDIT: MELANIE GRAHAM-ORR ACKNOWLEDGING A PAINFUL PAST AND PRESENT IN CANADA BY JULIA AOKI I HAVE BEEN SITTING WITH the devastating news that has come from Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation. I won’t detail that tragedy here, for reasons I convey below. But for those who have not yet encountered the news, I encourage you to search “Kamloops Residential School” and become familiar with the recent revelations from that region. Addressing a tragedy of this magnitude is For settler Canadians, these are tools used in our name, seemingly impossible in a short editorial. To summarize or condense the terrible truths of the Kamloops Residential School (KRS), without the time or resources to adequately hold space for those directly living this trauma to speak on their experiences, has the potential to do harm — particularly to those readers who continue to be impacted by colonial violence. Instead, I want to use this space to draw attention to the shared obligations of settler Canadians in the pursuit of the “truth”, if there should ever be “reconciliation”. Settler Canada needs to become familiar with its own history and present. Canada has used its self-designated authority to systematically erode traditional cultural practices and exact violence on Indigenous communities through the imposed reserve system, residential schools, the disenfranchisement of women, subversion of traditional governance systems… and on, and on, and on. tools by which land has been expropriated, seized, and dominated; peoples and cultures have been systematically dismantled; children have been taken from families; and generations of women have been dehumanized and made susceptible to violence. One of the foundational tools for this work was the Indian Act, as it conferred responsibility for the education of Indigenous children across most of Canada to the federal government. These schools were then administered by various Christian churches, with the express intention of dismantling Indigenous culture. The horrors and atrocities that occurred in those schools have been documented through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, including physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, neglect, malnutrition, unattended disease, and a devastating confirmed death count, with a much higher presumed death count. While it is often cited that the last residential school closed in 1996, it would be a mistake to assume that so too closed a chapter in Canadian history. In 2019, more than 40% of children and youth in the guardianship of the BC Ministry of Children and Family Development were Indigenous, according to the province of B.C. In 2018, the BC Coroner’s Office released a report of findings from a study of 200 deaths of people with links to the foster system between 2011 and 2016, and found a disproportionate number of those deaths were Indigenous children and youth. This is all entangled with poverty and homelessness, the issues we confront every day at Megaphone. The 2019 Homeless Count in Metro Vancouver showed once again that the homeless Indigenous population in Vancouver is radically out of line with the general population. 46% of unsheltered homeless people counted in Vancouver in 2019 identified as Indigenous, whereas Indigenous Peoples make up only 2.2% of Vancouver’s general population. While it’s painful to confront the violent histories of the place we call home, there is power in knowing our past as we try to divert our path toward a different future. While I implore our readers to actively reflect on the history and active presence of colonialism, I also encourage you to seek out First Nations, Métis, and Inuit stories and media and self-determined reporting on these issues. ■ Courtesy of Megaphone / INSP.ngo 4 DENVER VOICE August 2021
LOCAL NEWS EEQUAL COMES OF AGE BY DOUG HRDLICKA WHEN MATINE KHALIGHI AND ALYSSA GORKIN were in the eighth grade, they took a course on community outreach. The idea was for each student to volunteer for a specific cause. Khalighi chose to help foster children, and Gorkin selected an animal rescue. Helping their community resonated with them so much that the two looked for other ways to volunteer outside of the course. “The class was about building a better community, as well as the importance of community and community involvement,” said Gorkin. “It was a really rewarding experience but was very telling about how different parts of our community are underrepresented and also, how difficult it is to have a voice of leadership in the nonprofit world.” That summer, they founded Helping the Homeless Colorado, which delivered meals and hygiene products to homeless communities. Later on, the two would start the Colorado Scholarship Awards Program, which assisted homeless youth in paying for post-secondary education. It was soon after this that the Denver VOICE first featured Khalighi and Gorkin. The Colorado Scholarship Awards Program would help lay the foundation for what would later become EEqual, the next step in the evolutionary cycle of Helping the Homeless Colorado. Through their work, Khalighi and Gorkin heard how many people began experiencing homelessness when they were young adults. As young adults themselves, Khalighi and Gorkin often identified with the youth who were currently homeless. It seemed to them the cycle of homelessness could be prevented at a young age, with the right type of intervention, but it wasn’t until their senior year that they would begin MATINE KHALIGHI, FRONT WITH HIS EEQUAL COLLEAGUES. PHOTO CREDIT: EEQUAL to reconcile the ideals of eighth-graders with the business foundations of a non-profit to grow that mission. “There was this elephant in the room, that we have this really successful grassroots initiative happening right now, but how do we take this to the next level? How do we make this last, while also acknowledging the fact that when we created this we were eighth-graders, and as eighth-graders, we knew nothing about business plans, strategic plans, building a brand – that was all out of our league,” remembers Khalighi. The year following their high school graduation, Matine and Gorkin would reimagine Helping the Homeless Colorado, beginning with changing the name to EEqual and continuing with developing a mission that encompasses what they learned as high school students. They wanted to make sure EEqual was reaching its full potential. “We had two successful galas. We also had a pretty strong individual donor base through networking, and by that point, we could be doing more,” said Gorkin. The two adjusted their programming to be more youth-focused. They continued to include the scholarship program, to which they made some adjustments. They also added the Chapters Program, which helps youth become active in their communities. “By January 2020, we kind of had an idea of what we needed to be doing, and we weren’t able to accomplish that with our programming. It looked like it was programming that was designed by eighth-graders, and that’s okay because that’s what it was,” said Gorkin. The Scholarship Awards Program, which they are finetuning, will be helmed by both Khalighi and Gorkin and is intended to introduce the prospect of higher education to homeless youth. Further, the program offers mentorships to each recipient as an extra measure to ensure their success. “I want to build this family among young people, and I want them all to be able to come back and support each other,” said Khalighi. “We follow this research concept that higher education can break the cycle of poverty, so we are equipping students with that chance.” They launched the program this year and have nine students, who are either currently enrolled or will be enrolled in some form of higher education program. That could include four year college, trade school, or certification programs. The Chapters Program shares a similar goal to their scholarship program, but instead of creating a pipeline to education, the program allows young students to have leadership roles in their community by offering them foundational support when pursuing advocacy work. “Our chapters are … getting others involved with how housing insecurity affects education in their community,” said Gorkin. “Education is a very different issue in different geographic locations and so getting that conversation started so that people have the tools to learn about it in their community is one of the things that I think is really cool about chapters.” Both programs were launched nationally in April 2020 and, even amid a pandemic, were met with success. The Chapters Program is running strong in 15 states, being run locally by middle and high school students, and the scholarship program had 180 applicants for its first year.. Gorkin is now beginning her second year at Reed College and, after a gap year, Khalighi will attend Harvard in the fall for his freshman year. Although their studies are sure to be challenging, they remain excited about about the newly launched EEqual. “When you give young people an opportunity to use their voice and listen to their ideas, really incredible change can come from it. I think that is what drives a lot of the passion that I know I have, and that I see in our team at large,” said Gorkin. ■ Spring WISH LIST DENVERVOICE.ORG/VENDOR-NEEDS Drop-offs are accepted Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. or schedule a drop-off by emailing program@denvervoice.org. NEW ITEMS NEEDED: Socks Reusable water bottles Sunscreen, toothpaste, deodorant, chapstick Paper products for the office GENTLY USED ITEMS NEEDED: Gloves Umbrellas that can fit into a backpack Ball caps/hats for warm weather Backpacks Ponchos & windbreakers (Men’s L, XL, XXL) August 2021 DENVER VOICE 5
COMMUNITY PROFILE CREDIT: PAULA BARD CATS NOT COPS “WE ARE A COMMUNITY BY PAULA BARD PROGRAM, WE’RE MUTUAL AID. WE’RE NOT HERE TO HARASS COPS, WE’RE JUST HERE TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.” Tara De La Fuente CATS NOT COPS SETS UP TENTS and hot food stations in Benedict Fountain Park three afternoons a week. Mutual aid volunteers descend on the small park with tents, tables, and an abundance of home-cooked food, drinks, and even pizzas. They feed up to 50 unhoused people in an afternoon. They know each other now; they’ve made friends. Cats Not Cops evolved organically in Denver out of last summer’s protests over the murder of George Floyd. The volunteers and Cats Not Cops Founder Tara DeLaFuente came together and bonded initially over their mutual concern with ongoing police brutality. They formed a caring, supportive community among themselves. But, witnessing the distressing crises of the unhoused out on Denver’s streets, they began focusing on food. Alan, one of the original volunteers, says he has worked all year with Cats Not Cops, feeding the unhoused and providing clothing. “We care about each other.” As to their somewhat mysterious name, Cats Not Cops? Well, it has nothing to do with cats. DeLaFuente says her daughter drew the picture they use as their logo, and a protestor came up with the name. It stuck. DeLaFuente, who also goes by Ash Marie, said, “During COVID, I started talking to people and collecting stories. Finding out what people needed. It was good food and hot food. And because of COVID, they needed social interaction and community.” At first, she reached out last year to churches and government agencies to help. But according to DeLaFuente, “Nobody was willing to help or find a place for us to be, so I just started serving on the streets, on the sidewalk.” Their mutual aid focus was formed. Volunteers gave what they could to support their community. To start, they were feeding 80–100 people, seven days a week. They were outside of St. Francis Center, just north of downtown. At the end of their first year, they dropped down CATS NOT COPS LOGO CREATED BY ASHLEY DELAFUENTE 6 DENVER VOICE August 2021
COMMUNITY PROFILE to three days a week: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, from 4 to 5 p.m. “We realized it was beneficial to a lot of people, said DeLaFuente. “People were happy to see us, they were happy to have food. Happy to have more resources. People who care. And we provided a safe place.” “WE BELIEVE THE COMMUNITY NEEDS LESS COPS AND MORE LOVE. WE BELIEVE BLACK LIVES MATTER! WE BELIEVE NO HUMAN SHOULD EXPERIENCE HARASSMENT, INJURY, OR DEATH FROM POLICE OFFICERS OR ANY PERSON OF AUTHORITY.” Tara De La Fuente “We can’t ignore the stories of police brutality and excessive force that have been happening for years in our community,” said DeLaFuente. “This is not something that just happened all of a sudden with George Floyd. This has been going on. And it’s going to continue to go on because these problems are so deep-rooted in our society and in our country. It’s why we have to talk about it and why we have to work together, to make a difference.” CREDIT: PAULA BARD DeLaFuente is a single parent with a solid Catholic foundation. She is on a mission. Her spiritual life is driven by a strong focus on supporting families. She and her daughter Ashley volunteer together as a team. “I am all about families having a positive way of living. All families. I’m seeing that some families are being mistreated, segregated. There are so many social issues that are going on.” She is deeply concerned with increasing racism and wealth distribution. “Our city says it’s building affordable housing, but most people can’t qualify. So, what happens? They’re left on the street or on somebody’s couch. There are so many people, it’s not just people living in tents; it’s people couch surfing, people living in shelters.” DeLaFuente grew up in the small town of Brush in northeast Colorado (2019 population of 5,420). She came to Denver in 2008 for a job with the University of Colorado. Three years ago, she started a Ph.D. program at CU with a focus on family science. In addition to Cats Not Cops, she runs her own business helping families access higher education. She also works part-time in CU’s Family and Community Engagement Department. Feeding people on Denver’s streets fits in with her long-term vision of supporting families. The next step for Cats Not Cops is media. They’ve been collecting data and filming stories, ultimately aiming to share them with the public. And they are collaborating with other mutual aid groups by hosting and sharing skills. “They can take back the knowledge to their own communities,” said DeLaFuente. “I believe it’s important to share the skills and knowledge that we have gained. We hope to always teach and learn. Especially appreciating each other, valuing each other.” Cats Not Cops serves free food Tuesday, Thursday, and CREDIT: PAULA BARD CREDIT: PAULA BARD Sunday 4-5 pm, Benedict Fountain Park, 401 East 20th Avenue, Denver. To learn more about them, visit catsnotcops.com. ■ August 2021 DENVER VOICE 7
LOCAL FEATURE SWEPT AWAY BY GILES CLASEN OVER THREE DAYS IN JULY, the City of Denver planned to forcibly move all homeless encampments from a 20-square block area leading to Coors Field. As soon as one camp was taken down, fencing went up around another a few blocks away. By the end of the week, another 20-square block area between 20th and 24th Streets and Arapahoe and Welton Streets, with multiple homeless encampments, had been disassembled and forced to move by Denver City crews and police. “During sweeps, the cops put up the fencing around us as though we are caged animals for the world to watch, only we aren’t treated as well as animals in a zoo,” said Caitlin, a college student, who was forced to relocate after the first day of the July sweeps. This was one of many sweeps the City conducted between July 9 and 13, leading up to Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game that played at Coors Field. Denver Mayor Michael Hancock told reporters at a press conference on June 30 that Denver “is enforcing the law,” as it looks beyond the pandemic. His office said repeatedly that the homeless sweeps were not related to the All-Star Game. But a study obtained by the Denver VOICE found that nearly 90% of the sweeps occurred between April 6, when it was announced that the All-Star Game was moving to Denver, and July 1. Describing her experience, Caitlin said it is hard for those who have houses to understand how damaging a sweep is to the homeless community. Individuals lose items they need to survive, like tents and propane, as well as personal records, like IDs and birth certificates, that are necessary for moving off the street. “It is chaos when someone wakes you up and you have to move everything you own in minutes,” she said. “IDs are the biggest issues for people. We can’t get jobs or housing or apartments if we don’t have IDs.” Caitlin refers to the individuals she camps with as her family. “My real family kicked me out,” Caitlin explained. “My street family welcomed me in, they accept me.” Caitlin has never had a stable home life. Social Services removed her from her mother’s care when she was young and placed her with her father. When Caitlin was six, her father abandoned the family, so her stepmother raised her. Caitlin and her stepmother never got along, prompting Caitlin to flee to the streets when she was still a teenager. “My stepmom only wanted my brother because he was a newborn,” Caitlin said. “Social Services wouldn’t separate us, so my stepmom got stuck with me. I tried to accept that fact, but it is hard to get around the idea that you weren’t wanted.” For individuals like Caitlin, the sweeps are more than an inconvenience. By breaking up homeless encampments, Denver also is forcing individuals experiencing homelessness to move away from support networks and areas of town that are located near services for individuals experiencing homelessness. “There have been more attacks on women lately, mostly down by the river,” Caitlin said. “Camping with the people you know makes it safer. We have a sense of security and safety that we all want [by camping in familiar areas close to services].” Caitlin explained how having homeless individuals near VIEW OF ENCAMPMENT WITH COORS FIELD IN THE BACKGROUND. CREDIT: GILES CLASEN venues of major events, like the All-Star Game, may create a unique danger to those who are living on the streets. 8 DENVER VOICE August 2021
LOCAL FEATURE CAITLIN (RIGHT), PUSHES HER CART ACROSS DOWNTOWN INTERSECTION. CREDIT: GILES CLASEN POLICE OFFICER APPROACHES ONE OF THE ENCAMPMENTS. CREDIT: GILES CLASEN CITY CREW PREPARES TO SWEEP AN ENCAMPMENT. CREDIT: GILES CLASEN “Someone could come out of the park drunk and harass us and start a fight,” she said. “It isn’t unusual to have a person visiting downtown to feel like they have a right to harass us, call us names, or start a fight. This, of course, gets worse when people are drinking. The City sees us as animals, and so does everyone else.” Caitlin suggested that if the City wanted to effectively move homeless encampments, they should offer a place for homeless individuals to go. She also said the City could offer hotel vouchers or expand sanctioned encampments like the Safe Outdoor Spaces during the week of the All-Star Game as a stop-gap. Long-term, however, the City must address the core issue – housing for low-income individuals, while also having resources available that could be quickly accessed as need demands. Caitlin would like to be a part of Denver’s long-term solution to ending homelessness. At Metro State University, she hopes to earn a college degree in social work. She plans to spend her career working with individuals experiencing homelessness. She also acknowledges it is difficult to complete college classes and submit homework on time because of her circumstances. Caitlin expressed frustration with how instead of offering additional resources to individuals experiencing homelessness, the City put up more fencing, sent out more garbage trucks and cleanup crews, and increased the number of sweeps on homeless encampments. “The sweeps cause harm and solve nothing.” ■ CREW REMOVES PROPERTY IN AN ENCAMPMENT . CREDIT: GILES CLASEN August 2021 DENVER VOICE 9
LOCAL STORY service] industry. That was a pay cut but more aligned with my interests and a step in the right direction toward my future goals. If I didn’t have that ability, I wouldn’t have been able to take this job and would have to be working in restaurants, miserable, but making enough to just afford Denver rent.” Now that she is living at home, Straka has decided to pursue her master’s degree. “There would be no way for me to go back to school without taking out massive loans and accumulating major debt if I was on my own.” According to Straka, there is a certain stigma attached to adults returning to live with their parents. She also notes that often, people avoid talking about the reality of balancing lowpaying jobs with the escalating cost of living in Denver. “I honestly feel embarrassment and shame around still living at home. I know it makes logical financial sense and is temporary, but it makes me feel like a failure. Like MARY STRAKA. CREDIT: CAT EVANS KURT VIERS. CREDIT: CAT EVANS THE HEAVY TOLL OF DENVER’S AFFORDABILITY CRISIS BY CAT EVANS ACCORDING TO PAYSCALE.COM, the cost of living in Denver is 12% higher than the national average. Median rent sits at $1,451 per month, while the median home price is $463,245. An estimated 9,846 people are experiencing homelessness on any given day as reported by Continuums of Care. The total number of homeless students is far higher, being an estimated 22,369. With homelessness increasing every day alongside the cost of living, the question remains how does one bridge that gap? Graduating from CU Denver with a B.S. in environmental science, 28-year-old Mary Straka has struggled with finding long-term housing in the Denver Metro area. Bouncing between different restaurant jobs while trying to find a career in her field, Straka lived with her boyfriend and his brother until they broke up. Once on her own, she was forced to return home. Shortly after, she moved into an apartment, where her lease was month-to-month. Not long after that, COVID-19 hit, and Straka once again returned home as she could not afford to exist solely on unemployment. “I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have this option” explained Straka. “For me right now, the ability to move back home allowed me to take a new job out of the [food I failed at being a normal adult who can live on their own. I’m trying to reframe that into thinking of it as an investment in my future to have more financial and housing security.” Straka is not alone. According to Zillow, more than one in five adults nationally are either living with or returning to live with their parents to offset the lack of affordable housing, combined with low-paying wages and student debt. Kurt Viers, a 37-year-old barista from Kansas City, has been on and off the street since moving to Denver in 2008. “I survive as a roomer from place to place maintaining through luck, and circumstance, and the people I am fortunate enough to meet,” said Viers. “My current rent is about half my income, and it’s off the books, so there isn’t much room for missteps or unforeseen difficulty. I hesitate buying furniture or anything resembling permanence or potential burden.” While Viers has grown accustomed to his circumstances, he acknowledges the challenges he faces. “Living with housing insecurity takes its toll,” said Viers, “even when you have a place to put your head for the night – always vulnerable to any potential catastrophe. Hopefully, one day, 10 DENVER VOICE August 2021
PAGE TITLE I’ll find myself more protected, but for now, I’m just grateful for the people who have helped along the way.” It’s not as simple as just getting on a lease. The standards for approval vary, but often, applying for housing comes with application fees and no guarantees. There are also security deposits, credit scores requirements, background checks, rental history, and proof of income. Many have bad credit or no credit at all. Unhoused people are also frequently unable to build credit or have accumulated massive debt. Living on the streets often leads people into criminal activitiy because there are few tools available to them. Consequently, these individuals are usually stuck without the option of finding secure housing. Ten months ago, Sandra Hendrix followed her boyfriend to Denver and was living out of a car. “My whole world revolved around him,” explained Hendrix. When the relationship dissolved, she found herself alone on the streets. V. beRt ODE TO A FLOWER Your brilliant color expands the iris in my eyes! I watched you and nurtured you to keep you vibrant in my space. As the days passed, your colored edges browned, your head bowed down and seem tired from the earlier days when you first arrived so proud and perky. I carefully cradle your fragile leaves and brittle stem, and place you in the garden to enrich the soil for new life tomorrow. ❤ WRITING THROUGH HARD TIMES COURTESY OF DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY AND LIGHTHOUSE WRITERS WORKSHOP EDWARD CURLEE WHAT IS A LIFE? SANDRA HENDRIX. CREDIT: CAT EVANS “I’m a woman of faith; I have faith,” she said. “It’s almost impossible, it’s like it works against you. I’m waiting on money to come in, and then I will qualify for housing.” Mary Straka, Kurt Viers, and Sandra Hendrix are just three examples of how difficult it has become to find lowincome housing. There are different assistance programs available, but those are plagued by long waitlists, and often, only offer temporary stays. Assistance programs can also keep people stuck in a cycle of poverty because they don’t want to make too much money in fear of compromising their qualifications for affordable housing. In addition to the job market devastated by the pandemic, the cost of living continues to climb, as minimum wage remains low. If this trend continues, we can expect to see more adults living with their parents, more individuals living paycheck-to-paycheck, and unfortunately, more individuals experiencing homelessness. The further one falls in society, the more challenging the climb back up becomes. As the poverty gap grows, so will the need for local politicians not only to acknowledge that this is a crisis, but to take action to address the conditions that are intensifying housing insecurity. ■ Hey, what is a life? Hardships, joy, beliefs to hold, Wants that unfold now. 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. Virtual workshops: lighthousewriters.org/workshop/denver-public-library-hard-times More writing by these featured poets: writedenver.org August 2021 DENVER VOICE 11
IN YOUR OWN WORDS SELF, WHAT WILL YOU DO? BY RAELENE JOHNSON, VOICE VENDOR SELF, WHAT WILL YOU DO when you see someone mistreating another person? Will you just look away and do nothing? Self, will you hurt someone with your words, or will your words be a blessing to someone? Self, will you hold someone up, or let go and not care? Self, do you see your fellow human going hungry and not care, or will you help someone eat that day? Self, can you set your mind to doing what you can for at least one person today, or do you hope someone else will step up so Self does not need to get involved? Does Self only care about Self, or can Self share Self with someone to help both them and Self? Self can overcome Self’s past pain by helping others with RAELENE JOHNSON. CREDIT: CORTNEY TABERNA the things Self wished someone else would have done when Self was lost and in pain. Self has a lot of power over Self – more power than anyone else can have over Self. Self can change things around Self, but only if Self wants to make a positive difference in someone else’s life. Once Self comes out of Self and owns pain of the past, then Self can know what made you stronger for it. That’s when Self will be able to reach out and make a true change in someone else’s life! Self, that will be your reason for all you went through. Be a blessing to someone else and watch the blessing that will come back to your Self. Self, love others as you love your Self. ■ FREE ADDICTION SUPPORT FOR DENVER RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR FINANCIAL HARDSHIP (855) 539-9375 WeFaceItTogether.org Subscribe online: NEVER MISS AN ISSUE! DENVERVOICE.ORG/SUBSCRIPTIONS 12 DENVER VOICE August 2021 Become a Denver VOICE subscriber and get the paper delivered directly to your mailbox every month. Both personal and business subscriptions are available. Your donation goes directly to support our program!
EVENTS MONDAY MOVIE MADNESS: FOOTLOOSE Fight for your right to dance at this free screening of Footloose (1984). Bring your own cooler of snacks but leave the glass containers at home. WHEN: August 9, gates at 6 p.m., movie at 7 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Infinity Park, 4599 E Tennessee Ave. MORE INFO: infinityparkatglendale.com/events WHEATRIDGE CARNATION FESTIVAL This 52nd annual community festival will feature live music, classic cars, a parade, carnival rides, vendors, food, beer and wine, kids’ activities, fireworks, and more. WHEN: Aug 13 – Aug 15 COST: Free entry WHERE: Anderson Park, 4355 Field St. MORE INFO: thecarnationfestival.com FAMILY FUN RUN Grab your crew for a short fun run, followed by buy-one-get-one cones at Little Man. WHEN: Aug 18, 6:30 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Little Man Ice Cream Factory, 4411 W Colfax Ave. MORE INFO: facebook.com/littlemanfactory VEGGIE VIERNES This monthly event features vegan food from Latinx/BIPOC/ woman-owned businesses, local art, Aztec dancing, live music, lowriders, youth activities, and more. WHEN: Aug 20, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. COST: Free entry WHERE: Cultura Craft Chocolate, 3742 Morrison Rd. MORE INFO: facebook.com/culturacraftchocolate HIGHLANDS STREET FAIR Stroll along W. 32nd Avenue, enjoying live music, signature bevvies, tasty eats, local makers, and more. WHEN: Aug 28, 12 p.m. COST: Free entry WHERE: Highlands Square, W. 32nd Ave. between Irving St. and Perry St. MORE INFO: highlandsstreetfair.com COURTESY OF DEBORAH LASTOWKA PUZZLES COURTESY OF STREETROOTS ANSWERS ARE ON PAGE 15 ACROSS DOWN 1. Dirt 5. Fishhook’s end 9. Play thing 13. Pop singer Amos 14. Mountain nymph 16. Nevada gambling city 17. Twofold 18. Renter’s agreement 19. “What’s gotten ___ you?” 20. Controversial power source 23. Pasture (Var.) 24. ___ syrup 25. Cause of ruin 29. First US space station 33. “Cool!” 34. Monastery 37. In poor health 38. In a form that a computer can process 42. Biblical verb ending 43. Pass-the-baton race 44. Dark loaves 45. Expression of gratitude 47. Medicine men 50. Himalayan legends 53. Sean ___ Lennon 54. Mind-numbing 60. Approximately 61. Be a bad winner 62. Pink, as a steak 64. Hammer part 65. Magical wish granter 66. Kuwaiti leader 67. Lays down the lawn 68. Be inclined 69. ___ good example 1. “___ be an honor!” 2. Verb preceder 3. Lady of the Haus 4. Waterproof fabric 5. Anne ___, Henry VIII’s second wife 6. Length x width, for a rectangle 7. Provide new weapons 8. Iraqi port 9. Spendy 10. Monthly budget item 11. “I’m ___ your tricks!” 12. Impoverished 15. Kind of fishing or diving 21. Floral necklace 22. Resin in adhesives and paints 25. Not fulfilled 26. Poet’s “below” 27. Russian country house 28. Scottish Celt 30. Country home to a 2011 revolution 31. ___ wrench 32. Sanctify 35. Lingerie item 36. Ottoman governors 39. Annoyed 40. Savings 41. Wardrobes 46. Hosiery 48. Made an owl sound 49. “___ questions?” 51. Land in the ocean 52. Pebble 54. Absorbs, with “up” 55. Black-and-white cookie 56. Preowned 57. Drops from the sky 58. Appoint 59. Sand 63. Historic period August 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+ The NextFifty Initiative John & Laurie Mcwethy Charitable Fund $10,000+ Kenneth King Foundation Denver Foundation Max & Elaine Appel The Christian Foundation $5,000 - $9,999 Anschutz Family Foundation $1,000-$4,999 BNSF Railway Foundation Bright Funds Russell Peterson Phoenix Capital, Inc. Signs by Tomorrow Energy Outreach Colorado City Side Remodeling SEI Giving Fund Matthew Seashore & Nikki Lawson Josh Kauer Creating Healthier Communities Meek-Cuneo Family Fund 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 Jerry Conover The Sidney B. & Caleb F. Gates Jr. Fund Patrick & Jan Rutty Conover/Wonder Family Fund $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 SEMOptimize Laura Wing Pivitol Energy Partners Donald Weaver Key Renter Property Management 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 ad 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 August 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 SUNSHINE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (YOUTH SERVICES) Services for youth facing substance abuse, addiction, mental health disorders, or a combination of these conditions. 833-931-2484 sunshinebehavioralhealth.com 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 August 2021 DENVER VOICE 15 DON’T LOOK NOW! PUZZLES ARE ON PAGE 13
WANT TO DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT? To celebrate 25 incredible years and ensure another 25 years of even greater impact in our community, The McWethy Family Charitable Fund has generously agreed to match 100% of monthly donations through the end of 2021. With this matching gift, a contribution of $25 a month = $600 dollars a year and makes a huge difference for those we serve for years to come. Set up a monthly donation of any amount this year, and the 12 month value of your donation will be matched dollar for dollar in a one-time gift from The McWethy Family Charitable Fund — doubling your impact this year! WITH YOUR HELP, WE CAN DO MORE. SCAN THIS CODE TO SET UP YOUR MATCHING DONATION TODAY! DENVERVOICE.ORG/DONATE
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