$ 2 SUGGESTED DONATION @DenverVOICE Denver, ARE YOU LISTENING? DHOL’S “SWEPT TO NOWHERE” REPORT ASKS DENVER TO REDIRECT ITS PRACTICES TOWARD HEALTH EQUITY AND ATTAINABLE HOUSING INSTEAD OF SWEEPS THAT DO NOT WORK. PAGE 8 CARE WORKERS NEED HELP, TOO TO GIVE BETTER CARE TO THE ELDERLY, WORKERS NEED TO BE TREATED BETTER. PAGE 4 TO DEGREE OR NOT TO DEGREE? COLLEGE AND POSTCOLLEGE DEGREES ARE EXPENSIVE, BUT ARE THEY WORTH THE INVESTMENT? PAGE 10 A PLACE TO CALL HOME AUSTRALIA’S POST-PANDEMIC HOUSING CRISIS PAGE 6 VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY PAGES 3, 5, 11, 12 EVENTS / PUZZLES PAGE 13 RESOURCES PAGE 15 SEPTEMBER 2021 | Vol.26 Issue 9 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 IN JULY, I celebrated my second anniversary as the managing editor of the Denver VOICE. ELISABETH MONAGHAN MANAGING EDITOR Taking a look behind the scenes here, our board of directors, Executive Director Jennifer Seybold and Program Coordinator Anthony Cornejo put in time and effort to keep the paper and our vendor program running smoothly. Even in the middle of a pandemic, we continue to thrive as an organization thanks to the generous support of our donors. When it comes to the editorial side, one of the core reasons we have grown as a street paper is the work our contributors put into researching and writing about the people, policies, and activities that impact those experiencing housing instability. I’m fortunate to work with an excellent team of freelance reporters and photographers, Paula Bard, Giles Clasen, Robert Davis, Cat Evans, and Doug Hrdlicka. They may not contribute to every issue, but each of these contributors diligently seeks out stories on the people, community leaders, and others, who either may be hindering any progress to mitigate homelessness or strive to lift up those experiencing homelessness or housing instability. It is because of our talented graphic designer, Hannah Bragg, that the VOICE is a visually compelling newspaper. While our contributors do receive some compensation, it is minimal. They work with the VOICE because they believe in our mission of empowering our vendors by providing them with a source of income. The result is a street paper that tells the stories of those whose lives are impacted by poverty and homelessness. Because I haven’t done so in a while, I’d like to acknowledge and thank Cat, Doug, Giles, Hannah, Paula, and Robert. It is your work and talent that make the VOICE a paper we can be proud of. ■ September CONTRIBUTORS PAULA BARD is an award-winning fine art photographer, writer, and activist. She lives on a mountain top southwest of Denver. 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 Haven Enterman Kersten Jaeger Aaron Sullivan Laura Wing PHOTOGRAPHERS/ILLUSTRATORS Paula Bard Giles Clasen Cat Evans 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 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. John Alexander Paula Bard Cat Evans Doug Hrdlicka Raelene Johnson Benjamin Eric Nelson Pete Simon BOARD OF DIRECTORS Nikki Lawson, President Michelle Stapleton, Vice President Jeff Cuneo, Treasurer Zephyr Wilkins, Secretary Chris Boulanger Donovan Cordova Pamela Gravning Raelene Johnson 2 DENVER VOICE September 2021 STAFF STAFF BOARD CONTACT US
VOICES OF OUR COMMUNITY OUR Streets: NATE BY PAULA BARD I LOST MY JOB IN MARCH, when Covid hit. I had a custodial job. But I was low man on the totem pole. I worked in restaurants, bars. Kind of my own business. Freelance. They couldn’t keep me because they could find someone cheaper. I was already homeless when I lost the job. I was also a professional magician and also a musician. I charged $150 an hour when I was a magician, but that was before Covid. I play bass, drums, piano, guitar. Started out in high school with the clarinet, and then I played French Horn. I played in the jazz band, honor band, and marching band. I was the second chair. I helped out in the school cafeteria, but the school bully messed with me. I defended myself. I got kicked out of school. I still play music with church bands and those outside pianos. Grew up in Alaska and California. I have family in Colorado Springs. My parents don’t approve of my lifestyle; I am an alcoholic. Beer is legal. I have heart problems and lung disease. I got Covid, but it wasn’t that bad. I didn’t vote this last time. I have voted, but the people I voted for don’t take care of me. What am I supposed to do? Where am I supposed to go? ■ CREDIT: PAULA BARD 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. 1 4 GET THE WORD OUT We rely on grassroots marketing to get the word out about what we do. Talk to people about our organization and share us with your network. Support us on DONATE Donations to the Denver VOICE are tax-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 193 | Denver, CO 80201 3 VOLUNTEER We need volunteers to help with everything from newspaper distribution to event planning and management. Contact program@denvervoice.org for volunteering information. 5 SUBSCRIBE If you are unable to regularly purchase a newspaper from our vendors, please consider a subscription. We ask subscribers to support our program with a 12-month pledge to give $10 a month, or a one-time donation of $120. Subscriptions help us cover our costs AND provide an amazing opportunity to those who need it most. Go to denvervoice.org/subscriptions for more information. @denverVOICE 2 ADVERTISE Our readership is loyal, well-educated, and socially concerned. Readers view purchasing the paper as a way to immediately help a person who is poor or homeless while supporting long-term solutions to end poverty. If you are interested in placing an ad or sponsoring a section of the paper, please contact us about rates at ads@denvervoice.org. September 2021 DENVER VOICE 3
LOCAL NEWS CARE WORKERS FOR ELDERLY NEED BETTER TREATMENT TO ENSURE BETTER CARE BY DOUG HRDLICKA NURSING HOME RESIDENT RECEIVES A SHOT OF COVID-19 VACCINE AT KING DAVID CENTER FOR NURSING AND REHABILITATION, A NURSING HOME FACILITY, IN BROOKLYN’S BATH BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD IN NEW YORK CITY. CREDIT: REUTERS/YUKI IWAMURA COMING UP WITH SOLUTIONS For care workers whose job is to serve the elderly, their jobs entail more than taking care of older people. Not only must they serve those who may not be able to handle their own basic needs, but they also face physical challenges, long hours, and emotionally-draining work. Melissa Marts is the program development administrator at Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments Area, or PPACG. Part of her job is coming up with solutions to everyday tasks some elderly people may not be equipped to solve due to restricted mobility or finances. It could be as simple as organizing a ride, as was the case for a mother and daughter Marts works with. Both women have macular degeneration, a disease that affects their vision. The daughter, who is 60, also suffers from a number of disabilities that restrict her from being able to fulfill daily tasks such as cleaning. The mother is similarly unable to help with those chores. What’s most pressing is the women’s financial challenges. Five years ago, the father died, leaving the property to his wife and daughter. He was the one who took care of the finances and upkeep of the property. The two women grieved for years after his passing, and the responsibilities began to slip. The mother and daughter verged on homelessness before the pandemic paused foreclosures. This story of the mother and daughter is not a fringe scenario, but instead it’s a part of a reality that is quite common. Those who are renting may find their situations even more difficult. For them, the difference between being housed and homeless may be triggered by something as simple as a rent increase. To add to their plight, long-term facilities that accept Medicaid are in short supply and often have a waiting list. “Literally you will find older adults and other individuals on the streets, homeless because they qualify for Medicaid, but they can’t get into a long-term care because there are just so few facilities that take Medicaid,” Marts said. What’s more, elderly people who do not have stable housing often struggle to find roommates because of their age. “Nobody wants a 70-year-old man to move in with them,” said Marts. “Nobody wants a 62-year old woman who has a hard time walking and is on oxygen to move in with them.” There are solutions and people out there who want to help, but for them, it too can be a struggle. This is certainly true for direct care workers. IN NEED OF EMOTIONAL SUPPORT Pascale Adou is a CNA who is also a member of the Direct Care Workforce Collaborative that was formed to advocate for better working conditions for long-term and direct care workers. “The importance and impact direct care workers have on the community is huge. Every day, we have 10,000 people in the country that turn 65 years old, meaning they may need to be taken care of,” said Adou. “Even in the home hospital, HEALTHCARE EDUCATOR RAINELLE WHITE (REAR) CHECKS THE WEIGHT OF CLIENT NORMA FERGUSON IN THE FAMILY VAN IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. CREDIT: REUTERS/BRIAN SNYDER 4 DENVER VOICE September 2021 nursing home long-term facility, they may need care, and we have a big turnover of direct care workforce,” said Adou. The job of direct care and long-term care workers is to provide for elderly who have become too disadvantaged by their age to maintain all aspects of their life. The work is 24 hours a day and can range from basic household needs to bathing and dressing. The job also demands so much from the care worker. Watching people as they reach the end of their lives can weigh on a person over time. “If they don’t have emotional support, they might not be able to provide the care for the consumer. If you’re not emotionally OK, how can you provide care?” Adou asked. BETTER CARE, BETTER JOBS Stressing the poor conditions some care workers face, Adou noted one employee who made as little as $8.75 an hour. But, according to Adou, what’s been most strenuous on these employees is the treatment they’ve received during the pandemic from direct care agencies. “Some of the direct care workforce quit because they were seeing the lives at risk,” explained Adou. “This means they were going to work and using paper towels to cover their noses; they were using kitchen gloves to give enemas to their clients. They saw their lives at risk and also that they were risking the clients’ lives because they had no PPE.” Adou and the Direct Care Workforce Collaborative want these agencies that take advantage of their employees to value them and show that by paying them a livable wage with benefits. But today, there is little the care workers can do, which is why Adou and the Collaborative are pushing the Better Care Better Jobs Act, a bill that will give these workers leverage to negotiate for better conditions. “Direct care workers need to be paid a livable wage, and we need to fight to do that,” said Adou. “We need to get the state legislators together to look into that bill, and that’s what we are doing.” Adou and Marts have partnered to try and bring positive change to the challenges elderly people and their caretakers face, but for now, the situation remains bleak. As Marts explained, “On the terrible end of the spectrum, care workers end up scrambling, calling everyone, trying to find some place for an older adult to live. That happens a lot.” ■
SUMMER WISH LIST Q A NEW ITEMS NEEDED: Socks Reusable water bottles Sunscreen, toothpaste, deodorant, chapstick Paper products for the office GENTLY USED ITEMS NEEDED: Umbrellas that can fit into a backpack Gloves Backpacks Ponchos & windbreakers (Men’s L, XL, XXL) ASK A VENDOR THIS COLUMN IS A PLACE FOR DENVER VOICE VENDORS TO RESPOND TO QUESTIONS FROM OUR READERS AND STAFF. What is something you want people to know about the reality of homelessness? JOHN ALEXANDER I wish I could share all the harsh realities of being homeless. To be hungry, cold, no place to rest your body and get a good night’s sleep. No security for yourself. These are a lot of the most common realities that come to mind. But, I would tell people the one reality to know about homelessness, and the one thing that homeless people value and long for the most, is every day, one-on-one, common acknowledgment. Tomorrow, next week, or just the next time you may cross paths with a homeless person, and he smiles your way, says hello, or wishes you a good day, remember, he is most likely reaching out for no more than he is trying to give – acknowledgment. RAELENE JOHNSON I’d like people to know they are wrong if they think homeless people like the way they live and are lazy. Some of the homeless were runaways, who never had much of a chance to survive hard knocks. Some had medical bills they couldn’t pay, and that made them homeless. The longer someone is homeless, the harder it gets to be able to get their own [home]. It’s costs more to be homeless when it comes to eating, using restrooms, getting ticketed because you are sleeping in the wrong place... If the body can’t sleep, it starts to break down. Homelessness shouldn’t be a crime. JERRY ROSEN Homelessness is when one does not make enough money on a job to afford housing. Homelessness is when one cannot afford housing or is unable to save money for different things. A person wants to save money so they can live somewhere, or with family or a friend. 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. What do YOU want to ask? If you have a question or issue you would like vendors to discuss, please email community@denvervoice.org. August 2021 DENVER VOICE 5
INTERNATIONAL STORY A PLACE TO CALL HOME: AUSTRALIA’S POST-PANDEMIC HOUSING CRISIS When COVID struck last year, more than 40,000 Australians were housed in emergency accommodation. The Big Issue Australia asks, where are they now? BY MELISS FULTON “IT’S JUST BEEN LIKE, ‘IS THIS FOR REAL?’” says single mum and Big Issue vendor Jannah on the moment she found out she’d been accepted for transitional housing in Perth. “It was an enormous relief. It was like, ‘Wow! A place to call home.’” Over the phone, Jannah sounds relaxed, positive, happy. It’s Thursday when we talk, and she just moved in on Monday – to a humble three-bedroom home with a front gate and some friendly neighborhood birds, including a cheeky mudlark that visits every day. Already, Dakota*, Jannah’s 10-year-old daughter, has turned her bedroom into a TikTok studio, complete with LED lights. “She’s done her own bedroom, her own little design,” says Jannah. It’s been a long road for the two of them. In August last year, Dakota was diagnosed with a tumor in her foot. She was booked in for surgery and they were staying at Ronald McDonald House when they got the news from their landlord that they were being evicted. Since then, they’ve been homeless, bounced around between boarding houses, hotels, and other crisis accommodation. They did three different two-week placements at Perth’s Beatty Lodge, and a few hotel stays – some of which cost Jannah $130 a night, a huge portion of her income support payments. They lived in a share house for a while but that didn’t work out. Jannah says that if she had a car, they would have slept in it. Jannah and Dakota were able to get help in the short term, from emergency housing providers, but when it came to secure long-term accommodation, there was just nowhere to go; there were no suitable rentals available, no social housing. We’re in the throes of a housing crisis. Jannah and Dakota are among the 155,000-plus households on waiting lists for social and public housing nationwide. “It’s really, really tough out there,” says Jenny Smith, CEO of the Council to Homeless Persons, which cites a lack of affordable housing as the single biggest cause of homelessness in this country – a problem that has only increased since the onset of the pandemic. So how did we get here? One of the few silver linings of COVID was that it put the right to housing back on the agenda. Nationwide, when the pandemic struck, governments snapped into action, adopting a public health response to homelessness, securing and funding emergency short-term accommodation for Australians without a safe, secure place to call home – mostly in hotels and student accommodation. A UNSW study found that some 40,000 Australians in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Queensland were given emergency accommodation between mid-March and September last year. JobKeeper payments and the doubling of JobSeeker, coupled with eviction moratoriums and restrictions on rental increases helped stave off disaster, protecting vulnerable Australians against the pandemic. It suggested a solution to homelessness was possible. The problem is that even before the pandemic, we were in a state of crisis. More than 116,000 Australians are homeless on any given night, and 15,800 of them are children under 12, like Dakota. In the 12 months before COVID, some 290,000 people received support from homelessness services, an increase of 14% in four years, while another 250 people were turned away by emergency homelessness services each night due to a shortage of beds and a system buckling under the weight of demand. Now, with the winding back of many of the temporary crisis supports, coupled with the continued social and economic costs of the virus, we’re facing a substantial risk of increasing homelessness, according to a University of Melbourne study – especially among young people. Of those 40,000 people given emergency accommodation during the pandemic, only onethird transitioned into more permanent housing. ILLUSTRATION BY MICHEL STREICH 6 DENVER VOICE September 2021
INTERNATIONAL STORY Following the recent lockdowns in NSW and Victoria, ACOSS reported that the demand for emergency relief services has increased by more than 800%. “Requests for food, emergency relief, and financial support have spiked significantly during lockdowns, while demand for housing support, mental health, and family violence services have been increasing steadily over the course of the pandemic and are now at record levels,” says David Spriggs, CEO of Infoxchange Group, which operates Ask Izzy, a mobile app that connects people in need with services. “I would say I’ve observed in my personal interactions that people are inclined to think that something’s been done about homelessness, that homelessness has been solved, if you like, by the short-term hotel response,” says Jenny Smith. “And I’ve had to let them know that actually the fundamentals in our country have not changed in the slightest. We’ve missed a huge opportunity not to have a national initiative in relation to social housing.” “I sleep where I work – right out the front of 7-Eleven,” says Big Issue vendor Nathan from Brisbane. “As a homeless person, male or female, it’s safety first. And because I work there as well during the day, it’s a lot more plausible for me to actually sleep there. Because you never know, someone might actually turn up and say ‘Hey, I’ve got a room available here. You can stay here, or here’s a feed.’ It’s little things.” When I call Nathan, he’s just checked into a hotel room. They charge a weekly rate of $300 a room, and he springs for it when he can. He’s been on the waiting list for social housing for 10-plus years. In that time, he’s slept rough, on couches, and in a boarding house. When Brisbane was locked down earlier this year, he was put up in a hotel by Micah Projects, but when lockdown finished, he no longer had a roof over his head, and he was back to sleeping on his pitch. “It’s more stressful than anything else, you know?” says Nathan of living homeless. “And when you’re stressed out like that, and you’re trying to get a place, it does take it out of you – you’re exhausted.” It’s clear, Australia’s housing system isn’t working for everyone. With real-estate prices soaring to record highs, it’s locking people out of homeownership. Just 50% of households aged 25-55 are expected to own a home by 2040, compared to 60% in 1981, according to the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute. For young people, the news is even worse: for those in the 25-to-34 bracket, homeownership dropped by 28% between 2002 and 2015, to around 45%. “We’re seeing a wealth-creation event for the haves who can afford to buy another property at the moment,” says Jenny Smith. “But for people on low incomes, it’s a difference between being able to just put a roof over your head, and not.” a single person on JobSeeker ($620.80 per fortnight). For those on Youth Allowance ($512.50 per fortnight), there were none. Without more affordable homes, the options are limited for those struggling to afford private rents. Over 1.5 million Australians are living with housing stress, stretched by rent or mortgage payments totaling more than 30% of their income. It’s why housing bodies and homelessness providers are calling on all levels of government to invest in affordable and social housing to meet the shortfall of 600,000 homes needed to satisfy national demand. “[Social housing] is an asset to the community and it provides jobs,” adds Smith. “Providing social housing and increasing the JobSeeker payment [means] people can live, and we’re not all just bouncing people around temporary outcomes.” The pandemic has prompted governments to consider long-term housing solutions. At the end of last year, the Victorian state government announced its $5.3 billion “Big Housing Build”, which aims to create 12,000 homes in four years, with 9300 of these being social housing. New South Wales has allocated $812 million to social housing and homelessness services, including a pledge to build 800 social housing dwellings. Meanwhile, back at Jannah and Dakota’s place, they’ve ILLUSTRATION BY MICHEL STREICH With more than a third of us now renting, demand has meant rental properties are less affordable than ever. Across the country, the median rent of houses and units has increased 6.6% over the last 12 months. In regional areas, it’s even more extreme: rents have surged by 11.3% – the biggest hike on record – as tree-changers flee the city during the pandemic. In Perth, where Jannah and her daughter live, the median rent jumped 16.7%. It’s perhaps unsurprising that Anglicare Australia’s latest Rental Affordability Snapshot found that of the 74,226 rental listings across the country on a given weekend in March, only three were affordable for been sleeping better, getting up early, and starting to build a routine, alive to all the simple pleasures that come with a stable home. “It’s so good to cook a meal again!” says Jannah. “Like last night, I could use an oven instead of a fry pan.” She made Dakota’s favorite Dino snacks. “I’m looking forward to stability, getting back on track. Hopefully, we can get some pets here – Dakota’s asked our Salvation Army caseworker if we can get a chicken coop and some chickens.” Dakota’s recovering well and is happy to be back at school, and Jannah’s looking forward to getting back to her studies too – she’s working towards Certificate III in Social Work, Community Services, and Domestic and Family Violence. “This is for real now,” says Jannah. “I’ve got my little humble home. A place to call home, I call it.” ■ Courtesy of The Big Issue Australia / INSP.ngo * Name changed FREE ADDICTION SUPPORT FOR DENVER RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR FINANCIAL HARDSHIP (855) 539-9375 WeFaceItTogether.org September 2021 DENVER VOICE 7
LOCAL FEATURE in Denver’s frigid winter temperatures. Dehydration and heat stroke arrive with the blazing summer heat. At least 222 people died on Denver’s streets during 2020. Daily life for them is laced with drug overdoses, rapes, assaults, and increasingly now, shootings. Street life can take 30 years off an individual’s life span, according to the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. Officially, CDC guidelines require that unless housing options are available, encampments should be left in place and provided with sanitation resources, including bathrooms, hand washing stations, and hand sanitizer. Denver does not provide adequate services or trash collection. The inevitable accumulation of trash and human waste causes ongoing, acrimonious friction with neighborhoods surrounding the growing tent encampments. There are only eight public restrooms in central Denver and only one of them is available at night, according to Denverite. DENVER, WHY? This ugly cat and mouse game has only intensified over the last year as more and more people have lost jobs and apartments and are tumbling onto the street. Denver has conducted more sweeps in response to the growing numbers. This creates even more trauma and more suffering for a vulnerable population. Many of Denver’s citizens have witnessed this escalating, repetitive abuse of the unhoused. They have responded by offering support and speaking out. Volunteers with mutual aid groups feed the unhoused and march for them. They help move their belongings during sweeps, pour them hot coffee at 5:30 a.m., provide clothing, solace, and compassion. The community is increasingly vocal in asking about the CREDIT: PAULA BARD DENVER, ARE YOU LISTENING? BY PAULA BARD THE UNHOUSED SCATTER in front of the large mobilized police force – there to perform a sweep of the encampment. At 4:30 a.m., chain link fences are thrown up while dump trucks and Bobcats begin to munch up tents, survival gear, and precious family photos. Despite this show of force, over the next few days, many of the unhoused migrate back. They have run out of options. There is nowhere else to go. In 2020 the City of Denver conducted 34 of these socalled “sweeps.” In 2021, Denver had already conducted 56 sweeps by the end of June. The City generally conducts three or four sweeps per week, often returning repeatedly to the same blocks because the unhoused inevitably drift back. The advocacy not accomplishing anything, much less connecting people to services or getting people into housing. Many respondents of “Swept to Nowhere” stated that they “just wanted to know where they could be.” People staying at encampments and on the streets are desperate to know where they can stay without being swept or treated as criminals. The report showed that the concerns of the unhoused, the housed, and businesses are very much aligned. Respondents elaborated, “Everyone wants an answer to the question of where we can be. Everyone knows human beings cannot just disappear, but there is no honesty about this reality.” Sweeping human beings is an ugly and grueling process. group, Allies To Abolitionists, researched the economics of the city’s sweeps, or “violent displacements,” as they call them. They found that Denver spends $21,000 in city resources for each one. Over the course of a year, this adds up to a substantial expenditure for the city. Denver Homeless Out Loud, another local advocacy group, recently conducted a survey and released the subsequent report, “Swept to Nowhere: Experiences and Recommendations from Unhoused People During the Covid-19 Pandemic.” They found that 70.4% of respondents eventually returned to the same location from which they had been swept. Therefore, they point out that sweeps are It terrorizes the already fragile poor, adding trauma and more loss to marginal lives steeped in suffering. “Swept to Nowhere” reports that 72.6% of respondents reported having property taken in a sweep. Property seizure puts the unhoused in further danger by forcing them to sleep with no protection from the elements or to stay in a friend’s tent, which can leave them vulnerable to assault, rape, or abuse. They then have to spend days trying to replace basic necessities, like clothes or blankets, and months trying to replace food stamp cards or IDs. Even without the threat of constant sweeps, living on the streets in Denver involves a constant struggle to survive. Frostbite, including the loss of fingers and toes, is normal CREDIT: PAULA BARD purpose of these sweeps. The advocates, the mutual aid groups, and the unhoused all ask, “Why?” Social service organizations ask for a solution: housing. Denver’s Department of Housing Stability (HOST), highlights the importance of affordable housing. Why then, Denver, are these repetitive, cruel sweeps not leading to the goal of housing? Tess Dougherty, a local activist, spoke at the August Denver City Council hearing. She closed her commentary by repeating the phrase, “Denver tortures its poor,” a full 60 times. “I am among many other residents of the City of Denver, who have been coming to City Council week after week, for over a year, calling on them to stop the traumatic displacement of people experiencing homelessness. Each sweep is a serious human rights violation, according to the UN’s definition.” 8 DENVER VOICE September 2021
LOCAL FEATURE ACTIVISTS MARCH TO THE MLB GAME ACTIVISTS AGAINST THE SWEEPS staged a march from Curtis Park toward Coors Field, but “We’ve seen that trauma and that violence on a they were CREDIT: PAULA BARD DENVER’S HUMANITARIAN CRISES BY THE NUMBERS There are alarming numbers of citizens who are priced out of housing in Denver. Census data reveals that Denver grew 19.2% between 2010 and 2020, adding 115,000 residents. As a result, the recent five year strategic plan released by HOST claims that Denver has a shortage of nearly 19,000 rental units for the extremely low-income earners, those earning $21,000 yearly; a shortage of 20,000 rental units for those earning $35,000 yearly; a shortage of more than 11,000 rental unit for those earning $42,000 yearly. This adds up to a shortage of 50,000 rental units. HOST states that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the housing crisis, pointing out that, “Median rent spiked 78% over the past decade, far outpacing wages. Denver’s unemployment quadrupled, requests for rent and utility assistance increased 270%. Now, more than 250,000 Coloradans are behind on their rent and mortgage payments.” According to the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative, at the beginning of 2020, there were 6,104 unhoused people in Denver, with 1,561 of them unsheltered. But over the last year and a half, according to the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, homelessness and housing instability have increased dramatically during this public health emergency. Denver has housed 2,000 temporarily in hotel rooms and 6,000 in shelters, plus 100 in the two SOS sanctioned camping sites. and 33 in tiny home villages. A CHALLENGE FOR DENVER Among the high-level themes identified in the plan is the need for more affordable housing, more quickly, with embedded support services and fewer restrictions. To get there, we must shift from being reactive and scarcity-driven to a proactive, outcome-based approach. “Swept to Nowhere” asks Denver specifically to “redirect practices toward health equity and attainable housing instead of sweeps that do not work.” They further ask for leadership from Denver as to where the houseless community should go while housing is created. As they put it, “Ultimately, homelessness ends with a home.” The “Swept to Nowhere” report concludes with, “We are facing unprecedented times together. The challenge of a COVID world has exacerbated the number of unhoused residents throughout our nation. Many of the standard solutions for homelessness have proven ineffective. But humans have a resounding ability to adapt. This is our challenge.” ■ blocked by the Denver Police Department before reaching the ballpark. They were repeatedly told they could walk single file down the sidewalk. DPD then kept blocking the march, pushing the marchers further to the East. Virya Kelsing, a Tibetan Buddhist nun, was thrown to the ground while following instructions to proceed single file down the sidewalk. The group finally broke up their march and set their sign-bearing tents up at the State Capitol. A few persevered and made it to the MLB game, their original destination. Was Denver listening? Sweeps continued unabated, with three more sweeps conducted that week. weekly basis.” Wren, an activist and service provider, said about the sweeps. “They’re constantly under stress, people are constantly getting moved around. They’re constantly losing everything they own. Every single sweep that I have been at, at least one person lost everything they own. This happened to a friend of mine. And she called me afterward, in tears. She was sobbing, she was suicidal, talked about wanting to kill herself, because she lost medications, she lost important documents, she lost irreplaceable family mementos. And that’s the kind of trauma that we’re talking about here, three times a week.” ■ CREDIT: PAULA BARD CREATIVE SUGGESTIONS FROM THE NEIGHBORS How about buying up all those hotels for sale and putting the unhoused to work, converting them into small apartments? How about hiring the unhoused to rehab all those old, unused school buildings sitting empty in Denver? How about rehabbing some of those dead malls? How about building villages out on the plains in Eastern Colorado? More camping sites? More parking lots for RV living? How about converting parking garages to camping sites? CREDIT: PAULA BARD September 2021 DENVER VOICE 9
LOCAL STORY TO DEGREE, OR NOT TO DEGREE BY CAT EVANS THE WEBSITE EDUCATIONDATA.ORG ESTIMATES that there are 43.2 million student borrowers in the United States, averaging $39,351 owed per person. Accumulated debt totals $1.73 trillion and grows six times faster than the nation’s economy. The average public student borrows $30,030 to attain a bachelor’s degree. The great debate of the value of a bachelor’s degree in modern times is frequent: is it worth the investment? “I was the first generation to graduate and actually go to college. I felt like it was very important for me to do that, more for my family’s sake,” said Donnie Aguilar, a college graduate. “I studied psychology because I really wanted to understand people and to help people. That being said, I don’t think it was necessary. I sort of feel like it hindered me in a way — it’s really expensive. If I had more money I would go back, but I see a lot of opportunity outside of it.” Currently, Aguilar works in the entertainment and food service industries and has yet to find a direct path alongside his major. Many lucrative opportunities with a bachelor’s in psychology are presented once a student move forward with a master’s program. In an article published by Northeastern University, Tim “Master’s degree holders Stobierski wrote, earn nearly $13,000 more per year than four-year-degree holders.” This bump translates to an average of $77,844 per year, with an unemployment rate of 2%. Compare that to a yearly income of $38,792 for individuals who did not complete any form of higher education beyond a high school diploma. Mariana Sesserman graduated from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo., for a degree in exercise science, with an emphasis in administration. “Nowadays, it’s not valuable. It’s pigeonholed and limited. The problem is there are no jobs to apply for,” Sesserman said. “It’s not even that I’m applying and getting the door shut in my face; there’s just no demand for this type of employment, especially after COVID. I’m going back for my master’s to pair my MBA with my bachelor’s degree. Really, I feel with a bachelor’s, you get those to further them into a master’s or a doctorate. It doesn’t necessarily benefit you to just get a bachelor’s, at least not for me; I’m literally selling cell phones right now.” Before COVID and while living in a smaller city, Sesserman started an LLC and was able to open a volleyball club in Durango after graduating from college. Once she moved to Denver, that changed. “The lack of demand and larger population made that more difficult,” explained Sesserman. “To me, I knew it was probably going to take an additional $30,000 and four years down the road to make that degree beneficial.” A company geared toward assisting students in paying off their loans, studentloadnhero.com, states that the average cost of a public master’s degree is $30,000 annually. Private school graduate students spend an average of $40,000 per year on tuition and fees. Prices vary depending on focus of the degree and which school the student attended. For example, educationdata.org, says a master’s of education typically costs $55,200, while according to besteducationdegrees.com, the average salary for an 10 DENVER VOICE September 2021 DONNIE AGUILAR. CREDIT: CAT EVANS
PAGE TITLE educator ranges between $30,000 to $60,000 per year. Postgraduate income varies heavily. Some won’t even apply the degree at all. CNBC notes that graduate students owe around 50% of all student debt. Lauren Hughes has been using her bachelor’s degree in business for nearly six years. “I worked at a lot of places before working where I am now,” Hughes said. She currently works in marketing and also screens prospective employees for her company. Hughes acknowledged that for many, trade schools may be a good option. However, as she explained, “the only problem is that for a lot of jobs, you wouldn’t even be considered without a degree of some sort.” While Hughes described her college experience as, “a lot of stupid qualities that don’t apply to today’s world,” she believed that just to be considered for a job that requires a four-year degree, formal education was worth the investment. “I’m certain that they wouldn’t have hired me had I not had a college degree,” Hughes said. “It shows a level of commitment in an employer’s eyes.” Hughes’ college degree may be the reason she has her job, but she has discovered that to receive a promotion to management or a future job with higher pay, she may need a graduate degree. Weighing the risks associated with investing in a master’s degree, Hughes stated, “I don’t think the amount of debt you often have to accumulate to reach potential higher incomes is always worth it.” Whether it is worthwhile to pursue higher education, and how use it to their advantage, is up to each individual to determine. The world is evolving, and so are the ways employers gauge workers’ value — degree or no degree. ■ WRITING THROUGH HARD TIMES COURTESY OF DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY AND LIGHTHOUSE WRITERS WORKSHOP PETE SIMON ICE CUBES IN THE HEAT / POLITICIANS IN THE HEAT Even though we may pour filtered water into ice cube trays, the cubes still form half-pure; white impurities surrounded by clear ice purity. As ice cubes melt in the heat of the day, or in beverages warm and cool; their decline begins, with clear ice on the outside disappearing first as; impure whiteness hangs on, releasing gunk as whiteness becomes exposed. Ice Cubes in the Heat, just like politicians in the Heat; even though they all start out with pure exteriors; safe to consume, that exterior has an interior, with impurities you don’t notice at first. Some impurities are manageable; others can be toxic; be careful which politicians you choose; to place in your beverage glass of life; it takes more than a fork or spoon to fish them out. Impurities are too much to bear, and elections only come every four years; in some places elections never come; in other places election drinks can be spiked. Watch who is pouring; watch your politicians, and watch your ice cubes. BENJAMIN ERIC NELSON VAPOR ESCAPES THE EARTH To show mercy To contemplate forgiveness A mystery Profound Subtle witness Driving towards freedom Thanksgiving Theological power Words twisted Appreciative notion conflicted by mistrust Desire to walk away A longing for rest Able to breathe Vapor escapes the earth Stern lesson for the departed Connoisseur of good vibes In the arms of violation Eccentric Saving lives A reason to survive The others lied 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 LAUREN HUGHES. CREDIT: CAT EVANS September 2021 DENVER VOICE 11
IN YOUR OWN WORDS HOMELESSNESS AND HOMELESS PEOPLE: QUESTIONS, ANSWERS, AND OPINIONS! BY JOHN ALEXANDER, VOICE VENDOR Whatever you give is a gift from God – through you – to them. Whatever the person does with your gift is their thanks to God. God will not let you lose. Q: Why are so many homeless people drug addicts or alcoholics? A: Drugs are mood-altering chemicals. Alcohol is considered a drug. The purpose of drugs is to remove or help you escape reality. If you have a toothache or back pain, you might reach for Ibuprofen – which is a drug. If you are depressed, the doctor gives you drugs. That’s your reality. To be homeless, no place to stay or sleep, consumed by fear JOHN ALEXANDER. CREDIT: GILES CLASEN RECENTLY, I WAS INVITED to the home of Joyce Wagner to describe what it’s like to be homeless. Following are a few of the questions that came up and the discussions that followed: Q: How do I give cash donations to homeless people without worrying they’ll spend the money on drugs or alcohol? A: By understanding what you are doing when you give your money. You are presenting that person with a gift. A true gift from the heart. Once given, it is no longer your department. of never-ending poverty… these are the realities of a homeless person, and they, too, reach for drugs to relieve their pain. The only difference is the drugs you reach for are legal. The drugs the average homeless person takes are illegal. OPINION (FROM ONE OF THE GUESTS): I have seen and been around homeless people all my life. I have never seen or heard of a homeless person worth speaking to during his life, or after his death. They have no ambition. They have nothing. Never had anything, and will never want anything in life. Every person you see, today or opinions on their past and present, but only God knows their future. I am not the oldest person alive. I am nowhere near the youngest, but I, too, have been very aware of homeless people. Joseph and Mary, and the Children of Israel all were homeless once. Every year, people around the world commemorate the holidays by sharing best wishes, having dinner together, and exchanging gifts. All of this is to celebrate the birthday of the most famous homeless person that ever lived and walked on this earth – Jesus Christ. Q: Where do all of these homeless people come from? Why do so many people choose to be homeless? A: Homeless people come from right here on Earth. You show me a homeless person, past present, fictional or spiritual, and I will show you a person that was faced with circumstances beyond their control. People don’t settle for or choose to be homeless. There are as many circumstances that cause homelessness as there are people – natural catastrophes, wars, the economy, lost jobs, companies going out of business, health – all are circumstances that are beyond a person’s control. ■ tomorrow, homeless or housed, has a before, a now, and an after. We can all give our SELF, NO MATTER WHAT… BY RAELENE JOHNSON, VOICE VENDOR NO MATTER WHAT, you must care about what is around you! Self, you cannot sit back saying, “I wish things were different.” Self, you can’t change the whole world, but you can do something where you are. Just look around you. What can you do? Did you make someone’s day? Give someone something to make them feel better? Did you treat everyone with respect, no matter who they are? No matter what, you must treat others as you wish they would treat you back! RAELENE JOHNSON. CREDIT: CORTNEY TABERNA No matter what, speak up when you see someone being hurt by others. Self, put yourself in their place. You would want that kindness yourself! Self, at the end of the day, can you look yourself in the mirror, knowing you did your best? No matter what, if you do your best that day to care about others, you can be very happy with self. So, Self, no matter what, be your best Self. Self, share your heart for good! ■ 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! 12 DENVER VOICE September 2021
EVENTS COURTESY OF DEBORAH LASTOWKA PUZZLES CHERRY CREEK ARTS FESTIVAL The Cherry Creek Arts Festival is a world-class and award-winning celebration of visual, culinary and performing arts. This year’s event includes 220 renowned and emerging artists, culinary vendors, kid’s activities, and live music. WHEN: Sep 4 and 5, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Sep 6, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. COST: Free entry but you must pre-register WHERE: Creekside at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center, 3000 E. 1st Ave. MORE INFO: cherrycreekartsfestival.org DRY HUMOR OPEN MIC Come on out for a night of comedic experimentation and laughs at Denver’s new inclusive sober bar. WHEN: Sep 15; sign-up at 6:30 p.m., show at 7 p.m. COST: Free entry WHERE: Awake, 2240 Clay Street #100 MORE INFO: awakedenver.com ACROSS THE NARRATORS If you haven’t been to The Narrators before, it is pure gold. It is essentially like This American Life unfolding right in front of your beautiful, smiling face. One of the best things to do in Denver – hands down. This month’s theme is Inside Out. Beer and wine available by donation. WHEN: Sep 15; doors at 7:15 p.m., show at 8 p.m. COST: Free, but you must register online WHERE: Buntport Theater, 717 Lipan St. MORE INFO: thenarrators.org ORTHODOX FOOD FESTIVAL & OLD GLOBEVILLE DAYS Come sample delicious homemade cuisine from Greece, Russia, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, and Italy. Afterwards, stick around for free live music, dancing, art displays, and tours of the historic Orthodox church. There will also be a full-service bar to wash down all of those pirozhki. WHEN: Sep 18, 11 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. COST: Free entry WHERE: Holy Transfiguration of Christ Cathedral, 349 E. 47th Ave. MORE INFO: globevilleorthodoxfoodfestival.org ART PARK GRAND OPENING RiNo Art District is thrilled to invite you to the grand opening of ArtPark, a creative hub in the Five Points neighborhood designed to spark innovation and bring people together. This event will include tours, workshops, demonstrations, art activations, live music, exhibits, performances and more! WHEN: Sep 24 - Sep. 26, various times COST: Free entry WHERE: RiNo Art Park, 1900 35th St. MORE INFO: rinoartpark.com August 2021 DENVER VOICE 13 1. “Aladdin” prince 4. 2006 Pixar film 8. Said something 13. (In) harmony 15. Sandler of “Big Daddy” 16. Reacted to fireworks 17. Jewish month 18. ___ good example 19. “___ Green Tomatoes” 20. Keystone XL and Dakota Access, for two 22. Muscle weakness 23. Had a homecooked meal 24. Emmy-winning Lewis 26. TV teaser 28. Croquet hoop 32. Beach, in Barcelona 35. Alternative to a fade 37. Reverse 38. Campus military org. 39. Dizzy 40. Opera house box 41. Aroma 42. Counter call 43. Wait with ___ breath 44. Take off 46. Fragrant wood 48. Consider, as options 50. Who’s who 53. Islamic teacher (Var.) 56. Withdrawing clerical status from 59. Be of use 60. “I’m ___ your tricks!” 61. Edible taro root 62. Change, as a clock 63. Ancient 64. Slap on, as paint 65. Flip, in a way 66. Viral sensation 67. Floral necklace DOWN 1. PDQ 2. One of the sisters in “Pride and Prejudice” 3. Not suitable 4. Slot spot 5. Gulf of ___, off the coast of Yemen 6. Numbers needed when converting currencies 7. Huge hit 8. Wildlife ___, animal park in Winston, Oregon 9. Specified 10. Buckeye State 11. Astute 12. Small whirlpool 14. Bugs 21. Turkish money 25. Missing from the Marines, say 27. Filly’s mother 29. Granny ___ COURTESY OF STREETROOTS ANSWERS ARE ON PAGE 15 30. Halftime lead, e.g. 31. Pigeon-___ 32. Egg on 33. Mother ___ 34. Above 36. Network of nerves 39. Debate side 43. Island near Java 45. Property 47. Crack 49. Twilight, old-style 51. Kind of wave 52. Provide (with) 53. Neighbor of Earth 54. Eye layer 55. Glasgow gal 57. Tabloid twosome 58. Mongolian desert 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 Rose Community Foundation - CMP $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 SEI Giving Fund Matthew Seashore & Nikki Lawson Josh Kauer Creating Healthier Communities Meek-Cuneo Family Fund Kroger 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 Sustainable Housing and Development Foundation Megan Arellano Audrey Chumley Mr. Paul Manoogian $500-$999 Betty & Warren Kuehner Lighthouse Writer’s Workshop, Inc. Community Health Charities Michelle Stapleton & James Thompson Michael Dino Paul Hoffman Michael J. Fehn & Jan Monnier 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 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 Eileen Di Benedetto 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
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