FROM YOUR VENDOR: PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ANDREW FRAIELI. PHOTO BY ETHAN CLARK
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR WHY DENVER’S BASIC INCOME PROJECT DESERVES A SECOND LOOK—AND A SECOND CHANCE DENVERVOICE.ORG E.ORG IN THIS ISSUE, we feature the Denver Basic Income Project (DBIP), one of the largest guaranteed income programs in aims to “We have seen the impact of the program firsthand on the the United States. Founded in 2020 by Denver entrepreneur and philanthropist Mark Donovan, DBIP ELISABETH MONAGHAN MANAGING EDITOR reduce homelessness and poverty by providing direct, unconditional financial support to those in need. Freelance journalists Mariana Ortega Rivera and Ethan Clark examine what inspired Donovan to launch DBIP and how it evolved from a program endorsed by former Denver Mayor Michael Hancock in 2020 to one that current Mayor Mike Johnston, elected in 2023, chose not to continue funding. Denver VOICE Board President Robert Davis, who writes about homelessness and housing policy for several publications, said he wanted to highlight DBIP because of its proven success. population we serve. Paying a basic income each month for a year provides participants with the tools to regain stability and rebuild their lives.” Among those impacted is Mark Gaskin, who lost his job and home after a work injury in 2022. Through DBIP, he rebuilt his health and finances and cared for his dying aunt. Another success story, Hilliard McAlpin, emerged from years of incarceration and homelessness to secure housing and steady work installing solar panels. Davis believes DBIP’s results speak for themselves. “The Denver Basic Income Project has proven to be one of the most effective ways to help lift participants out of homelessness. It also helps them regain the dignity they lost when they landed in homelessness.” By sharing DBIP’s story, we hope readers better understand why community partners like the Denver VOICE view its mission to provide opportunity and stability as essential. BOARD OF DIRECTORS MANAGING EDITOR DEVELOPMENT MANAGER ART DIRECTOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT VOLUNTEER COPY EDITORS ARTISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS WRITERS @OCE Elisabeth Monaghan Giles Clasen Andrew Fraieli Maddie Egerton Jennifer Forker Robert Davis Giles Clasen Ethan Clark Sondra Jeffries Raelene Johnson Jacob Richards Mariana Ortega Rivera Ethan Clark Robert Davis, President Isabella Colletti, Secretary Michael Burkley Eduardo Platon Edwin Rapp Donald Burnes Jennifer Forker Ande Sailer Linda Shapley THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS 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 4,600 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. JACOB RICHARD is a community organizer and writer on the western slope of Colorado. His columns have appeared across the West, including The Denver Post, Salt Lake City Tribune, and The Daily Sentinel. When not working in the wilderness, he is working on a project called “A People’s History of the Grand Valley.” ETHAN CLARK is a recent graduate from the Metropolitan State University of Denver. Starting as a reporter for his local student newspaper The Metropolitan, Ethan has found a passion for writing and the community, motivating him to start a career in writing local journalism and photography for outlets such as The Denver VOICE! MARIANA ORTEGA RIVERA recently graduated from the Metropolitan State University of Denver with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in film studies. Currently, she is freelancing in both photography and graphic design. She enjoys watching a good movie or ranting about it on Letterbox. 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: Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 2 DENVER VOICE November 2025 CONTACT US
AUTUMN WISH LIST WITH YOUR HELP, WE CAN DO THIS. DENVERVOICE.ORG/DONATE Drop-offs are accepted Wednesdays, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m., or by appointment. NEW ITEMS NEEDED: Toiletries (individual or travel-size) - Lip balm, sunscreen, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, hand sanitizer Baseball caps Hand warmers Socks Travel-sized tissue packets @DenverVOICE GENTLY-USED ITEMS NEEDED: Men’s shoes or boots (sizes 8-12) Men’s jackets (sizes L, XL, XXL) Women’s jackets (sizes M, L, XL) Backpacks, carrier bags USB-C charging cables VENMO YOUR VENDOR: If you would like to help out a specific vendor by donating a few extra dollars, scan the QR code below to make a payment through Venmo. Please be sure to write your vendor’s name in the comments. Thank you! HOW TO HELP The money we take in from vendors helps us cover a portion of our printing costs, but we depend largely on donations from individuals, businesses, and foundations to help us pay our rent and keep the lights on. 1 4 GET THE WORD OUT We rely on grassroots marketing to get the word out about what we do. Talk to people about our organization and share us with your network. Support us on DONATE Donations to the Denver VOICE are tax-deductible. Go to denvervoice.org to give a one-time or recurring donation. You can also mail a check to: Denver VOICE | P.O. Box 1931 | Denver, CO 80201 3 VOLUNTEER We need volunteers to help with everything from newspaper distribution to event planning and management. Contact program@denvervoice.org for volunteering information. 5 SUBSCRIBE If you are unable to regularly purchase a newspaper from our vendors, please consider a subscription. We ask subscribers to support our program with a 12-month pledge to give $10 a month, or a one-time donation of $120. Subscriptions help us cover our costs AND provide an amazing opportunity to those who need it most. Go to denvervoice.org/subscriptions for more information. @denverVOICE 2 ADVERTISE Our readership is loyal, well-educated, and socially concerned. Readers view purchasing the paper as a way to immediately help a person who is poor or homeless while supporting long-term solutions to end poverty. If you are interested in placing an ad or sponsoring a section of the paper, please contact us about rates at ads@denvervoice.org. November 2025 DENVER VOICE 3
COMMUNITY FEATURE WESTERN COLORADO REELING FROM CLOSURE OF SHELTER STORY BY JACOB RICHARDS ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, people who are homeless in Grand Junction, Colorado, received news that almost nobody expected. Homeward Bound of the Grand Valley’s North Avenue Emergency Shelter did not open its doors for the first time since 1998. That same day, a record-setting rainstorm moved into the valley and dropped more rain than the area had seen in a two-day period for more than 50 years. On an average night, the shelter provides beds for 140 people. The shelter serves a staggeringly large geographic area— from the resort towns of Aspen and Telluride to rural communities like Delta and Rangely. “We are the largest homeless shelter between Denver and Salt Lake City,” said Doug Clayton, chair of the directors of Homeward Bound. “We serve clients from 14 counties,” he added. On the evening before the closure, Homeward Bound announced to guests and other service providers that starting the very next day, the North Avenue Shelter would be closed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings moving forward “indefinitely.” Guests received about 24 hours’ notice of the changes. “First I heard of it was when I came to check in,” said Sarah, an older woman drying her sleeping bag in a tree during a brief break in the clouds. “I don’t usually sleep there, but I was hoping to avoid this damn rain.” Some people weathered the first night of closure at nearby park shelters, and others under a bridge. According to a 2024 Unhoused Needs Survey Report produced by the city, Grand Junction has the highest rate of homelessness in any city in Colorado, 14% higher than Denver and 165% higher than Colorado Springs. Before the closure, there was already a “desperate need for more beds,” said City Council member Scott Belifuss. “How many will lose jobs, violate parole, end up in jail, get sick, or stop taking their mental health meds?” said Eric Niederkruger, a long-time advocate for the unhoused. “What will that cost?” he added. The closure sent more than just those displaced scrambling. “We are in the process of looking under every stone for funding,” said Clayton. “If someone, some generous soul, could write a check for $150,000, we could return to seven days a week service, through the end of 2025.” City officials have been reaching out to leaders at the state level for funding, and Beilfuss confirmed that he and other city officials have been in touch with Senator Michael Bennett about the situation in Grand Junction. Federal budget cuts are ultimately the cause of the closure. One consequential grant that the North Avenue Shelter has received, year in year out, has been the Emergency Solutions Grant administered by the State of Colorado but funded at the federal level through the Department of Housing and Urban Development, which did not come through this year. Concerned citizens have been contacting the city asking them to declare a “state of emergency,” and service providers have reached out to see if the local camping ban could be suspended, according to Belifuss. “The city said ‘The police can’t not enforce the ordinance, but they can be understanding of what’s going on,’” said Beilfuss. “The city is monitoring this situation, and I know it’s on the minds of our city council,” said Grand Junction Police Chief Matt Smith. “I would not call [the unhoused individuals] criminals, but they have been placed in a more vulnerable position with the temporary shelter closures.” “The present council doesn’t really want to be in the homeless business,” said Beilfuss. The city is unlikely to bail out the shelter. “Homeward Bound might get some help from the city, but it will be minimal,” Beilfuss added. “Our main concern is the people,” said Clayton, “and to turn 130-150 people back out on the streets, especially just as the weather gets really cold, we could lose people– they could die on the streets.” Efforts were made with area partners to find shelter for a couple dozen of the most vulnerable. “Saint Joseph’s took in 10 people, I believe,” said Beilfuss. Others were housed at the Pathways Family Shelter, also run by Homeward Bound, but unaffected by the partial closure. “We need to circle the wagons here and see how we can keep serving the needs of… this vulnerable population as best as we can for as long as we can,” said Clayton. Adding that a new grant cycle begins in the new year, and that “there are good things on the horizon, but for right now we are kind of in a pinch.” Homeward Bound hopes to use the savings from the partial closures, almost $13,000 per week, to have those funds on hand to ensure they can open for the coldest parts of the coming winter. “[The closure] is very impactful to the community,” said Clayton. “Business owners [will see] increased homeless traffic in their area of business; it affects hospitals, emergency responders, and it impacts the police department with additional callouts.” “I would say [Grand Junction is] on our own, and I would say people know that,” said Beilfuss. “We are going to have to dig in and figure something out.” THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS FOR THANKSGIVING RAELENE JOHNSON DENVER VOICE VENDOR IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE another holiday season is here. Thanksgiving is this month, and I just wanted to share some thoughts about it. Holidays can be difficult – especially when you have a lot of pain or health issues, have lost of family members, or you don’t have enough money to think about Thanksgiving. Remember that people, even poor people, will share what little they have. If you’re not aware of what’s going on, food prices are going up, and it’s getting harder to find housing. I know people who are homeless on the streets or staying in shelters, not knowing how safe they are. I just hope that during the holidays, people will try to reach out with kindness to one family or one senior citizen that they know. If you try to lift somebody this holiday season with a little kindness, it will go a long way. (You never know how your thoughtful words could change their life.) I am thankful today that I pretty much have my health back after dealing with cancer. It wiped a lot of energy out of me, that’s for sure. I’m thankful that I do have family members who are now living in Colorado, and that hopefully, I’ll get to see them this holiday season. Being by yourself on the holidays is the hardest thing to survive, and it’s worse if you’re homeless. People long to have a place where they can shut the door and know they’re safe. They’re always longing for food to eat when they need it. They long for someone to show them kindness or compassion. It’s hard to survive in this world today. I pray that all children can get good food this holiday season, maybe even a toy or two, at Christmas time. I hope every person who’s homeless can find a home quickly. When you pray, don’t forget to give thanks for all of those less fortunate than you, and, if you’re able to give just a little of what you have to somebody this holiday season, it could be the best gift ever for your spirit when you see the joy on the other person’s face. Donate to charities that you know are going to help the homeless. If you can, donate to the Denver VOICE, because at Christmas time, they give gift cards to the vendors to get the essentials they need, as well as holiday items that lift our spirits at a time when we can easily feel let down. I just want to thank you for taking the time to read this article. I pray you have the best Thanksgiving ever! 4 DENVER VOICE November 2025
COMMUNITY FEATURE PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE HOMELESSNESS MEMORIAL BLANKET PROJECT HANDMADE BLANKETS HONOR DENVER’S UNHOUSED AT ANNUAL VIGIL — DESPITE TARIFF HURDLES STORY BY ELISABETH MONAGHAN EVERY YEAR, DENVERITES GATHER AT THE CITY AND COUNTY Building on December 21 for the annual We Will Remember memorial vigil honoring people who died while experiencing homelessness in the metro area. This year’s vigil will feature a new visual tribute: hundreds of handmade blankets and quilts displayed as part of the Homeless Remembrance Blanket Project, a national art and compassion initiative making its first appearance west of the Mississippi. Each blanket is made and donated by volunteers from across the United States and abroad as a gesture of solidarity with people facing housing insecurity. The Homeless Memorial Blanket Project is partnering with the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless for the event. After the Dec. 21 display, the blankets will be distributed to individuals and families in need throughout the Denver area. “The vigil has always been about partnership, with local service providers, with the City and County of Denver, and with community members to honor our lost friends and loved ones on the longest night of the year,” Cathy Alderman, chief communications and public policy officer for the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, said in a press release. “We’re incredibly proud to partner with the Homeless Remembrance Blanket Project this year to bring national attention to the issue of homelessness in Colorado.” “No matter where they come from, these blankets — and the people who make them — remind us that everyone deserves warmth, dignity, and to be remembered,” she added. Now in its fifth year, the Blanket Project has grown into a global effort, with handmade creations arriving from across the country as well as from Australia, Canada, and Germany. The vigil is happening at a time when the new U.S. tariff policies are complicating donations from abroad. Organizers say President Trump’s elimination of the de minimis exemption has imposed taxes on incoming parcels, forcing nonprofits to pay tariffs on handmade gifts intended for unhoused Americans. “Every year, people around the world handcraft blankets to bring comfort and dignity to those without stable housing,” said volunteer Max Donnelly, who has been with the project since it began. “But now we’re being forced to pay simply to accept these gifts.” Despite the financial hurdles, organizers say the donations continue to flow in. “There is no tariff on compassion,” said the Rev. Matthew Best, co-founder of the Blanket Project, in a story published on the Blanket Project’s Website. “These blankets witness to the truth that every person is beloved,” he added. Those who wish to participate in the Blanket Project can donate handmade blankets or contribute funds to help cover materials and shipping costs at memorialblanket.org. November 2025 DENVER VOICE 5
VENDOR PROFILE ON A POSITIVE NOTE STORY BY SONDRA JEFFRIES, DENVER VOICE VENDOR MY NAME IS SONDRA JEFFRIES. I would like to share with you my story of hope. For whatever reason, whether it be genetic predisposition, mental health, or my upbringing, I have made choices that have led to homelessness and addiction, but that have also led me out of those situations into a full and rich life. For every choice, there is a consequence; this is the pattern of our lives. Whether the consequence is positive or negative depends on the choice and the will of that choice. Let me explain. I believe for every thought we think, every word we speak, or every action we take, there is a positive or negative consequence. Throughout my journey, I have been in the depths of depravity. It’s almost impossible to explain what I have been through for you to understand. At my time of deepest sorrow, disconnection from God, disbelief that my life had become “this”, and complete disorientation, doubt, and confusion, I had been homeless for five years, getting little sleep, and I was in great fear, constantly. This was the kind of fear that kept me frozen. I was hearing at least 12 voices daily, all people I knew, mostly family, plus I could hear what everybody I encountered was thinking – all directing me to do this, to not do that, answering questions for me, and choosing my consequence for every action I took. I would hear my youngest son in pain, screaming out for his mom that he had not seen, and had only talked to on occasion for five years. I would walk around Denver in too much of a mental panic to even be able to pull up my pants properly. This is not all I was going through mentally, but like I said, there is no way for me to explain. Now I am not diagnosed with schizophrenia, but with amphetamine-induced psychosis. (This is the clinical term. I call it spiritual warfare.) What got me to this place was a choice to take Adderall, a medication prescribed to me for my extreme case of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD. This disorder has caused problems since early childhood. However, I also have a traumatic brain injury from domestic abuse, and I have mental health problems resulting from abuse starting in childhood. Any amphetamine, even one prescribed to me, makes me hear voices after a period of time. I never knew this until this state of homelessness, and I believe it started when I had my traumatic brain injury, because I never experienced it before. Amphetamines helped me to calm down and focus, but after extended use, the voices get louder and more frequent. It’s when they start leaving my system that I get stuck, and the sensory overload completely takes over, but when they are completely out of my system, the voices subside. But for quite a while after the confusion about these voices continued, I’m still delusional, making it hard to make the right decision because I truly don’t recognize that it’s the amphetamines causing the voices, and I am in a completely different realm where this is reality. My voices dictate to me. This is why, when I started selfmedicating with street drugs after an abusive situation where I had to make the choice to send my son with his PHOTO COURTESY OF SONDRA JEFFRIES PHOTO COURTESY OF SONDRA JEFFRIES father, I was constantly in search of just a little bit to stop the voices for a minute, so I could refocus and figure my life out, so I could get back to my son. I had full custody of him until he was 8, and for the next 5 years, getting him back was my only desire. I was devastated that my life was spiraling, and the people I love so very much, my two boys, were separated from me. Now imagine going through this, trying to make the right choices. Well, this is where the hope comes in. In all this, I never lost hope. I felt hopeless, but I always believed that things could change – but how? Through the years, I was hospitalized and incarcerated numerous times. I would be able to talk to my precious son. I would make plans to do something different, yet because I would go right back to the streets, the plans failed. It was not until 2022 that, for the last time, I was incarcerated. I say that incarnation was a blessing, and this time, it was long enough for me to mentally heal a bit – just enough to make a plan. I had spent four months in jail for throwing all plants in front of King Soopers around in a fit of rage, due the 6 DENVER VOICE November 2025
NEWS to hearing voices constantly. As you can imagine, my stays in shelters were short; agencies refused to help me out, and my family did not or could not have me around. I was really alone. I was not without hope. I got down on my knees in jail. I prayed nonstop. I knew when I was released this time, it was going to be different. In jail, I eventually stopped hearing voices. I made a plan to go directly to the only shelter that would still help, Gift of Mary. I needed to act fast; my shelter stay was only a month. How do I repair five years in one month? Positivity was my only answer. Even though I had a knot in my stomach and plenty of fear, I spoke positively and I thought positively. For sure, there was hope. I needed to apply for housing, food, and use any resource I could find to pull myself up. This is why this paper is so valuable. PLEASE LISTEN!!! THE VOICE GIVES HOPE IN A HOPELESS SITUATION! After a month, just by a thread, literally one day before, I was back on the street. I found a faith-based sober living house that accepted me through Open Door Ministry, where I had peer support. I was on my way running. I spent every waking moment doing, speaking, and thinking positively, and my faith told me to hold on to hope. My choices had positive consequences. I applied for permanent housing through every avenue I could. I got help with mental health and case management through WellPower. Willing positive things to happen, in six months, I received housing by doing an assessment with a case manager through the Gathering Place called VI-SPDAT, or the Vulnerability Index–Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool. Today, I have three years free from my deepest despair. My son comes from South Carolina every summer and Christmas to see me. He just turned 15. In 2023, I published my first children’s book that he and I wrote together when he was just 4 years old, called” The Hunt For The Brighter Side.” My oldest son lives in the same building I do - two floors down from me. He just turned 30, and he just celebrated four years of sobriety. He has been my biggest support! I have my family again. I have made amends, and through it all, I have kept hope and remained positive. Today, I am certified to provide peer support, but I am not yet working as a peer supporter; however, with my determination, I have faith it will be soon. Until then, being a vendor here at the VOICE keeps me going. Even when I am in my desired profession, I will continue to vend for Christmas money, birthday money, and money to pay for my son to fly here twice a year. Also, because I believe in what this paper does, the lives it impacts. I will keep writing about my journey and how there are so many opportunities, even in a broken world, to find hope and to see the brighter side, even if you have to hunt for it. With love for all people, Let my words speak volumes Sondra Jeffries FIRST PARTICIPANTS GRADUATE FROM JOURNALISM TRAINING ACADEMY STORY BY MIKE FINDLAY-AGNEW, CEO, INSP FOR TOO LONG, we’ve heard stigmatizing language associated with people experiencing homelessness and poverty. “Benefits scroungers” and “lazy”, amongst other language used, often give unhelpful and inaccurate labels to people living through tough circumstances. If we are serious about tackling homelessness and poverty, then we need to change the narrative around it. And fast. This has been part of the energy behind the new Changing the Narrative Journalism Training Academy, which was piloted in Glasgow, Scotland, in 2025. I am fortunate enough to lead the charity behind the project – the International Network of Street Papers (INSP), the UK charity that represents printed newspapers and magazines sold globally by people as a way out of poverty, including our founding member, The Big Issue. My role normally involves working alongside our global network of street paper organizations – 92 in total, spanning 35 countries – but for this project, it has been quite different. PHOTO COURTESY OF INSP The academy has connected us with local grassroots and national organizations based in Glasgow — including Emmaus Glasgow, Homelessness Network Scotland, Ubuntu Women’s Shelter, and the Simon Community Scotland — to recruit budding writers and news reporters. We have also captured the imagination of funders who have generously supported the start-up phase of the project, including National Lottery Awards for All, The Robertson Trust, People’s Postcode Lottery, Endrick Trust, and The Albert Hunt Trust Over 10 weeks, I took on the role of co-trainer alongside Mairi Damer from Word Up Communications to deliver five workshops to participants who all have direct experience of homelessness and poverty, aiming to step up their knowledge of what news is and how the media works. We also held a special ‘Meet the Journalists’ panel, where participants got the chance to hear directly about career pathways from industry experts, such as Paul McNamee, the editor of The Big Issue, Assa Samaké-Roman, a freelance journalist, and Brontë Schiltz, INSP’s news editor. What is driving the academy is two things: we know that the UK journalism sector often lacks diversity when it comes to the class and educational backgrounds of people fulfilling key roles within the profession, and compounding this is how the media often misrepresents people experiencing homelessness and poverty. This perfect storm of conditions means that some people are excluded from the journalism industry, which in turn can lead to bias in reporting on the issues. The status quo is not enough when it comes to media representation of homelessness. Each participant in the training academy has completed a written assignment on a topic of their own choosing, with INSP publishing these articles through our global newswire (the INSP News Service), meaning that any street paper throughout the world can publish them. Earlier this year, our first group of training participants from Glasgow and the surrounding area graduated from the academy, receiving a certificate of attendance and achievement. I am thrilled to report that one of our participants, Jordan, gained direct entry to study journalism at Glasgow Clyde College. As we look ahead, INSP is running the second group of training participants over the autumn period. In my 20-oddyear career, I have never felt so energized about a project as I do about this one. If we can challenge stereotypes and raise the confidence of participants, then we may pave the way to change the narrative for the better. Courtesy of INSP.ngo November 2025 DENVER VOICE 7
MOIRAH RODRIGUEZ, a single mother of four, b homeless after she was hit by a car while walkin ordeal left her unable to work because of a injury, and the situation soon became despe “People think it’s a choice, but they don’t trauma, the abuse, the disabilities—esp invisible ones like brain injuries or inte disabilities—that many people are dealing Rodriguez said. Then, Rodriguez was accepted transformational program called Denver Basic Income Project, or for short. DBIP provides uncondit cash transfers to unhoused pe divides participants randomly three groups, each receiving diffe monthly sums for 12 months. O PARTICIPANTS SHARE THE IMPACT OF THE DENVER BASIC INCOME PROJECT AS IT WINDS DOWN STORY BY MARIANA ORTEGA RIVERA group received $50, another $10 and the last group got $6,500 the first month and $500 for t remaining months. Rodriguez received DBIP highest monthly payment. Sh recalled being mentally drained and said her children would see her scrambling for money when they needed food or hygiene products. But her stress and anger were 8 DENVER VOICE November 2025 O E N O T F E H P T R A I C I N A P , S T M IR O H A D O R G RI E U | . Z H P O T O O C U T R E S O Y F O M R I A H O R D I R G E U Z
became ing. The a brain erate. t see the specially ellectual ng with,” into ed the DBIP itional eople, into ferent One 000, for the P’s he d, e a alleviated by the funds from DBIP. “I had this program that showed up and gave me hope in a really dark time,” Rodriguez said. Rodriguez said DBIP helped her achieve financial freedom and allowed her to stabilize her life. She used her first payment to pay for places to stay, like hotels and other short-term living arrangements, gas, and cleaning and laundry products. Her second payment went towards fixing her truck. But the program that helped Rodriguez, and more than 850 people who are homeless in metro Denver, is at risk of closing because of a lack of funding. That could leave hundreds of people without a support system that they’ve relied on to survive for the last few years. END OF AN ERA? It has been a year since the Denver Basic Income Project, DBIP, halted its monthly no strings attached payments after losing state funding. Yet, DBIP’s participants feel the impact is worth funding. “I hope that funders will consider it and we could continue the program, because the Denver Basic Income project is transformative, and I think that people on the streets could really change their lives with this kind of project,” said Rodriguez, who now sits on the DBIP board of directors. According to the one-year research report, all DBIP’s payment groups showed a significant impact in housing outcomes; rent and ownership increased, and nights spent unsheltered decreased. After 10 months, approximately 45% of people in the program lived in their own house or apartment. “It was hard for me when they said it was ending, but [at least I had] that little bit of time of being able to get on my feet,” Rodriguez said. “I got a place, I got a new car, and reached other personal goals. I just don’t understand why there aren’t people funding this program, especially because they’ve seen what kind of impact it has.” Rodriguez said DBIP gave her a strong foundation to apply for housing when she didn’t have verifiable income. It has also given her a platform to advocate for herself and her peers. Since being a part of the program and now serving on the board, Rodriguez has given her testimony on the significance of the DBIP for multiple media outlets and recently, she spoke at the Homelessness Initiative Conference in Washington, D.C. “I’m not ashamed to tell my story, and I know who I was before and then what happened to me. Just giving people hope that it doesn’t matter who you are, anything could happen at any time, and people go through things, and this program really does work,” she said. IMMEASURABLE IMPACT Apart from the cash transfers, participants said the program was immensely beneficial. For instance, it provided them with a cellphone and a debit card for those who didn’t already have one. As a participant, Rodriguez emphasized the importance of understanding the deeper causes of homelessness. Navigating services like Social Security or human services can be nearly impossible for those without access to phones or stable communication. “People can’t keep up with paperwork or appointments, and then they get caught up in the wrong environment, sometimes turning to drugs or getting into legal trouble,” she said. Community Engagement Manager at DBIP, Maria Sierra, whose work primarily focuses on participants and community-based partners, shared how much the program has impacted those involved. She reflected on a man who fell into homelessness after a work injury. He went to Lookout Mountain with the intent to end his life. Yet, he received the notification that he was selected for DBIP which gave him a reason to keep living. Sierra also shared the program’s impact beyond financial support. She remembered a mom who received the $6500 but used the funds to buy alcohol to cope with her daughter‘s death after being murdered, saying, “I drank it away.” The grieving mother came to one of the coffee times and, despite her struggles, ongoing communication from the DBIP team—through emails, texts, and invitations to casual coffee gatherings—kept her connected. She said she realized at some point the money’s going to end and that she needed to do something with it. Sierra said that this is just one of many similar stories, illustrating how a consistent, compassionate connection can lead to lasting change. “My hope is for people to be thriving in their life and not surviving,” Sierra said. “To truly understand what that means, to cross that threshold, but to be able to live with dignity and not shame, and navigate life, not out of pain, but out of joy, and just really being able to thrive for the movement.” “I hope that people understand that basic income and giving people money in hopes that they’re going to do well with their lives is not new,” she continued. “We’ve all received that on some level, and so this is not a new concept — you can trust people to do good with their lives.” November 2025 DENVER VOICE 9
GWEN BATTIS (RIGHT), A PROJECT MANAGER WITH THE DENVER BASIC INCOME PROJECT, ADVOCATING FOR BASIC INCOME AT THE RALLY FOR BASIC INCOME IN SEPTEMBER 2023. | PHOTO COURTESY OF ARMANDO GENEYRO DENVER BASIC INCOME PROJECT FACES UNCERTAIN FUTURE STORY BY ETHAN CLARK SHIFTING ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL WINDS have put one of Denver’s most effective strategies to solve homelessness at risk. The Denver Basic Income Project faces an uncertain future amid ongoing funding shortages and headwinds from a shifting political climate, putting hundreds of people facing income insecurity in Denver at risk of losing an important means of financial support. Mark Donovan, a Denver-based entrepreneur and philanthropist, started DBIP in 2020 to offer a new solution to reducing the rates of homelessness and poverty in the city: giving away free money. After launching the full pilot in 2022, the DBIP reported that these cash payments had an overwhelmingly positive impact on those in the program. Within just 10 months of receiving payments, around 45% of participants were residing in their own house or apartment. Additionally, they reported having more financial stability and being more capable of paying off bills without relying on emergency assistance. The study also revealed that this program positively impacted the average taxpayer, as there was a large reduction in the use of public services such as jail stays and emergency room visits. But DBIP officials said Denver Mayor Mike Johnston “pulled the rug out” from the program when he decided not to invest in the program in 2024, even though he previously endorsed it. Former Mayor Michael Hancock invested $2 million of Denver’s pandemic relief funds in DBIP in 2022. “We had some City Council folks who opted not to invest in us, which is what basically resulted in us having to stop payments that fall,” Gwen Battis, DBIP project manager, told Denver VOICE. “But we fundraise consistently just to be able to continue operating as a nonprofit.” Throughout the past several years, poverty and homelessness have become one of the most important issues facing individuals across the United States, especially in the Mile High City. Due to the rising cost of living, stagnating wages, and a tightening job market, among others, the number of people without access to reliable shelter has skyrocketed in cities like Denver. According to the Common Sense Institute, 2025 has set a record in homelessness across the Denver metropolitan area, with the homeless population rising by around 8% since 2024 and more than doubling since 2019. Denver and Jefferson counties have seen the highest increase, with Denver County rising by 86% since 2019 and Jefferson County rising by 170% since 2019. These record numbers come as the City of Denver proposes budget cuts to address the large deficit. The city’s current plan to tackle homelessness by providing them temporary housing in hotels has been met with heavy controversy, as it’s estimated to cost around $40,000 per person annually and hasn’t resulted in people transitioning to permanent housing in the way the city anticipated. Current spending on homelessness initiatives exceeds $50 million per year. In response to this problem, some cities have begun piloting Universal Basic Income programs. The programs provide no-strings-attached cash payments to certain groups facing financial instability. There are more than 160 similar programs across the country CITY FUNDING UPENDS FUTURE OF DBIP The success of DBIP allowed them to extend the program for another few years, Battis said. However, issues with the 10 DENVER VOICE November 2025
Denver City Council resulted in the program ultimately being put on hiatus. “We had really strong City Council support in 2024, who were bringing a $4 million budget amendment to continue finding basic income and to allow us to continue even further that would’ve gotten us well through year 2 and partly into year 3 [of the program],” Battis said. “Our whole goal was to continue for 3 years, but unfortunately, the City of Denver, specifically Mayor Johnston,… at the last minute pulled the rug out from under us. The Denver VOICE also spoke with Sarah Parady, an at-large member of the Denver City Council, about her thoughts on basic income programs and the future of it as a city-wide policy. Spending 10 years helping low-income individuals in civil rights cases, Parady stated that she joined City Council because she “could see the costs of living making life tougher and tougher for pretty much everyone in Denver” and that she wants to “push relentlessly for [the city] to use resources in a way that keeps people safe, healthy, and secure first and foremost.” Parady believes that basic income is a great way to simplify and fix the problems with the current social safety net. “Those systems have always had racial, ableist, and other judgments baked into them, and stigma and shaming surrounding participation,” Parady said. “Over time, they have been engineered to be more complex, which adds administrative expense, deters people from applying, and makes them less and less effective, undercutting the public argument for why we have them in the first place. All of that is solved by basic income.” According to Parady, the city budget is the main challenge to implementing a basic income program in the city. “I do think that the degree of constraint in our city budgets (how we use money, how much we can raise) makes it a lot harder to achieve something like universal basic income (UBI) purely at the local level, as opposed to a higher level of government,” Parady said. “It’s hard to undo complexity and hard to fund something universal from within a city budget when so much of our spending has rules around it that we at the local level did not create.” While there are challenges, Parady states that if given the opportunity, “I would support another effort to assess a basic income program in Denver and would happily fund any program that provides stability to Denverites.” FUTURE OF BASIC INCOME IN DENVER Despite the uncertainty facing the DBIP and the idea of basic income in Denver, individuals, as well as organizations like the DBIP, are advocating for ways to use Colorado’s wealth to benefit its citizens through the Cash for Coloradans Coalition (CCC). “This coalition is growing really quickly because with AI and automation and job displacement, there’s this big moment that we’re in of how are we going to sustain people’s livelihoods,” Battis said. “I don’t think legislatures or big corporations are concerned about that or have a plan, so that’s where we’re brainstorming what we can do and what we can get done.” For those wanting to learn more about the CCC or want to help bring this to policy, Battis said to send her an email, gwen@ denverbasicincomeproject.org, denverbasicincomeproject.org. or sign up at DENVER CITY AND COUNTY BUILDING | PHOTO BY ETHAN CLARK FREE MONEY AS THE SOLUTION TO HOMELESSNESS A Denver-based organization launches a nationwide basic income movement to address poverty and homelessness. STORY BY ETHAN CLARK WHETHER YOU’VE EXPERIENCED IT YOURSELF, known someone who’s experienced it, or have just seen it in your day-to-day life, homelessness is one of the most prominent issues the US faces. In recent years, a new idea has gained popularity that has the potential to not only solve the root of homelessness, but could cost significantly less money per person than current programs: Basic Income. Basic income programs directly give a specific population of people money each month to use on whatever they want. Unlike other assistance programs, which offer a lot less flexibility, experts say basic income programs promote agency and brand themselves as investing in the population. Denver is home to one of the more than 160 basic income programs across 33 states, according to the Maine Center for Economic Policy. Since 2022, the Denver Basic Income Project has distributed more than $10.5 million to over 800 people who are homeless in Denver. While participants in the programs say they provide there is a concerted effort by some immeasurable benefits, right-wing organizations to get rid of basic income altogether. This has put several programs, including DBIP, at risk of shutting down due to a lack of funding. “The important thing about direct cash is that it’s a way of telling people that you trust them and that they deserve the dignity and agency to make your own choices in your life that a lot of other forms of support or benefits don’t grant you,” said Gwen Battis, DBIP’s project manager. HOW BAD IS THE PROBLEM? Basic income is not a new idea, but it is one that has become more popular because of the rising cost of living and growing homelessness crisis. According to federal data, nearly 23 out of every 100,000 Americans face some sort of homelessness. In 2024, there were around 771,000 homeless people, increasing by about 18% since 2023. Senior citizens and families with children were two of the fastest-growing demographics; however, it is far from exclusive to them. Using data from the DMHI, in the Dever area, there were an estimated 10,774 people experiencing homelessness as of January 27. Denver County had the majority of the homeless population at 7,327, and Jefferson County followed with 1,174. Broomfield and Douglas counties had the smallest homeless population in the metro area, with only 67 and 58 reported. WHAT IS THE DENVER BASIC INCOME PROGRAM? Mark Donovan, a Denver-based entrepreneur and philanthropist, started the Denver Basic Income Program (DBIP) in 2020, with a full pilot launching in 2022, to find a new way to address the growing homelessness issue. According to the DBIP’s website, the pilot was conducted by dividing people into three groups. Group A would be giving monthly payments of $1000 for 12 months, group B would receive an initial payment of $6500 and receive 11 monthly payments of $500, and group C would receive monthly payments of $50 for 12 months. The results were overwhelmingly positive, with participants in all three groups having a higher rate of permanent residency and having more financial stability. Battis said the goal of DBIP was to “give people cash with no strings attached, invest in people directly, demonstrate that November 2025 DENVER VOICE 11
direct cash can be a dignified and cost-effective tool to reduce poverty and specifically homelessness in Denver and beyond, and to change the narrative around what people are capable of when they’re given stability, choice, and investment.” Seeing the success of this program, the Stanford Basic Income Lab launched similar programs in cities across the country. According to the results of these studies, most people used the money on retail sales and services, food and groceries, transportation, and housing expenses. Battis said that Donovan started the program after seeing how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted homelessness in Denver, initially handing out cash directly from his own pocket and testing small-scale pilots before launching the program in full in October 2022, and final payments going out in September 2024. “People spent money on exactly what you’d expect, which is food, housing, transportation, getting your car repaired, paying off debt you’ve owed someone for a long time, [and] taking care of your kids,” said Gwen Battis, DBIP’s project manager. “They don’t do these things often,” she added. “There’s a social and emotional piece that having extra cash grants you the ability to do things for yourself and take care of yourself.” Battis also stated that the results from this program exceeded their expectations. For example, she said 45% of all participants are in a house or apartment of their own, and many reported significant improvements in financial stability and finding full-time work. PUSH BACK AGAINST BASIC INCOME While programs like the DBIP show the benefits of basic income programs, attempts across the country to bring it to policy have been met with heavy pushback, especially among Republican politicians. In Houston, a program called the Harris County Prosperity Program was proposed to give 18 monthly payments of $500 to households within the zip codes with the highest poverty rates, but was struck down in a lawsuit from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. State lawmakers described the program as “lottery socialism” and claimed direct deposits to families were against the law. Another opponent to basic income is John Wiik, a state senator from South Dakota. who believes these programs disincentivize work and claims the motives behind them are “bureaucrats trying to hand out checks to make sure your party registration matches whoever signed the checks for the rest of your life” and that “if you get people addicted to just getting a check from the government, it’s going to be really hard to take that away.” Other critics of basic income programs, especially those directed towards people experiencing homelessness, argue that it will be misused to buy drugs or alcohol, rather than improving people’s financial situation. According to Battis, this was not the case among participants in DBIP. “There is no significant increase or decrease in spending on illegal substances or alcohol; it just remained the same,” Battis stated. “I think that it’s a big misconception… all of these programs are showing the same results that people are spending money on food, transportation, and housing above all else. That’s not to say that people don’t do that, because people who are housed do that. It’s a bit of a narrative that we are trying to combat that people in poverty or people experiencing homelessness are held to different standards… that they should and shouldn’t be doing certain things with their time or their money.” A NEW PATH FORWARD Another question up in their air about these programs is how integrated the government should be. Battis states that there are several ways it can be implemented; however, she believes that “it helps to have a government element to [the program], but I actually think some of the strongest examples of long-lasting and successful demonstrations of basic income are separate from government… that’s not to say that policies should not be accepted or put forward.” One successful example of a government-run basic GWEN BATTIS (CENTER RIGHT), A PROJECT MANAGER WITH THE DENVER BASIC INCOME PROJECT, SPEAKING TO A CROWD AT THE RALLY FOR BASIC INCOME IN SEPTEMBER 2023. | PHOTO COURTESY OF ARMANDO GENEYRO income policy she mentioned is the Alaska Permanent Fund. Founded in 1976 after oil was discovered in the newly admitted state, a fund was created by taxing revenue from the booming oil and gas industry so residents could benefit from the sudden increase in wealth. With an initial investment of $730,000 ($4.2 million adjusted for inflation), the fund is now worth a staggering $83.2 billion today, money which is being used to help the people of Alaska. Battis believes a similar model could be implemented in other places across the country, such as Colorado. “That’s a really exciting and promising model that we looked at in Colorado that might work if we tax something like AI or robotics, or digital advertising,” she said. “These models run off of our data, and we’re not being compensated for all these tech companies becoming worth trillions, and that’s not run by the government.” “I think there’s a lot of different universal and targeted approaches that have been successful, and it really depends on the locality and what’s happening in that area,” Battis continued. Universal basic income does seem to work in Alaska; however, they have a very small population and vast quantities of natural resources. Would a program like this be realistic in states with larger populations and fewer natural resources, like Colorado? If every single resident of Colorado received $1000/month, it would cost the state roughly $72.2 billion per year. While this seems like a large number, a CNBC report on September 5, 2025, stated that the eight largest US-based tech companies have a combined value of $21 trillion, which means that a universal basic income program in Colorado could be fully funded using only 0.3% of these eight companies’ wealth. GWEN BATTIS, A PROJECT MANAGER WITH THE DENVER BASIC INCOME PROJECT, SPEAKING AT A DBIP EVENT IN THE DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS WITH PARTICIPANTS AND STAKEHOLDERS OF THE PROGRAM DISCUSSING VISIONS OF THE FUTURE IN 2024. | PHOTO BY ARMANDO GENEYRO 12 DENVER VOICE November 2025
EVENTS PUZZLES 1 GRIT & GLAMOUR: A FUNDRAISER FOR DENVER VOICE Wrap up your Thanksgiving weekend with a celebration aimed at giving back! Enjoy an afternoon of gratitude, live music, and burlesque with the incredible Los Mocochetes and featured performers Kerri N’Fuego, Lana Lush, and Selena Bone’Em Harder. WHEN: Nov. 30, 2:30 p.m. COST: $30 - $40 WHERE: The Clocktower Cabaret, 1601 Arapahoe St D&F Tower, Denver INFO: bit.ly/4qqOVIO AUTUMN HARVEST CRAFT & ART WALK To celebrate Denver Arts Week, we’re transforming the market into a vibrant showcase of creativity. Explore the work of talented local artisans as they bring their handmade creations to life—from unique art pieces to one-of-a-kind crafts that capture the spirit of Denver’s thriving arts community. WHEN: Nov 8, 4-7 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: 800 Wazee St., Denver INFO: bit.ly/4qjbleL SACRED VOICES LIVE Sacred Voices hosts open mics on the 2nd Friday of every month. Our Open Mics are all ages and provide an open platform that welcomes all types of artists. Perform in a state-of-the-art TV studio. Receive TV-quality video of your performance for free! WHEN: Nov 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: 2101 Arapahoe St., Denver INFO: sacred-voices.org/open-mics PAGE BY PAGE AT PETALS & PAGES PRESENTS: THE IRRESISTIBLE PERSONAL NARRATIVE This generative workshop will offer tangible techniques for drawing out the most important threads in a personal experience, then weaving them together in a way that the reader can’t resist WHEN: Nov 18, 5-7 p.m. COST: $25-$75 WHERE: Zoom INFO: bit.ly/4neolji MILE HIGH HOLIDAYS DRONE SHOW The Mile High Drone Show isn’t just a typical light display — it’s a state-of-the-art performance featuring a dozen or more festive animations. From Santa and his reindeer to iconic Denver landmarks like the Mile High Tree and Denver Union Station, each night will bring a new visual experience to life. WHEN: Nov 21-Dec 31 COST: Free WHERE: Several locations, including Tivoli Quad on Auraria Campus, 1000 Larimar St., Denver, and Sculpture Park at DCPA, 1400 Curtis St.. Denver INFO: bit.ly/3WP2X9o ACROSS 1. Urban haze 5. Popular shirt label 9. One of the Ms targeted by the MMR vaccine 14. Arrive 15. Head, to Henri 16. To any degree 17. Figure skating jump 18. Breeze (through) 19. Small city about 50 miles north of Portland 20. Gadget largely replaced by the smartphone 23. Old salt 24. In the thick of 27. Where to write your name on a form, often 31. Baseball stat trio: Abbr. 32. One of four direcciones 35. ___ Strauss jeans 36. Potting need 37. Hardly forthcoming 40. Sassy 41. French friend 42. Chooses 43. Drs.’ group 44. Slight 46. Japanese floor covering (anagram of I AT MAT) 48. Not marked up 53. Baking powder ingredient 57. The third degree, abroad: Abbr. 59. Memo phrase 60. Sicilian volcano 61. “He’s ___ nowhere man” (Beatles lyric) 62. ___-do-well 63. Unkind 64. Given to ordering people about 65. Countercurrent 66. Historic times DOWN 1. Oodles 2. Pluck 3. Last Greek letter 4. Very cold (anagram of GLIDE) 5. “We’re on!” 6. Gusto 7. Suffix with neur- or narc8. Oscar ___ Renta 9. “You and whose army?” 10. Some sites of development? 11. Awkward 12. Counterpart of “Thx” 13. ___-mo 21. Clan emblem 22. Frenzied 25. Handmade weapons 26. Head for marketing? 28. Feather in one’s cap 29. Red Square figure 30. Covered in vines, perhaps 32. Blink-182 album “___ of the State” 33. Reacts to an itch 34. Little squirt 36. Big race sponsor 37. ___ the crack of dawn 38. Elder Obama daughter 39. It comes from the heart 44. Like dirty socks 45. Diner 47. Met highlights 49. Oreo’s center (which also happens to contain the two letters in the center of OREO) 50. Playful water animal 51. Yemen’s capital 52. Prefix with gender, mission, or fusion 54. Word that might elicit a lecture on sharing 55. Linear 56. Name often seen before Meyer in the Portland area 57. Smidge 58. Paid player November 2025 DENVER VOICE 13 14 17 20 23 27 32 37 40 43 46 53 57 61 64 58 47 54 59 62 65 55 56 60 63 66 44 33 34 38 41 45 48 49 50 51 52 28 35 39 42 29 30 36 21 2 3 4 5 15 18 22 24 31 25 26 6 7 8 9 16 19 10 11 12 13 CROSSWORD COURTESY OF STREETWISE
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RESOURCE LIST MEDICAL / MENTAL HEALTH / DENTAL SERVICES ACS COMMUNITY LIFT: 5045 W. 1st Ave., Denver; https:// rentassistance.org DENVER HEALTH MEDICAL CENTER: 777 Bannock St.; https://www. denverhealth.org DETOX LOCAL: Features information including mental health and substance use resources specifically for the AAPI (American Asian and Pacific Islander) community; http://www.detoxlocal.com DRUG REHAB USA: Addiction hotline - 888-479-0446; Organizations that take Medicaid: http://www.drugrehabus.org/rehabs/ treatment/medicaid/united-states/colorado/denver HARM REDUCTION ACTION CENTER: 112 E. 8th Ave.; 303-572-7800; HIV/Hep C/ Gonorrhea/ Chlamydia testing available. Services are restricted to active IV Drug Users. Offers clean syringes to active users, as well as safety training on proper disposal of dirty syringes; M-F – 9am-12pm: http://www.harmreductionactioncenter.org INNER CITY HEALTH CENTER: 3800 York St.; Emergency walk-ins - 303296-1767; Dental – 303-296-4873; M-F - 8am-2pm 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, 800-359-9272; info@hepcconnection.org; https://www.viventhealth.org NATIONAL AIDS HOTLINE: 800-342-AIDS/800-344-7432 NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE: Text or call 988; https:// www.988lifeline.org NATIONAL RUNAWAY SAFELINE: 800-RUNAWAY/800-786-2929; https:// www.1800runaway.org RAPE ABUSE AND INCEST NATIONAL NETWORK: 800-656-HOPE; https:// www.rainn.org SALUD CLINIC: 6255 Quebec Pkwy, Commerce City; 303-697-2583, 970-484-0999; https://www.saludclinic.org/commerce-city STOUT STREET CLINIC: 2130 Stout St.; 303-293-2220; Clinic hours for new and established patients - M, T, Th, F - 7am-4pm, W - 9am6pm; https://www.coloradocoalition.org/healthcare SUBSTANCE ABUSE REHAB GUIDE: HELPLINE – 888-493-4670; https:// www.detoxrehabs.net/states/colorado/ U.S. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE: 800-799-7233 (English and Spanish); 800-243-7889 (TDD); https://www.thehotline.org EMERGENCY SHELTER INDIVIDUALS IN NEED OF SHELTER ARE ENCOURAGED TO GO TO “FRONT DOOR” SHELTER ACCESS POINTS: • For individual men – Denver Rescue Mission Lawrence Street Community Center, 2222 Lawrence St. • For individual women – Samaritan House, 2301 Lawrence St. • For youth ages 15-20 – Urban Peak, 1630 S. Acoma St. • Families in need of shelter should call the Connection Center at 303-295-3366. ADDITIONALLY, DENVER PARKS AND RECREATION WILL OPEN ALL CURRENTLY OPERATING RECREATION CENTERS AS DAYTIME WARMING CENTERS DURING REGULAR BUSINESS HOURS ON FRIDAY, NOV. 8 AND SATURDAY, NOV. 9, FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED A PLACE TO WARM UP. Denver Public Library locations are also available during regular business hours. Double-check library hours: denverlibrary.org/ locations. For more information about shelter access, visit denvergov.org/ findshelter or text INDOORS to 67283 for updates. DROP-IN DAYTIME CENTERS HAVEN OF HOPE: 1101 W. 7th Ave.; 303-607-0855; Mon.-Fri. 7am1pm. Private showers & bathrooms, laundry, lunch, etc; https:// www.thoh.org THE GATHERING PLACE: 1535 High St.; 303-321-4198; 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, etc; https://www.tgpdenver.org HARM REDUCTION ACTION CENTER: 231 East Colfax; Mon.-Fri. 9am12pm; 303-572-7800; Provides clean syringes, syringe disposal, harm-reduction counseling, safe materials, Hep C/HIV education, and health education classes; https://www. harmreductionactioncenter.org LAWRENCE STREET COMMUNITY CENTER: 2222 Lawrence St.; 303-2940157; day facility, laundry, showers, restrooms, access to services FOR HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS IN DENVER DENVERVOICE.ORG/RESOURCE-LIST https://www.homelessassistance.us/li/lawrence-street-communitycenter OPEN DOOR MINISTRIES: 1567 Marion St.; Mon.-Fri. 7am-5:30pm. Drop-in center; bathrooms, coffee/tea, snacks, resources, WIFI https://www.odmdenver.org T. FRANCIS CENTER: 303-297-1576; 2323 Curtis St. 6am-6pm daily. Storage for one bag (when space is available). Satellite Clinic hoursMon., Tues., Thurs, Fri. 7:30am-3:30pm; Wed. 12:30-4:30pm https://www.sfcdenver.org SENIOR SUPPORT SERVICES: 846 E. 18th Ave. For those 60+. TV room, bus tokens, mental/physical health outreach, and more. https:// www.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. https://www.soxplace.com THE SPOT AT URBAN PEAK (YOUTH SERVICES): 2100 Stout St. 303-2910442. Drop-in hours Mon.-Fri. 8-11am. YOUTH AGED 15-20 IN NEED OF IMMEDIATE OVERNIGHT SHELTER SERVICES: 303-974-2928 https://www.urbanpeak.org/denver/programs-andservices/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 https://www. urbanpeak.org FREE MEALS CAPITOL HEIGHTS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: 1100 Fillmore St., Sat. lunch at 11:30am; https://www.capitolheightspresbyterian.org CAPITOL HILL COMMUNITY SERVICES: https://www.mealsforpoor.org CATHEDRAL OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION: 1530 Logan St.; sandwiches & coffee Mon.-Fri. 8:30am; https://www. 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; https:// www.christsbody.org CHRIST IN THE CITY: Home-cooked meal, weekly; Lunch in the Park is on Wednesdays from 12-1 at Benedict Fountain Park (Tremont and 22nd); https://www.christinthecity.org CITYSQUARE DENVER: 2575 S. Broadway; 303-783-3777; Food pantry Tues. 10am-6pm; https://www.citysquare.org CAPITOL HILL COMMUNITY SERVICES: 1820 Broadway (in front of Trinity United Methodist Church); Hot meals served M, T, Th., F - 11:45-12:15; https://www.mealsforpoor.org DENVER RESCUE MISSION: 1130 Park Avenue West; 303-294-0157; 3 meals 7 days/week, 5:30am, 12pm, 6pm; https://www. denverrescuemission.org HAVEN OF HOPE: 1101 W. 7th Ave.; 303-607-0855; M-F. 7am-1pm. Not open weekends; Breakfast is at 8am, lunch is served at 11am; https://www.havenofhope.org HARE KRISHNA TEMPLE: 1400 Cherry St., free vegetarian feast on Sun., 6:45-7:30pm; https://www.krishnadenver.com HIS LOVE FELLOWSHIP CHURCH: 910 Kalamath St.; Community dinner on Thurs., 6-6:45pm, Men’s breakfast 1st Sat. of the month, 8-10am, Women’s breakfast 2nd Sat., 9-11am; https://www.hislovefellowship. org HOLY GHOST CATHOLIC CHURCH: 1900 California St.; Sandwiches, M-Sat., 10-10:30am; https://www.holyghostchurch.org OPEN DOOR MINISTRIES: 1567 Marion St.; 303-830-2201; Sat. morning breakfast: 8am, Sun. dinner (required church attendance at 4:30pm); meal served at 6pm; https://www.odmdenver.org/home ST. ELIZABETH’S: Speer Blvd. & Arapahoe St. on Auraria Campus, 7 days/week, 11:00am; Food, coffee; https://www.stelizabethdenver. org ST. FRANCIS CENTER: 2323 Curtis St., Wed. & Fri. 3-4:30pm (except third Wed. of each month); https://www.sfcdenver.org SAME CAFÉ: 2023 E. Colfax Ave; 720-530-6853;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; https://www.soallmayeat.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.; https://www. voacolorado.org/gethelp-denvermetro-foodnutrition-themission LGBTQ+ SUPPORT THE TREVOR PROJECT: 866-488-7386: https://www.thetrevorproject. org LGBT NATIONAL YOUTH TALKLINE: 800-246-7743: https://www. lgbthotline.org/youth-talkline PRIDE INSTITUTE: 800-547-7433 TRUE COLORS UNITED: 212-461-4401, https://www.truecolorsunited. org VETERANS & SENIORS DENVER INNER CITY PARISH: 1212 Mariposa St.; 303-322-5733; VOA Dining Center for Seniors, aged 60 and older, W-Sat. 9am-12pm; Food Bank, W-F; Tickets at 9am, food bank open 10am-12pm; dicp. org SENIOR SUPPORT SERVICES: 846 E. 18th Ave.; For those aged 60 or older; TV room, bus tokens, mental/physical health outreach, 3 meals, M-F -7am-7pm; Sun. 11am-4pm; https://www. seniorsupportservices.org VA MEDICAL CENTER: 1700 N Wheeling St.; Aurora 303-399-8020: https://www.va.gov/findlocations/facility/vha_554A5 VETERANS GUIDE: https://www.veteransguide.org; Veterans Disability Calculator https://www.veteransguide.org/va-disabilitycalculator YOUTH SERVICES SOX PLACE (YOUTH SERVICES): 2017 Larimer St.; 303-296-3412Daytime drop-in shelter for youth 12-30; Meals, socks, clothing bank, personal hygiene supplies, internet access, intentional mentoring and guidance, crisis intervention, referrals to other services. T-F - 12-4pm & Sat. 11am-2pm. Instagram: @ Soxplace THE SPOT AT URBAN PEAK (YOUTH SERVICES): 2100 Stout St. 303-2910442; Youth aged 15-20 in need of immediate overnight shelter services, 303-974-2928; Drop-in hours Mon.-Fri. 8-11am https:// www.urbanpeak.org/denver/programs-and-services/drop-incenter SUNSHINE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (YOUTH SERVICES): 833-931-2484; Services for youth facing substance abuse, addiction, mental health disorders, or a combination of these conditions; https://www. sunshinebehavioralhealth.com URBAN PEAK (YOUTH SERVICES): 730 21st St., Denver; 303-974-2900; Ages14-24; Serving Denver & Colo Springs; Overnight shelter, food, clothing, showers, case workers, job skill/straining, ID and birth certificate assistance, GED assistance, counseling and housing; https://www. urbanpeak.org November 2025 DENVER VOICE 15 S M O G I Z O D M U M P S C O M E A X E L T E T E S A I L D I G I T A L C A M E R A S E A D O G E S T E L E V I A M I D S T T O P L I N E R H E S O I L U N C O M M U N I C A T I V E P E R T A M A A M I E O P T S S L E N D E R T A T A M I D P H I L A T C O S T C R E A M O F T A R T A R I N R E E T N A A R E A L N E E R M E A N B O S S Y E D D Y E R A S A T A L L K E L S O
WHAT DO WE DO TO HELP? Since 2007, the VOICE has provided jobs for more than 4,600 people experiencing housing or financial instability. For every dollar we take in, we put $3.00 directly back into the pockets of those who need it most. WITH YOUR HELP, WE CAN DO MORE. SCAN THIS CODE TO SET UP YOUR DONATION TODAY! DENVERVOICE.ORG/DONATE
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