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
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