$2 SEPTEMBER 2026 | Vol. 31 Issue 9 SUGGESTED MEMORY IS KING IN DETOUR'S WORLD P.8 IS DENVER LIBRARY STILL A WELCOME PLACE FOR ALL? P.4 KINDNESS INFLUENCERS P.5 FROM YOUR VENDOR:
SPONSORED CONTENT The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services: From First Response to Full Recovery By Jennifer Clarke W HEN DISASTER STRIKES COLORADO, help doesn’t always come from the community where the disaster occurred. Sometimes it comes from neighbors hundreds of miles away. Here in the Denver metro area, The Salvation Army is part of a statewide and regional network ready to mobilize when wildfires, floods, and other disasters devastate communities. From providing meals and hydration to supporting first responders, volunteers, and displaced families, The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services team steps in wherever the need is greatest. And its commitment doesn’t end when the flames are extinguished or the floodwaters recede. “The Salvation Army will be alongside our neighbors from the first response until full recovery,” said Major Nesan Kistan, divisional commander of The Salvation Army Intermountain Division. That promise is being put into action this summer as Salvation Army teams respond to fires and flooding across Colorado and Utah, including the Aspen Acres Fire near Pueblo, Gold Mountain Fire near Ouray, Willow Fire near Leadville, Ferris Fire near Dolores, and the Cottonwood and Iron fires in Utah. For Denver-area residents, these disasters may feel far away. But they are a reminder of just how quickly a Colorado community can be turned upside down, and why having an experienced disaster-response organization ready to mobilize matters. WHEN THE DISASTER IS OVER – IT ISN’T OVER A disaster response is about much more than the first 24 hours. Once the smoke clears and the water recedes, families can be left facing damaged or destroyed homes, contaminated water, disrupted roads, lost belongings, and months of uncertainty. The Salvation Army fills those gaps. on the community’s needs, Depending Emergency Disaster Services may provide meals, hydration, hygiene kits, cleanup supplies, gift cards, temporary lodging assistance, and emotional and spiritual care. Teams also support the volunteers and recovery crews doing the hard work of rebuilding. In Beaver County, Utah, that longterm commitment is especially visible. Following the destructive Cottonwood Fire, severe flooding brought another wave of devastation. Homes were damaged or destroyed, roads were impacted, water systems were contaminated, and residents faced enormous cleanup efforts after devastating flooding. As of mid-August, The Salvation Army was still on the ground helping Beaver County residents recover by providing food and gas cards, assisting with cleanup, and helping mobilize volunteers and donated supplies. Led by Majors Karen and Bob Schmig, who operate The Salvation Army’s St. George Outpost, the response also includes meals for volunteers and recovery crews. “We will continue providing this assistance for our neighbors in Beaver County for as long as our support is needed,” said Major Karen Schmig. “The Salvation Army will be alongside our neighbors from the first response until full recovery,” — MAJOR NESAN KISTAN DENVER CAN HELP COMMUNITIES RECOVER For Denver-area residents, the lesson is simple: Disaster recovery is a marathon, not a moment. The ability to respond quickly and stay for the long haul depends on having trained people, equipment, volunteers, and resources ready before disaster strikes. The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services program is powered by that infrastructure and by the generosity of people who believe that when their neighbors face their darkest moments, a helping hand should be there. A disaster may happen in Pueblo, Captain Randy Stokes delivers clean-up kits in response to the Aspen Acres Fire in July 2026. Photo by The Salvation Army Intermountain Division Ouray, or Beaver, Utah, but the response is something all of us can be part of. Photo by The Salvation Army Intermountain Division Major Bob Schmig delivers food to partners and volunteers on the ground during Beaver County flooding clean up in August 2026. Photo by The Salvation Army Intermountain Division A donation from a Denver-area neighbor can help provide a meal to a displaced family. It can help put gas in the tank of someone trying housing. It can provide cleanup supplies to a homeowner beginning the overwhelming process of putting life back together. Because recovery doesn’t end when the headlines do. Across Colorado, Utah, Montana, and Wyoming, The Salvation Army Intermountain Division continues helping communities move forward – one meal, one family, and one community at a time – during disasters and every day. From Denver to the farthest corners of the Intermountain Division, the message remains the same: When disaster strikes, The Salvation Army will be there – from the first response until full recovery. to reach temporary
From the Editor T Elisabeth Monaghan was born and raised in Denver, joining the VOICE as managing editor in 2019. She is passionate about social justice, and believes that writing and creative expression are some of our most powerful tools in combating homelessness and poverty. DENVERVOICE.ORG The VOICE is Still Here, and its Mission Still Matters HERE IS NO EASY WAY TO SAY THIS. After seven years, I am stepping down as managing editor of the Denver VOICE. This has been such an incredible opportunity, and I will be forever grateful for this experience. I came to the VOICE to do journalism, but over the past seven years, I have learned far more than I ever expected about the responsibility of telling stories, the importance of listening, and the power of giving people a platform to speak for themselves. I have also had the privilege of meeting people I might never have otherwise known and hearing stories that have changed the way I see the world. The work has reminded me that everyone has a story worth hearing and that sometimes the most important stories are the ones that too often go unheard. What impresses me the most about our vendors, staff, and board members is their perseverance. On Friday, September 20, 2024, the Denver VOICE board and staff ended the day thinking we would be shutting our doors. Nearly two years later, the VOICE is still here. While that’s a good thing, I don’t think our continued existence would have been possible without the quick response from then-board chair Robert Davis, who also volunteered as interim executive director, or without the time and energy Giles Clasen devoted to reaching out to former and new donors during that uncertain period. Aside from Robert and Giles’ efforts, another reason the VOICE remained open is the assistance we received from our local media partners, who interviewed our staff and vendors and used those stories to remind the community that the Denver VOICE’s mission matters. With the near-shutdown behind us and a dedicated team of staff and board of directors, the organization is in the best shape it has been in since before the COVID-19 pandemic. In January, Giles was appointed executive director. Giles has been involved with the VOICE as a volunteer and contributing journalist since 2008, and over the years, he has established relationships with service providers, community leaders, and Denver VOICE vendors. Since Giles assumed his role, the organization has seen a steady increase in new vendors joining our program. Our program coordinator, Maddie Egerton, who joined the organization in early 2025, has been instrumental in recruiting new vendors and ensuring that all vendors know what resources are available and how to access them. Additionally, we have an exceptional board of directors, which has supported VOICE’s continued growth and success. To those who have donated their time and money over the past several years, thank you for helping to keep the organization going. Thank you to all of the volunteers, journalists, past and current board members, and Denver VOICE staff. Most of all, thank you to all of the vendors who have taught me what compassion, kindness, and resilience look like. You have welcomed me into your lives, shared your stories with me, trusted me with those stories, and taught me lessons I will carry with me long after I leave the newsroom. The VOICE has survived because people believed it was worth saving. I hope that belief continues for many years to come. EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT VENDOR PROGRAM ADVERTISING MAILING ADDRESS VENDOR OFFICE OFFICE HOURS BOARD OF DIRECTORS MANAGING EDITOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ART DIRECTOR ADMIN. ASSISTANT ARTISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS CONTRIBUTORS @denverVOICE Elisabeth Monaghan Giles Clasen Andrew Fraieli Madeline Egerton Robert Davis Joshua Abeyta Lando Allen Donald Burns Robert Davis Jennifer Forker Sondra Jeffries Michael Burkley Wayne Easterling Jerry Rosen Jennifer Forker, President Donald Burnes, Vice President Edwin Rapp, Treasurer Ande Sailer Linda Shapley Lisa Schlichtman editor@denvervoice.org program@denvervoice.org editor@denvervoice.org PO Box 1931, Denver CO 80201 989 Santa Fe Drive Denver CO 80204 10 a.m. -1 p.m., Wednesdays - Elisabeth Monaghan Managing Editor Since 1996, the Denver VOICE has served individuals experiencing housing or financial instability by providing lowbarrier income opportunities. In the time since our inception, we have put more than 4,600 vendors to work, selling the paper throughout the Denver metro area. By focusing on poverty, housing, social justice, local arts and entertainment, and the human experience behind the headlines, we tell the stories that Denver media often overlook. An award-winning publication, the Denver VOICE is a member of the International Network of Street Papers and the Colorado Press Association, and we adhere to the Society of Professional Journalists’ code of ethics. TO HELP, YOU CAN: GET THE WORD OUT: VOLUNTEER: ADVERTISE: DONATE @ denvervoice.org@denverVOICE Contact program@denvervoice.org Contact ads@denvervoice.org SUBSCRIBE @ denvervoice.org/subscriptions THE COVER: Thomas Evans, the artist known as Detour, hangs his artwork, “What We Carry Forward,” at the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Center for the Healing Arts in Denver in late July. The two-panel artwork brings participants’ memories to life through treasured and everyday mementos of the dance school. PHOTO BY JC FUTRELL DENVER VOICE SEPTEMBER 2026 3 ABOUT US
DENVER PUBLIC LIBRARY: STILL A WELCOME PLACE FOR ALL? Story and photo by Robert Davis matter of minutes, he had his head down on the desk. The slow rise and fall of his back told me he was asleep. He dozed quietly, not disturbing anyone with snoring or sleep talk. My fellow learners at the nearby desks seemed unfazed by his slumber. Many people who are homeless find themselves in a similar predicament as the man I encountered at the library. Unsheltered people are regularly contacted by myriad police officers, Street Engagement Team members, security guards for business improvement districts, and downtown ambassadors who enforce Denver’s public camping ban. The choice for them is clear — either stay awake or get arrested. People in shelters often report similar issues when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep. Local shelters can be loud, and the city auditor has found that some shelter operators have struggled to maintain safe environments. Those thoughts made the way the library’s security guards treated the sleeping man even more curious. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw one guard lumbering toward my desk. His shoes squeaked down the walkway between bookcases, and his wad of keys clanged against his hip. Bang! The guard’s fist hit the sleeping man’s desk. “Sir, I need you to wake up,” the guard grumbled. The sleeping man sat up immediately, still bleary-eyed from IT’S ABOUT 9:45 A.M. ON A FRIDAY IN DOWNTOWN. I am one of the huddled masses waiting outside for the Denver Public Library to open. There are people next to me who will head straight for the public benefits desk to ask for help once the sliding doors are finally unlocked. Some of my fellow seekers will dart for the bathrooms to wash their faces or engage in other illicit activities. There are a few who will sign up to vend the Denver VOICE while at the library. I’ll see a few more of them weaving through the stacks of books looking for a good story to take up an afternoon. It’s a gentle reminder that libraries are about more than books — they are a place where humanity happens. Among the stacks are thousands of stories about history, religion, and art that create a sense of belonging. To some, the library is the only place they can access the internet to contact loved ones or service providers or charge their cellphone. It is also a place for people with nowhere else to go to escape the sweltering Denver summer. On this day, I headed to the fourth floor to do a little research about how the Supreme Court’s attitude toward the poor has changed over the last half century. I grabbed a few books off the shelf and took up residence at a desk that faced the Colorado Supreme Court. I wanted to know why it seemed to be getting harder for indigents to find protection from the Court. I had no idea how instructive the afternoon would be. I read about how the Supreme Court the dream he was having. The guard left for a few minutes and came back to find the man sleeping again. Bang! The guard hit the desk. The tango went on for about half an hour. Bang! Bang! Bang! Eventually, two other security guards began patrolling the took a decidedly rightward turn under the Nixon administration, reversing many of the decisions from the 1950s and 1960s that gave the underprivileged more rights and redresses against the upper class. There were decisions like Dandridge v. Williams and Wyman v. James, which held that matters of poverty are none of the Court’s business and that poor people do not have the same expectation of privacy as the rich. Then, I took up Peter Canellos’ book “Revenge for the Sixties: Sam Alito and the Triumph of the Conservative Legal Movement.” I learned these decisions were animated by a desire from an extreme faction of conservatives to return the country to a perceived state of “normalcy” where the Bible was taught in school, and racial segregation was the norm. I had just started reading lawyer Adam Cohen’s book, “Supreme Inequality,” when a disheveled man in a blue T-shirt carrying an oversized backpack settled in a few desks away. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he hadn’t slept well in quite some time. The size of his bag and some of the clothes that the zippers struggled to hold back told me that he was carrying everything he owned. I glanced up at the gentleman periodically, and within a floor. Their radios blared with traffic. One of them stood next to the sleeping man’s desk while the other shook him awake. The once-quiet atmosphere was interrupted by a radio call about a motorized bike riding on the sidewalk, echoing throughout the room. I used scrap paper as a bookmark and watched the rest of the events unfold. A mutual aid worker for the library approached the sleeping man. She sat with him at the desk, took food and water out of her bag, and gave it to him. I couldn’t hear their conversation from my vantage point a couple of desks away, but the impact was clear. After he ate, the man packed up his things and left the library. I asked the library’s communications team about the incident and whether it was something that the Community Resource Team was better equipped to handle than security, but I received no answer before press time. An internal policy memo reviewed by Denver VOICE, though, considers sleeping to be a disruptive behavior that can be cause for removal from the library after a warning. All incidents are required to be logged in the library’s internal reporting system. Watching how that sleeping man was treated illustrated how this idea of “normalcy” that people clamor for has changed the meaning of community. Those who are considered normal are given more leeway to be human than people who are not. I, for one, have taken multiple naps in the music section of the third floor. I have also brought my lunch into the library while I worked. Security guards have never bothered me in those cases. Does that make me normal? It also reminded me of what Justice Sonya Sotomayor wrote in her dissent for Grants Pass v. Johnson, which held that removing homeless people from the public eye is so normal that punitive disciplinary action can’t be considered “cruel and unusual punishment.” “Sleep is a biological necessity, not a crime,” Sotomayor wrote, noting that it is possible to balance the human dignity of people who are homeless with issues like safety. Denverites have heard a lot about what it takes to build a city for everyone over the last several years: creating affordable homes for families, protecting women’s right to abortion access, and promoting worker unions. All these debates highlight the desire to put humanity above the political fray. That desire ought to extend to our homeless neighbors as they search for a welcoming place to rest. The third floor of the Denver Public Library Central Branch 4 COMMENTARY
Bambas raised $1.6 million for the man. All it took was a video of Weidenhofer getting to know Bambas at his workplace, casually approaching him as if in passing. After the old man tells his moving life story, the social media influencer gives him $400 and tells Bambas that he will set up a crowdfunding campaign so that the man can finally afford to retire. At the end of the video, the old man who has lost his wife cries, again in close-up. (In December, Zachery Dereniowski also made headlines in the Finnish media when a crowdfunding campaign for Ahmed Al-Ahmed, the man who stopped the shooters in the Bondi Beach attack in Australia, raised hundreds of thousands of euros.) “You are angels.” “There are still great people in this world!” “You are doing an excellent job!” Kindness content is popular. The comments posted on the content creators’ social media channels are, almost without exception, hearts or praise and thanks, like in the examples above. Many media outlets also praise the creators for making kindness popular again and helping people. However, this does not convince everyone. The US media outlet AP News calls kindness content “controversial”, and in one of its stories, British public broadcaster the BBC discusses why kindness influencers are often criticized. “Many influencers have a genuine desire to do good, to help THE KINDNESS INFLUENCERS CONTENT ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE EXPERIENCING POVERTY AND HOMELESSNESS IS TRENDING ON SOCIAL MEDIA. BUT IS THAT A GOOD THING? Story by Veera Vehkasalo “I FEEL LIKE A HORRIBLE MOM.” A young woman with a stroller wrapped in blankets is crying in the video. They are standing in front of a store on a street in Minnesota. It is winter. There is a one-year-old child in the stroller, and neither of them has a home. A young man chats with the woman and gives her some food. The man asks her how she is and how she ended up on the street. Another man arrives on the scene. The first man asks, “What is your biggest prayer right now?” “Find somewhere safe for him to stay. Get a job so I can be able to take care of him,” the woman says, wiping tears from her eyes. In the end, the two men give the woman in the video a bundle of cash. The woman is touched, hugs them, and perks up. She says she can go to a hotel for a while to sleep and take a shower. Maybe even get a job interview once she has cleaned herself up. “We’re going to help you a lot further. We don’t want to post a video of you and just leave you,” says the other man. “And all the money will go to you. So that you can change your life because you deserve it.” The men are the social media influencers Joshua Liljenquist and Samuel Weidenhofer. They posted a video of the encounter on their social media accounts, set up a crowdfunding campaign, and then the money flooded in. In the weeks after, they raised over half a million dollars for the woman, Sheena, and her child. In the next video, they take Sheena to the house they bought for her in Minnesota with the money and tell her there are still hundreds of thousands of dollars left. In this video, there’s a close-up of Sheena in tears. Liljenquist and Weidenhofer are so-called kindness influencers. They post videos of themselves doing good deeds and helping others, mainly people experiencing homelessness and poverty. They are hugely popular. In December, Liljenqvist (social media profile: joshlilj) had 6 million followers on Instagram and 10 million on TikTok, while Weidenhofer (itssozer) had 2.6 and 7.8 million followers on the same channels. They had even more followers on YouTube. At the moment, social media is bursting with this kind of “kindness content” – that is, videos about acts of kindness produced for social media by different influencers. Most of the videos are from the US. Liljenqvist and Weidenhofer, as well as Jimmy Kellogg (Jimmy Darts) and Zachery Dereniowski (mdmotivator), who also have amassed millions of followers, film a large part of their videos in America, although they are not all from there. Sometimes the acts of kindness in the videos are just small acts: a hug for someone who needs one, or a few kind words. The videos often introduce people living on the street, who are given shoes, tents, clothes, or whatever they might need at that moment. In one video, a young man is delighted to receive a heat pump on a freezing night. Someone in a neighbouring tent just froze to death, he says. Sometimes the acts are more generous, like an entire crowdfunding campaign to get a car, an apartment, or other essentials. Some kindness influencers have large accounts, others are modest, but in general, the videos are engaging. The number of likes, shares, and comments is huge in places. Sometimes, the amounts of money raised are also huge. In the autumn, Weidenhofer’s video about 88-year-old Ed people, and to use their influence in some positive way,” notes Hanna Reinikainen, a researcher of social media influencers at the University of Helsinki. But she still takes a critical view of this kind of content. The videos produced by kindness influencers combine many things that work on social media, prank culture, and content that tugs on the heart strings. This is exactly the kind of “sticky” content that works well on social media and keeps people glued to social media videos, Reinikainen says. Regardless of the motivations of the creators, the business logic of the commercial social media platforms is always present in the work. Reinikainen reminds us that influencer marketing is fundamentally commercial and a means of getting visibility and attention. And all content is used to grow a personal brand and the influencer’s own commercial potential. Reinikainen estimates that creators with millions of followers earn big money through sponsorship agreements, visibility, and advertising partnerships. Some social media platforms also pay their content creators based on the number of views and followers. What if the content and views are obtained by often filming unsuspecting people in their most difficult moments? Unexpectedly talking about life’s biggest traumas with a complete stranger? Getting someone up from their mattress and taking them to the store by the seat of their pants? Filming them crying? “Some pretty bizarre contradictions pop up quite quickly,” says Reinikainen. Although the videos highlight important experiences and the reality of homelessness, the discussion is quite superficial and focuses on the individual, she adds. Structural reasons are not discussed. For example, why is a one-year-old on the street, or how can an 88-year-old who has worked his entire life not afford to retire? “The videos show what life can be like for people experiencing homelessness or those who have limited means. But they don’t tell us about the structural reasons, or all the reasons people end up like this,” Reinikainen summarises. They tend to go no further than “individual sob stories,” as she puts it, and the idea that everything can be fixed by handing out large sums of money out of the blue. Erja Morottaja, communications manager at Vailla vakinaista asuntoa ry, agrees that the mindset in the videos is fairly simplistic. “Money brings the solution. Quick videos, quick solutions, and onto the next one,” she summarises. For example, simply having an apartment or a large amount of money is not always enough to end homelessness. Morottaja reminds us that many people need support with daily life or treatment for the underlying problems that cause homelessness. The videos often involve “pranks”, which are popular on social media. Someone secretly pays for another person’s purchases or surprises them with something fun while filming them. Or someone may ask a person who looks poor for help, like a couple of euros for a bus ticket or some other support. DENVER VOICE SEPTEMBER 2026 5
If the person helps and gives of the little they have, the content creator reveals that they are actually planning to give them money or something bigger. This is also related to the idea that help must be earned. Morottaja sees it as a positive that people are reminded of the importance of kindness. Something good can come from friendliness and helping others. “It is needed at this time. We have forgotten how to show compassion toward other human beings,” she says. At the same time, she thinks that the content is problematic, not only in terms of its solution models, but also from the viewpoint of intentions and power structures. Morottaja reminds us that a person who is indebted to an influencer may agree to the publication of a video, especially when something unexpected happens, but not everyone necessarily understands what they are agreeing to. Most major content creators don’t say at the start that they are filming the encounter but claim that they will ask permission to publish it afterwards. Even if that is the case, how many people would dare to refuse after receiving help? Or understand how much publicity a shopping spree at Target will get? Morottaja notes that privacy protection and dignity are often forgotten in these videos. For example, organizations usually have strict rules about how their visitors are presented on social or other media, especially where faces and names are concerned; they seldom publish anything that a severely intoxicated person says because the organization may regret it later. Journalists also carefully consider what to publish about people in vulnerable situations, especially anything that can identify the person. There are no such limits on social media. The videos on many accounts introduce us to very intoxicated substance users, young people who grew up in orphanages, half-dressed people experiencing homelessness, or people who have just been woken up on the street… From time to time, there is even worse content on social media. Morottaja recalls the so-called “bumfights” that were trending in the early 2000s where people experiencing homelessness were encouraged to fight and the camera was rolling. Something like that would probably be censored to some degree by the major social media channels these days. But emotional clips about kindness are the perfect material for difficult times. When people who have suffered trauma are interviewed without preparation and in surprising situations, they easily say all sorts of things on camera. This provides the kind of social media material that will make anyone cry. And brings more views. But the videos leave you with a tacky feeling. And maybe a few hundred thousand euros to one lucky person, while others are left on the streets. Translated from Finnish via Translators Without Borders Courtesy of Iso Numero / INSP.ngo OUR VOICE SHOULD ALSO BE HEARD Story by Jovana Cojder and Luka Todorovic EVERY YEAR IN BRUSSELS, the European Anti-Poverty Network organizes a conference that brings together not only activists but also people experiencing or who have experienced poverty and exclusion. The main goal of the event is to make people with lived experience visible, ensure that their voices are heard, and facilitate direct contact with policymakers. The organization Patrija, Liceulice partners from Novi Sad, has shared experiences from Serbia at this gathering for several years, enabling some of their beneficiaries to participate in the conference each time. This year, a member of Patrija and Liceulice vendor in Novi Sad, Boris Danilovac, attended the event in Brussels. Here are his impressions. This was Boris’s first flight. He was a little anxious about flying, but he said that the journey went well. The excitement and mild nervousness disappeared soon after the conference began. There, he had the opportunity to meet participants from different European countries, and he was also proud that he tried speaking in English. He especially enjoyed the workshops because he felt that people accepted him and that he could speak openly about the topics he wanted to discuss. While talking about this new experience, he remembers the period five years ago when he rarely went out and avoided meeting people he did not know. He is glad that he overcame that phase and said that conversations with people now mean a lot to him, especially while he is selling Liceulice on the street. “Poverty is greater in Serbia. I heard that we are one of the poorer countries in Europe. That makes me a little sad,” Boris said. He advises other people in a similar situation to sell Liceulice, and he would like them to visit Brussels too and be part of the conference. This experience inspired him to learn more about poverty and homelessness in Serbia, and he is also thinking about holding a workshop on this topic with volunteers from Patrija. Boris’s story reminds us that conferences like this are not just formal gatherings, but spaces where people get the chance to be seen, heard, and acknowledged; places where solidarity is built, experiences are exchanged, and a sense of shared struggle is created. The European Anti-Poverty Network (EAPN) insists on improving policies, emphasizing the importance of the participation of people who have experienced poverty in decisions that concern them. Their inclusion is therefore not just a symbolic act, but a key condition for creating a fairer and more solidary society. Translated from Serbian by Rade Zivanovic Courtesy of Liceulice / INSP.ngo 6 NEWS
ANDY BABB & LARA ELLE POSITIVE MANTRAS FOR A HEALTHY COMMUNITY ANDY BABB grew up in the eastern plains town of Burlington, Colo., with a population of 3,172. Burlington is the county seat and most populous city of Kit Carson County and sits about 12 miles from the Kansas border. Lara Elle was raised in the JOSHUA ABEYTA DENVER VOICE MUSIC REPORTER coastal city of San Diego, Calif., with a population of 1.4 million in the city proper and 3.3 million total in the surrounding metro area. San Diego is California’s second-most populous city and sits about 18 miles from the US-Mexico border crossing into Tijuana, Mexico. Then, just over a decade ago, they found themselves in the same place at the same time. “When we met on the dance floor, I told her I was in Andy Babb and the Big Beautiful Band. She was like, ‘What is that? That’s a crazy name,’” Babb said. Elle countered, “I didn’t say that, actually, but I thought it.” Their connection was born that night at Rhythm Sanctuary, a revolving ecstatic dance party that has become a staple in the Denver-metro area for people who want to move to rhythms outside of a club atmosphere. Their romantic connection grew quickly, and with a shared love for dance, music, and musical theater, it was only a matter of time before collaboration. their connection progressed into creative “Once I fell in love with him, like six months later, he asked me if I wanted to be in the band. And, I was like, ‘Duh, I know all your songs,’” said Elle. Babb described their sound as secular worship music. “You’re really just capturing ancient wisdom and trying to reinterpret [it] in your own words. We’re not telling people what God is or even that God exists, you know. We want to lead people back to spirit, however they interpret that, you know, or their inner spirit.” The duo recently released their second studio record, “All Of Your Colors,” to a packed house at Boulder’s eTown Hall, a nationally syndicated radio broadcast/podcast studio and live concert venue, which has the look and feel of an old church, complete with stained glass windows — a perfect setting for the occasion. After Asheville, N.C.’s Noah Proudfoot delivered a scintillating opening set, the pair took the stage to raucous applause. In addition to delivering their latest album, the couple is also expecting their first child in late September, so when Babb and Elle appeared on stage in the full glow of their third trimester, the joy and celebration of their dual creations filled the crowd. They weren’t just releasing an album; they were cementing their legacy as a family. Even though eTown Hall is a fully seated venue, people came ready to dance, and the couple pointed out where they could do so without blocking the view of seated patrons and elders. The crowd represented people of all ages and felt like a family reunion. By the end, the dance party was irresistible, and attendees burst into a conga line that stretched the entire circumference of the room. Andy Babb and Lara Elle make music to bring people together in joy and harmony. | Photo by Hailey Jane Photo While they have historically performed mostly as a duo, Andy and Lara were joined on stage by a full band, including violinist Bridget Law from Colorado staple Elephant Revival, cellist Jasmine Saraswati, bassist Tim Hanna, and drummer Greg Wilson — the other half of the rhythm section for The Copper Children, where Babb plays bass and sings harmonies. The band brought the EP to life, and the intention behind the album, and the music in general, was to create “positive mantras for a healthy community,” according to Babb. The couple is also doing that with their family-owned retreat center in Sedalia, Colo. Sol Ridge Ranch and Retreat Center is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide a sanctuary of serenity. “Our biggest goal with the retreat center is to be able to bring in people of all classes. We want to host people that never have the opportunity to come to a retreat center and have a real, life-changing experience for themselves, with the intention of having a place to pause and connect with nature,” said Babb. “We’re not just trying to cater to people who are wealthy. We host different groups, men’s groups, women’s groups; a BIPOC leadership group came out from Denver. We’ve hosted different ceremonialists, sound healers, medicine people from around the world,” Babb said. Whether through their music, their community, or their retreat center, Andy Babb and Lara Elle are using their music as a vehicle to bring people together and create a positive, peaceful world for the next generation to come, and that includes their own little bundle of joy, to be released in late September. You can learn more at www.andyandlara.com DENVER VOICE COLUMN 7
MEMORY IS KING IN DETOUR'S WORLD By Jennifer Forker 8 COMMUNITY PROFILE
EVANS HAS A LOT ON HIS MIND. Besides his many projects, the muralist and sculptor known as Detour is forever tinkering with new mediums and materials. Recently, an exploration of 3-D printing led Evans to university-level studies and 3-D printing expertise, and now Evans incorporates 3-D work into his sculpture, notably at the Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building in Denver. “I like creative problem solving,” he said during a break from artmaking at his River North Art District studio in early August. “The more you can make unique solutions, the more unique your piece will be.” Unique is the only way to describe Evans’ work. The rainbow-colored suitcases that hang in Concourse B at Denver International Airport? That’s a Detour original called “It’s Not What You Take, It’s What You Bring Back,” created from 183 donated purses, suitcases, and bags. (Find it near gate B60.) The sculpture incorporates these pieces, plus their former owners’ memories, Evans explains. For example, a fellow artist named Collin Parson — learning about Evans’ project at a meeting — grabbed his 4-year-old daughter’s kitty purse from his car. Evans included that story — Did Parson meet with preschooler wrath? — and that of every other recycled luggage or bag at the website he created for the sculpture: detourxdia.com. From conception to installation, Evans’ foray into this large-scale public art at DIA took nearly three years. And it gave Evans more to think about, including: “How do I continue to scale up my work?” Besides people, it requires funding, bigger space, and time. DENVER VOICE SEPTEMBER 2026 9 Thomas Evans sits in front of “It’s Not What You Take, It’s What You Bring Back,” the large-scale, public sculpture he created from donated luggage and bags that’s located in Concourse B at Denver International Airport. Photo courtesy of the Denver International Airport
All of this was on Evans’ mind during his art break while his professional-sized 3-D printing machine hummed in the background. His small, second-floor studio in an historic former synagogue is neatly organized with the electric tools of his trade — drills, saws and sanders — while paint canisters and many-colored spools of filament are in view and accessible. Denver VOICE’s new arts ambassador — Evans will connect Denver VOICE with other artists and arts projects — talks about how memory wends its way into his work and about building community. His tribute to Clara Brown, a freed slave and early Colorado settler who became one of the state’s first female entrepreneurs and philanthropists, on a well-trafficked slice of York Street in the Cole neighborhood, does just that and more. Evans tells Brown’s life story in a sweeping mural at the Clara Brown Commons, connecting residents to their own histories. The developer, Mile High Ministries, incorporated community spaces, large and small, and local artwork into its affordable housing community. Evans’ exterior piece is certainly the largest. “This particular mural is the kind of beauty born of struggle — you can see that in this mural,” said Scott Dewey, communications director at Mile High Ministries, referencing the many hardships Brown overcame in her long life. “In Detour’s depiction of her, Clara Brown is radiant. You’d think this person was born of ease, but it’s the radiance that comes from overcoming challenges, and our residents are no strangers to that. This mural evokes all of that.” An arts educator, Evans spends time in middle-school classrooms working with fourth and fifth graders on a mural, or at REACH Open Studio, a free community program at RedLine Contemporary Art Center, 2350 Arapahoe St., that provides a creative space for people experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. Through the efforts of John Claude Futrell, who manages the art space at Nest56, which provides stable housing and resources for young adults ages 18 to 24, Evans also helps budding artists tap into their creative streak. “We all need to do work that makes us feel human,” Evans said. And while art is life-supporting, making art also is goaloriented, and it keeps the mind occupied. “It can keep your mind off your worries.” Evans’ murals bring viewers into his storytelling. Find his tribute to the Denver Nuggets’ 2022- 23 championship season, featuring Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray on an alley-side wall on the building at 1919 E. Colfax Ave. This same wall formerly featured a tribute to George Floyd, then a friend of Evans’ who is a nurse, but with both murals, the paint chipped off. Over the past decade as a muralist in Denver, Evans has created several tributes to heroic figures, including Sandra Bland, Elijah McClain, and Isabella Thallas, and to essential workers during Covid-19. While his mural of civil rights activist and Congressman John Lewis has survived, others have disappeared. “It’s the nature of murals,” Evans said. Find the tribute to Lewis on the historic Denver Rock Drill building at Franklin Street and East 40th Avenue. You’ll know it by Evans’ distinctive style: He paints in hyper-realism with rich, saturated colors. “My work is super colorful,” Evans explained. “Each piece Thomas Evans, the artist known as Detour, installs his artwork, “What We Carry Forward,” at the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Center for the Healing Arts in Denver in late July. | Photo by JC Futrell needs to champion community. … I’d like people to come along for the journey.” Evans 3-D printed every part of the interactive “Civic: The Board Game” at the Webb Building, then engineered and 3-D printed the attachments for hanging his most recent permanent sculpture, “What We Carry Forward,” installed in late July at the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance (CPRD) Center for the Healing Arts (CFHA) at 2025 N. Washington St. in Denver. That piece was built from well-worn dance shoes — tap “WE ALL NEED TO DO WORK THAT MAKES US FEEL HUMAN.” and ballet — and battered theater equipment, including light cams and microphones. There’s even a cherished Djembe, a West African drum, gifted by CPRD President and CEO Malik Robinson, who is the son of Cleo Parker Robinson, the dance center’s founder and artistic director. As with his murals and his other public displays, memory plays a starring in the CPRD sculptural piece. “It is all these wonderful symbols of what we do here, which is dance and theater and music and creativity, and I love it,” said Cleo Parker Robinson. “It’s really fun. So, what we do is make magic through the arts, and it’s all there.” 10 COMMUNITY PROFILE
In a video commentary about the art piece, Parker Robinson talked about her dreams for the piece. “What I love is people will be able to go and say, ‘That’s my bag, I contributed it.’ … Those kinds of things are going to be great.” Evans is looking ahead to the new stories he can tell: He’s traveling to Holland, Mich., to create a mural for the town’s next tulip festival, and he’ll be in Houston working on a mural at a new housing development. Each project will pose new creative problems for Evans to solve and offer new communities for him to get to know and to understand — a process that consumes him, gladly. “I don’t want to be handcuffed to my studio desk,” he said. “It’s Not What You Take, It’s What You Bring Back,” a largescale, public sculpture Thomas Evans — the artist known as Detour — created from donated luggage and bags located in Concourse B at Denver International Airport. Photo courtesy of the Denver International Airport Thomas Evans’ colorful murals often champion community. In this image, Evans painted a sweeping mural of Clara Brown, a freed slave and early Colorado settler who became one of the state’s first female entrepreneurs and a philanthropist, on the side of a housing community that bears her name. | Photo by Thomas Evans DENVER VOICE SEPTEMBER 2026 11
IN YOUR OWN WORDS Words from our vendors on their life and times, what they’re thinking and feelings, for their neighbors to know and share. SONDRA JEFFRIES DENVER VOICE VENDOR On a Positive Note SEPTEMBER IS A TIME when the warm summer nights start to fade, and the trees start to lose their leaves. It is a beautiful time to begin anew. Students go back to school, and life changes. When I was newly 17, back in 1995, September was the start of a new and wonderful chapter of my life. It was the month I had my first son. I was scared, but also so excited. Here I was, just a teenager, having a precious baby. He was 6 pounds, 7 ounces, and 21 inches long. This was a time in my life when I felt like change was inspiring me. I was going to be the love that I never felt I had. I wanted to learn more so I could teach my son everything. Even though my son’s father was drowning in his addiction and was not present—nor would I have wanted him to be because of the abuse I endured—I focused on being the strongest mother I could be. As Jacob grew, I was amazed at how intelligent he was. When I was still in the hospital, a research group approached me and asked if I would be a part of their study. They took a bit of my umbilical cord blood to test it. Throughout his adolescence, they would do developmental tests with him and me. He loved the games, and boy, was he smart! I don’t know what became of that study because they were not able to follow him until he turned 19. I do wish I knew. Life felt full of promise. I was only 17. I came from a long line of addiction and so much more, but that was not going to define me. I cannot say our lives weren’t difficult. I grew up alongside him. I did my best and loved on him every second I could. Life was overwhelming. I did everything I could to hold a job and provide a roof over our heads. We moved around a lot. Changing schools so often really affected my son’s grades. I still struggled with addiction, but I hid it and tried to limit myself to only weekends. That promise I felt became a dim, far-off light. The shame I felt consumed me and made me parent out of guilt — so many years of trying and failing. Here is the positive that I take away from it all. Today, I can look at my son and admit where I went wrong. He is 31 years old now, and he has his own daughter who is 17 years old. I can truly give him the real me with no excuses. The one thing I can say for sure is that Jacob is the kindest, most wonderful man I have ever known. He loves with his full heart, and when I look at him, I see all of the wonderful qualities I have. He is a hard worker and has worked at the same place for a long time. When I converse with him, I know God is looking out for us both, even though I wasn’t a believer when he was growing up. I know that my son is a survivor just like me, and not only has he survived, but he has thrived. Even though my sons are 31 and 16, I choose not to be in a relationship because I am not good at them, and I don’t want to waste any more of my attention on anyone who isn’t my son. After all of my shortcomings in motherhood, I know that hardships do carve a pathway to peace. That’s where we are today: at peace, showing and receiving forgiveness, and making our relationships what we desire them to be. The positive note is every note or text from my boys saying, “Mama, I got you,” or me saying, “Of course, Son, I got you.” The First Myth About Homelessness MUCH OF THIS COUNTRY is caught up in a series of myths about homelessness. Believing in these myths leads to what I call the “typical understanding” about our brothers and sisters who DONALD BURNES VICE PRESIDENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS DENVER VOICE are without homes: all people experiencing homelessness are “lazy, crazy, drunks, druggies, or they’ve made bad decisions.” Changing the narrative requires us to explode these myths and replace them with more truthful descriptions of those experiencing homelessness. Let’s take the first myth: Most people experiencing homelessness are mentally ill. I have heard too many people say that all people experiencing homelessness are mentally ill, and that’s why they are without housing. In her book “Housing: The Evolution of Beliefs,” Victoria P. Beard found that only 18% of people who are unhoused have severe mental illness. Furthermore, according to Mental Health Stats.org, 2026 federal data suggest that 25%30% of the unhoused have a serious mental health disorder, and half of those also have serious issues with substance use disorders. So, somewhere between 18% and 30% of all people experiencing homelessness have some kind of serious mental illness. That’s far short of “most people experiencing homelessness are mentally ill.” In fact, 70%-82% do not have a serious mental illness. There are many more people with housing who have serious mental illness issues than there are among those without housing. For the most part, members of society do their very best to provide the care necessary for the seriously mentally ill who are in housing. Family members do whatever they can to find appropriate facilities and/or work to develop and maintain a prescription-based drug cocktail that creates stability for mentally ill persons. Those experiencing homelessness have far less success. Because of the negative stereotypes surrounding the unhoused mentally ill and the stigma most of us attach to such persons, we tend to distance ourselves from them. It’s the classic xenophobia — fear of people who are different — not because they are mentally ill but because they are unhoused. They have become targets of our disgust and disdain. We really don’t want to deal with them. In addition, since many shelters and transitional housing facilities do not serve mentally ill persons until they are appropriately stabilized, often someone who has an unmedicated mental illness is more likely to have to live on the streets because of their behavior. Thus, the public is more likely to see these individuals than if they were sheltered, creating the appearance of a much larger percentage of street people being mentally ill, even though most unhoused people are in shelters or transitional housing. Also, there is an ongoing debate about whether mental illness causes homelessness or whether homelessness causes mental illness. Given the kind of trauma that homelessness creates in people forced to live in those circumstances, it is entirely possible that most of the unhoused who are mentally ill succumbed to their illness because of their overall housing and living situation. The research on this question is far from definitive. Finally, if we are to change the narrative about mental illness, we must remember two important things. First, the overall percentage of people experiencing homelessness who have serious mental illness is far less than the myth about the issue suggests. We must all work hard to counteract this mischaracterization. Second, if we are to honor our humanitarian calling, we cannot turn our noses up at those who are both unhoused and suffering from mental illness. As fellow human beings, we are called to do whatever we can to help them. Do not turn your back on them; do what you can to engage with them and provide them with help. Donald Burnes has co-authored four books on poverty and homelessness, and has studied poverty and homelessness-related issues and policies for more than 40 years. Burnes joined the Denver VOICE board of directors in June of 2025. He received his bachelor’s degree from Princeton University, a master’s degree from Washington University in St. Louis, and a PhD from Columbia University Teachers’ College. 12 COLUMN
From the Executive Director Giles Clasen is a writer and photographer driven to tell Denver’s often overlooked stories with dignity and care. He serves as executive director of Denver VOICE and has worked with the organization since 2008 as a contributor, board member, and board president. Elisabeth Monaghan Can't be Replaced IT IS RARE TO FIND PEOPLE IN THIS world who can push you to be the best version of yourself. And that is what Elisabeth Monaghan has done for seven years as the Denver VOICE Managing Editor. I still remember my first conversation with Elisabeth after she took on the role of managing editor with the Denver VOICE. I reached out to let her know I was available to take photos for stories as needed for the newspaper. She told me that if I wanted to take photos for the Denver VOICE, I would have to write my own stories to go with my photos. At the time, I wasn’t writing regularly as a journalist. But her challenge changed everything for me. It took me a little while to get my confidence as a writer, but in time, I was winning awards for my work, something I would never have thought possible when Elisabeth took the reins of the Denver VOICE. Elisabeth didn’t just push me to be better. She has helped every person at the Denver VOICE become more successful, and she has seen the Denver VOICE through some of the hardest times in our history. She has helped Denver VOICE vendors become better advocates for themselves and the unhoused community in Denver by writing about their experiences. She has helped build the Denver VOICE community and helped establish our little newspaper as a more viable alternative news organization in the Denver media landscape. Elisabeth’s work and time at the Denver VOICE have helped change and grow the organization for the better, and I can’t express how much she will be missed. But for me, it always comes back to that first conversation. Elisabeth didn’t just hand me an opportunity. She asked more of me than I thought I had in me, and that’s the kind of push that changes a person’s whole trajectory. Seven years later, I’m still grateful she didn’t just let me take the photos. - Giles Clasen Executive Director 1 10 16 18 22 26 30 34 37 45 49 53 57 61 63 58 54 59 62 64 50 38 39 46 23 27 31 35 40 47 51 55 60 19 24 28 32 36 41 48 52 56 42 43 44 33 29 20 25 2 3 PUZZLES PUZZLES COURTESY OF STREET WISE 4 5 11 12 13 17 21 6 7 8 9 14 15 ACROSS DONATE And help the Denver VOICE help your neighbors. denvervoice.org/donate 1. Kind of case 6. Serb or Croat 10. Poor Richard’s Almanack item 13. Run 16. Had to be paid 17. Bronze age indications? 18. Cool 19. Bakery utensils 21. Abbr. on a bank statement 22. Six-sided state 24. Not a soul 25. It needs some elbow room 26. Brooklyn’s ___ Island 28. Jewel 29. Out 30. Scandinavian coins 32. “RuPaul’s ___” 34. Jr.’s exam 36. ___ of Man 37. Feelers 41. Starter’s need 45. “Saturday Night Fever” music 46. Old PC monitor type 48. Squirrel away 49. Short run 50. Irving Berlin’s “Blue ___” 52. Wrapped (up) 53. Divinity school subj. 54. Catch-22 56. Holiday quaff 57. Discriminating diner 59. Toaster pastry 61. Barely contain one’s anger 62. Beastly 63. Many a TikToker 64. Kind of tax not seen in Oregon DOWN 1. Hurl 2. Roman magistrate (anagram of PRORATE) 3. ___ Beach, Fla. 4. Word found twice on the December page of a calendar 5. Roulette bets 6. Extra 7. “___ go!” 8. Singer Grande, to fans 9. Ice cream flavor 11. Crush 12. Obscure 13. Med. scan for the claustrophobic 14. ___ acid (substance found in wine) 15. Property 20. Pigeon-___ 23. Nag, nag, nag 25. Civil disturbances 27. Kind of question 29. Citrus hybrids 31. Bled 33. Nasty biter 35. Piling-on footballer 37. Eats up 38. Coveted TV slot 39. Ezra Pound protege 40. One of the Great Lakes 42. Pedicure’s target 43. ...with possibly even direr consequences! 44. End-to-end measures 47. Beat 50. Traffic stopper 51. Urban haze 54. Bro 55. Mortgage figs. 58. Cavs, on scoreboards 60. It may be high in the afternoon DENVER VOICE SEPTEMBER 2026 13
This column is a place for Denver VOICE vendors to respond to questions from fellow vendors, our readers, and staff. HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE DENVER VOICE, AND WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BE A VENDOR? It all started in early 2010 when the VOICE had an office on Champa Street & Park Avenue West, near downtown. Word about the Denver VOICE was spreading around town. Most of the vendors were selling papers downtown, and I heard the opportunity to make money was pretty good. After learning about the VOICE, I signed up. MICHAEL BURKLEY DENVER VOICE VENDOR All that changed after the COVID pandemic, so I started vending in Boulder, and I like it alright. Today, I was walking into a King Soopers store and saw a vendor selling the Denver VOICE. She told me about the paper and what it does for people who are having financial problems and mental health problems. WAYNE EASTERLING DENVER VOICE VENDOR I still vend in Boulder occasionally, and at the farmers market there, too. It’s still a good way to make extra money, even after 16 years of vending the paper. I’d like to take this time to express my gratitude to the Denver VOICE. You’ve been generous to a multitude of people over the years. You still shine as a beacon of hope for those seeking an opportunity to make change. Thank You. So, I bought a paper from her and read it. I decided to go down to the office and join. I thought this would help me with some of my issues. Now I am a vendor, and thanks to the Denver VOICE, I am able to manage those issues. LANDO ALLEN DENVER VOICE VENDOR I used to sell papers for the Rocky Mountain News, but they closed. Then, I bumped into Bruce Wright, who was a Denver VOICE vendor at the time. He told me about the paper and that I could work my own hours and JERRY ROSEN DENVER VOICE VENDOR I heard about the Denver VOICE in 2008. My friend told me about it, and he said I could make cash the same day. I lost my job through a temp service, and times were tough in 2008. So, having a job where I could walk through the door and start earning meant everything to me. I was trying just to get a crib, get into a place. I kind of enjoy doing this work, meeting people, and just doing a lot of things in the community. It took me a while to get it to where I could make real cash, consistent cash. But I stuck with it, and built a good business for myself. Well, sometimes a mediocre business. But I have gotten a lot done doing this. It has helped keep me alive. be my own boss. It definitely appealed to me. I like working for the VOICE very much and am glad I have this job, as it gives me different options to do many different things. If you would like to help out a specific vendor by donating a few extra dollars, scan the QR code to make a payment through Venmo. Thank you! Please be sure to write your vendor’s name in the comments! SUMMER Wishlist Drop-offs are accepted Wednesdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., or by appointment. GENTLY-USED ITEMS NEEDED: • Men’s shoes or boots (sizes 8-12) • Men’s hoodies or light jackets (sizes L, XL, XXL) • Women’s hoodies or light jackets (sizes M, L, XL) • Fold-up umbrellas • Backpacks or carrier bags • Sleeping bags If you would like to help out a specific vendor by donating a few extra dollars, scan the QR code to make a payment through Venmo. Please be sure to write your vendor’s name in the comments. Thank you! NEW ITEMS NEEDED: • Socks • Toiletries (individual or travel-size) • Baseball caps • Chapstick, sunscreen • Bottled water @DenverVOICE 14
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 INDIVIDUALS IN DENVER EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR FINANCIAL INSTABILITY. 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 DENVER VOICE SEPTEMBER 2026 15 U P P E R S L A V P R O V E R B O P E R A T E C A M E D U E H E P S I F T E R S P A T I N A S I N T U T A H N O O N E U L N A C O N E Y G E M U N L I T K R O N E R D R A G R A C E P S A T I S L E A N T E N N A E D I S C O C R T O N E K S K I E S P I S T O L S T O R E S E W N R E L D I L E M M A N O G E P I C U R E P O P T A R T S M O L D E R O G R E I S H T E E N S A L E S
Tickets: September 18 A Screening at FREE Recommended donation of $10 1330 Glenarm Place Doors at 6 p.m. Screening at 7 p.m. denverbasicincomeproject.org/documentary
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