Moving Forward: How We Work Together To Change Lives

When she speaks, Margarita does so with a wisdom that only comes with age. She’s from Barcelona and moved to the states to go to college (she graduated from UC Berkeley). She used to live in a duplex, but when they raised the rent, Margarita could no longer afford to pay it.

She’s been experiencing homelessness in Denver for three years. One Thursday, while she was sitting in the Lawrence Street Community Center, we sat down with her and she shared some of her wise words with us. “Some days I go through things that make me want to pull my hair out,” she said. “Some days I just want to [give up]. But I know that’s not the answer. For me, the answer is to help someone. I never let a day pass that I don’t help somebody. I think that if you help someone move forward—you move forward.”

She isn’t alone; we couldn’t agree more. Because of you, we’ve been helping people move forward for 127 years. And it’s not just us, it’s our partners, too.

Help people Move Forward

Donate now and help people like Margarita move forward.

Change Lives

Hear are a few ways your donations help us collaborate with organizations and make a difference.

HOUSING RESOURCES

“[OneHome] works with the Mission on improving access to housing resources for people experiencing homelessness enrolled in Next Step,” said Bethany MaynardMoody, OneHome program manager. “The ultimate goal is to work together to end homelessness, and not one organization can do that alone, so if we all work together, then that collective impact is quite powerful.” Together, with Bethany and her team, we are finding housing resources through their coordinated entry database for our Next Step members, and our partnership is already having a big impact. This year, 278 people in Next Step have successfully moved out of our shelters and found a path toward housing.

WELLNESS AND FAMILY

Every year, dozens of our New Life Program participants work out with Mark McIntosh and his team of volunteers at A Stronger Cord. They have four gyms in the metro area, all focused on challenging each other to become more fitness-minded, dependable and productive. They have a saying, “It all starts with the workout,” says Mark, founder of A Stronger Cord. Of course, Mark and his team believe exercise is important to our health, but they also believe it’s about something more than just being in shape. “When you spend time with these guys experiencing homelessness,” said Mark, “you begin to realize that a lot of them don’t have a family. For us, it’s not just about the workout, it’s about the relationships and the community that comes with pursuing wellness. It’s about family.”

AN ATMOSPHERE OF LEARNING AND SUCCESS

Upon moving into The Crossing, our transitional living facility, parents have to make a decision to keep their children at their original school or transfer them to our neighborhood schools in Park Hill. The STAR youth program, in partnership with Denver’s Homeless Education Network, provides guidance for parents on how to make the best choice for each child. Once a decision is made, the Homeless Education Network helps provide school uniforms, meal assistance and transportation needs. “Homeless Education Network is a true blessing to our families,” said Joe Bermingham, Denver Rescue Mission’s youth program coordinator. “School and education are important for our youth, and our partnership creates an atmosphere of learning and success; they remove barriers, providing avenues for homeless children to have a successful school experience.”

MEALS

Your donations, coupled with the contributions of We Don’t Waste, help us provide thousands of meals every day. “We Don’t Waste is one of our most important food partners,” said Jeremy Stubbs, food distribution coordinator at the Mission. “Because of them, we always have fresh vegetables, fruit and other essentials on-hand.” Since 2009, We Don’t Waste has recovered more than 30,000,000 meals for people in need. They deliver food to more than 60 human services agencies (plus about 130 more through partner redistribution), and we are thankful to be one of their partners. “We’re proud of the partnership that has been created, fostered and grown with Denver Rescue Mission,” said Arlan Preblud, founder and executive director at We Don’t Waste. “[Together, we are making a] lasting impact on serving those less fortunate in our community.”