Side by Side

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

1 Peter 4:10

Everyone who enters through the doors of Denver Rescue Mission has a powerful story to share—our neighbors in need, staff members, interns, donors, and volunteers. No matter the person, no matter the story, whether they come to the Mission to give or to receive, we believe that God brought them here for a reason.

Harold’s Story

On a Mission to Serve Others

“At the Ministry Outreach Center (MOC), I have this policy with the men doing their work readiness: if you need to talk, come into my office. I take off my name tag and we’re just talking—recovering alcoholic addict to recovering alcoholic addict. That’s why I work here—to see the changes in people like them and see these guys moving forward.

I now have 11 years of clean and sober. God saved my life and brought me to recovery. I know what it’s like to feel the despair and, in early recovery, feel like, ‘I’m just gonna go have a drink.’

You need somebody in your corner who says, ‘Wait, wait, wait. These are tough times but they’re only gonna get better.’

It’s about all those old habits of survival and making new pathways. Here, they can set healthy boundaries and learn to work with others. At the MOC, we talk about how to run a forklift or drive some of the trucks, but the most important thing for me is teaching them how to get back into society, just like our mission statement says.

I tell them, ‘You guys show up and you’re doing stuff that helps people every day. When you leave here you should feel fulfilled like I do.’”

Shermon’s Story

From Being Helped to Helping

“I was in the service for four years. We drank a lot, so I figured I had a problem, but I didn’t want to admit it to myself. When I came back to Colorado, I found out that my family ended up moving.

All I had was my backpack, a couple of clothes and a bunch of documents. I remember I had about two nights left before coming to this program, and there was a guy next door to me in the hotel I was staying in who ended up passing from drinking. That’s when I was like, I need to stop doing this and picture myself in a better place.

When I first came to the Mission, I was ashamed of who I became and I lost pretty much everything. But last year, I was able to talk to my family and now looking back, I don’t feel too ashamed, because I came to start a new life and I’ve just been a lot happier.

This program did save me because of my struggle with alcohol. Having a support system here definitely helped me. I’ve been able to talk about things with a case manager, counselor, chaplain, and staff at the warehouse where I did my work readiness.”

Work Readiness

As part of our rehabilitation program, men work in different departments around the Mission for an opportunity to:

• Develop a solid work ethic
• Grow in their professional skillset
• Gain valuable interpersonal skills
• Learn to balance work and their personal life

Shermon worked in the store at the Ministry Outreach Center, where he helped low-income households in the community receive clothing, food and hygiene items. The staff members he worked alongside made a particular impact on him:

“Harold, we talked every single day. He made a huge impact on me, with just trying to be sober and look at life differently.” -Shermon

Damian’s Story

Called to Serve & Learn

“I was a truck driver for 22 years and a functioning alcoholic addict for about 30 years. When I got a DUI, I wrote my family and everyone else off.

I didn’t have a job, didn’t have a license, didn’t have a house. I ended up living on the street for 12 years.

One day, I was looking in the mirror, and I felt this hand on my shoulder and heard this voice in my head saying, ‘Look in the mirror. Do you like what you see? You want to go out that way?’ And I’m looking at these sunken, bloodshot eyes, my face is all drawn. I look like crap. The voice said, ‘Grab my hand. It’s right there. I’ll help you out.

From there, everything started to click.

I successfully completed a two-year rehabilitation program, moved into an apartment in Denver and enrolled at Metro State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in human services. One of the requirements for my degree was an internship and I was called to The Crossing to do mine.

When I come to my internship every day, I’m like, ‘Yes!’ I’m singing as I walk up to the door, always smiling and saying hi to everybody.

I help teach career readiness, and we’re doing resume building. When I talk to the guys in the program I can say, ‘I haven’t walked a mile in your shoes; I’ve walked a hundred miles in your shoes.’ It gives me a special kind of perspective and you establish an instant rapport with somebody that way.

At the Mission, we aren’t giving somebody a hand up; we’re giving someone the way out.”

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• Side by Side
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