Denver Youth Homeless Center Closing Its Doors

Denver Youth Homeless Center Closing Its Doors

Together we can help re-open the drop-in location in downtown Denver.

By: Nicoli Alexander

Recently, I started working for a new job in downtown Denver.  As I was getting settled into my new office environment, I was surprised to find that we were allowed to use a few hours a month to volunteer in our community.  I reached out to a few co-workers and found out that a group of employees work with the local non-profit called Urban Peak.  I had only briefly heard the name, but honestly did not know much else.

Last month, I was able to join my co-workers in preparing a meal for the homeless youth that visit the downtown Denver drop-in location. I spent the morning serving meals, but mostly I left feeling inspired by the work that they do.  I even asked myself why I had waited so long to volunteer or to find ways to help?  This center is such an important resource in our community.  The work that they do is vital to hundreds of youth across the Denver Metro Area.

Image of volunteers at the Denver Urban Peak Drop in Center

Given how important this center is for our community, I was shocked when I saw this email from Urban Peak yesterday morning: 

On a typical morning, 75 youth who have spent the night on the streets of downtown Denver are lined up and waiting for the doors of Urban Peak's Drop-In Center to open.They are able to find respite inside. A place to sit or lie down. A place to use the bathroom. A place away from the adults on the streets who prey on them. A hot breakfast, hot shower, and the ability to wash clothes with four days of city grime on them. Inside are caring adults who understand the impact of childhood trauma and that living on the streets in constant survival mode is traumatic itself.

As of yesterday those doors are not opening. There is no respite.

Last month, Urban Peak made the difficult decision to close the doors of the Drop-In Center. 

A number of factors combined to bring them to this decision:

• Increased need for Drop-In Center services in terms of the sheer number of young people standing in that line each morning;
• Increased complexity of the youths' issues such as medical and mental health issues, crisis, substance use, and being victims of street violence; 
• Increased numbers of service resistant youth and adults whose anxiety and desperation levels are off the charts as they have been swept out of areas they used to be able to congregate; and
• Decreased Federal funding for staff has grossly imbalanced the staff to youth ratio which has adversely impacted safety.

Can you envision living in a community in which 1,800 young people each year live in danger and do not have their basic needs met? We believe your answer is "No!" Neither can we.

Since we first opened our doors, people like you have sustained us. People with the same vision for youth experiencing homelessness as we have. Urban Peak is working diligently to re-open the Drop-In Center, but we can't do it alone.

To re-open the doors to this place of respite and safety for youth living on the streets, Urban Peak needs $150,000 to provide proper staffing, revised programming, and increased safety and security. Make your gift today - the sooner you do, the sooner we can re-open the doors to the Drop-In Center. Reduced Federal funding through the Department of Health and Human Services has made competition extremely competitive for the single Federal funding stream that supports street outreach and drop-in centers for youth experiencing homelessness. Absorbing this funding reduction two years in a row has resulted in decreased staffing and safety which has had a detrimental impact on programming.

What exactly will $150,000 do?
Increase the staff to youth ratio in order to appropriately handle the multiple and complex needs of youth accessing services;

• Improve and enhance Drop-In Center facilities to increase safety and security for youth and staff by increasing locker storage space and providing security for the outside of the building;
• Enhance youth-centric programming that will focus on individual youths' plans to exit homelessness through increased one-on-one youth engagement.
• Funding will provide Urban Peak an entire year to identify and secure additional revenue sources and adjust programming accordingly. With your support, we anticipate re-opening the Drop-In Center by mid-July.

Thank you so much for partnering with us. Click the button below to make your online gift today! We can't do it without you.

For the youth,

Malinda Anderson
Interim CEO
 ____________________________________________

You can help today by making a donation to Urban Peak.  I also would like to get a group together to come up with a fundraiser to help raise funds for the drop-in center.  If you are interested in helping out you can contact me directly at NFerguson1984@gmail.com

Click Here: Help Urban Peak Re-Open the Drop In Center

Click Here: You can also help out by shopping or donating to Peak Thrift! 

Peak Thrift, a social enterprise of Urban Peak, helps youth experiencing homelessness and youth at risk of becoming homeless overcome real life challenges by providing essential job training and a supportive work environment. 

• Peak Thrift employs youth who have experienced homelessness or are at risk of experiencing homelessness. • Engagement with Peak Thrift provides youth associates with work experience, a paycheck to encourage self-sufficiency, and a reference to help them on their way.• Peak Thrift provides a safe place to gain retail experience and forge healthy work relationships. • Youth accessing services from Urban Peak will receive Peak Thrift vouchers to overcome the obstacles caused by homelessness. This could include clothing for a job or furnishings for their first apartment.• Peak Thrift will aid in keeping program closets stocked with clothing items for youth in need. • 100% of Peak Thrift's proceeds will be utilized by Urban Peak in maintaining the invaluable services they offer Denver's youth experiencing homelessness.


Be well my friends!

Nicoli Alexander