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AUGUST 2026 | Vol. 31 Issue 8
SUGGESTED
SETTING RECORDS,
SAVING LIVES
THOUSANDS GATHER TO
CELEBRATE ORGAN
DONORS AND
RECIPIENTS
P.8
META AND THE
BARKADA P.7
IN YOUR OWN
WORDS P. 11
FROM YOUR VENDOR:
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Faith With Its Sleeves
Rolled Up: Inside Major
Nesan Kistan's Mission
in Denver
Story by Giles Clasen
Under his leadership in Denver, The
Salvation Army is a lifeline for thousands
of
individuals and
families
facing
homelessness, hunger and crisis. Through
emergency shelters, food pantries, youth
programs, and supportive services, the
organization provided emergency shelter
to 443 families and nearly 2,000 individuals
last year while serving more
than one
million meals across its Denver-area
programs.
Across Colorado, The Salvation Army has
served more than 180,000 people, provided
food assistance more than 1.6 million
times, and helped over 1,000 individuals
and families move into permanent, stable
housing.
â€œLove isnâ€™t
something you
talk about. Itâ€™s
something you
demonstrate.â€
â€” MAJOR NESAN KISTAN
A cornerstone of its Denver ministry is
Photo by Giles Clasen
WHEN
three
MAJOR
years
NESAN
old,
KISTAN was
South Africa
just
erupted
in the Soweto Uprising. Hundreds of
schoolchildren were killed after protesting
an education system designed to oppress
them. Watching the violence unfold,
Kistanâ€™s father asked a question that would
forever shape their familyâ€™s future.
â€œMy dad said to me, â€˜If a nation would
kill its own children, what hope do I have
as a father to bring up my children in this
world?â€™â€ says Kistan.
Fleeing apartheid, Kistanâ€™s family arrived
in Australia with almost nothing. During
a recession, his father struggled to support
the family by washing cars until a stranger
introduced them to The Salvation Army.
â€œThese are Christians who actually care
about people,â€ Kistan recalls his father
saying.
Years later, after his
father was killed
in the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, The
Salvation Army surrounded the family
again with love and support.
â€œThe Salvation Army embraced us in
a way that is unimaginable,â€ Kistan says.
â€œThatâ€™s when I was all in.â€
FROM SOWETO TO DENVER
Half a world away and decades later,
another crisis would capture Kistanâ€™s heart.
His journey eventually brought him to
Denver, where seeing people living on the
streets
reminded him why he answered
Godâ€™s call to offer hope, dignity, and a
pathway to change for those who need it
most.
Today, as divisional commander of The
Salvation Armyâ€™s Intermountain Division,
Kistan oversees ministry and social services
across Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and
Montana. In Denver, his vision is simple but
bold: Donâ€™t measure success by the number
of meals served or beds filled; measure it by
lives transformed.
A DIFFERENT MEASURING STICK
â€œWe need to change the metric system. I
think what you target is what you achieve,â€
says Kistan. â€œWeâ€™re not targeting just how
many nights of shelter beds we fill, how
many meals we serve or how many clients
we see. Weâ€™re actually targeting how many
lives are transformed.â€
addiction recovery. Through the Harbor
Light Center, The Salvation Army offers
a comprehensive residential recovery
program that addresses not only addiction,
but also the underlying trauma, mental
health
issues
and
life
challenges
that
often keep people trapped in cycles of
homelessness and substance abuse. The
goal is not simply to help people survive,
but to equip them to rebuild their lives with
dignity, purpose and lasting hope.
â€œWe treat the whole person, body, mind
and spirit,â€ Kistan says. â€œIf people donâ€™t find
hope, they never move out of the cycle.â€
The Salvation Army is serving people
like Alex Uhl, who arrived at the Harbor
Light Center at the lowest point of his life,
estranged from family and overwhelmed
by addiction. Today, more than three years
after completing the program, he serves
as Harbor Lightâ€™s lead resident manager,
helping other men find the same hope he
found.
â€œThis place saved my life. Now I get to
help other men reclaim theirs,â€ says Uhl.
CHRISTIANITY WITH ITS
SLEEVES ROLLED UP
Ask Kistan why he does this work, and the
answer isnâ€™t about strategy.
For Kistan, this work is more than
providing social services, itâ€™s faith in action.
â€œItâ€™s Christianity with its sleeves rolled up,â€
â€œLove isnâ€™t something you talk
he says.
about. Itâ€™s something you demonstrate.â€
Kistanâ€™s philosophy
is
changing
lives
across Denver. Mothers and Fathers are
reunited with their sons, people once
trapped by addiction become mentors
to others, and individuals who had lost
everything discover they still have worth.
For Kistan, it all comes back to one idea.
â€œEvery human being deserves dignity,
love, and acceptance,â€ he said. â€œAnd those
are powerful fueling agents that drive me
to say - you know what, enough is enough. I
need to do something.â€
Major Nesan Kistan, The Salvation Army Divisional Commander, joined volunteers at The Salvation
Army warehouse to help prepare thousands of backpacks that are placed in the hands of local
children each year - ensuring students in need start the school year with confidence and hope.
×‰	Ú 0s3://MZoRcQfjRz-zK419DAqrg5n0htfZWyXosy2AaciXQfcÍ/¿Í`ÌÄÍ ×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦y×‰EÚ}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
MANAGING EDITOR
What Would You Do Without the
Denver VOICE?
HATâ€™S THE QUESTION for this monthâ€™s Ask a Vendor.
If youâ€™ve seen any of our recent posts on Facebook or Instagram, youâ€™re aware
that weâ€™re in the middle of our Hot 100 fundraising campaign. Our goal is to add
100 new monthly recurring donors this summer. This would help us be more
sustainable financially.
Whenever we ask our vendors if theyâ€™ll let us videotape them talking about what vending
the VOICE means to them, most will stop whatever theyâ€™re doing to share their thoughts.
If youâ€™ve watched the vendor videos, you may have noticed that several of them are seniors.
As someone with gray hair, I am well aware of the challenges people aged 50 and over
face in the job market. Ageism among hiring managers and recruiters is demoralizing to
job-seekers. When someone is not only older, but also BIPOC, finding a job is even more
difficult.
I am lucky, I have paid into Social Security through years of work, so I will have it when
I need it. But many of our vendors will not have income from Social Security because they
have been chronically homeless and have not paid into the retirement program. For those
vendors, the Denver VOICE is one of the only safety nets they can count on.
What would our vendors, young and old, do if the VOICE didnâ€™t exist? That we have to
ask the question is unsettling, and the answers donâ€™t make for light reading.
Jerry Rosen said that he would look for a job busing tables. He would have to bus a lot
of tables to match what he makes from vending the paper. Raelene Johnson said that she
has found financial stability and has had her own home for years. Without the VOICE, she
would have no income, other than the minimal amount she receives from Social Security.
Rea Brownâ€™s poetic response is powerful, as he wrote about being young when he started
with the VOICE, and is now much older.
Reading the vendorsâ€™ responses, one thing became clear: the VOICE isnâ€™t just a job, itâ€™s
a lifeline. Which makes this next part harder to swallow: in this economy, so many great
organizations are competing for the same limited funding. The prospect of the VOICE
going away, however remote, keeps our staff and board of directors awake at night.
- Elisabeth Monaghan
Managing Editor
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
ART DIRECTOR
ADMIN. ASSISTANT
ARTISTS/PHOTOGRAPHERS
CONTRIBUTORS
@denverVOICE
Elisabeth Monaghan
Giles Clasen
Andrew Fraieli
Madeline Egerton
Mariana Ortega Rivera
Joshua Abeyta
Zakiyyah Brooks
Rea Brown
Donald Burnes
Wayne Easterling
Sondra Jeffries
Raelene Johnson
Mariana Ortega Rivera
Jerry Rosen
Jennifer Forker, President
Donald Burnes, Vice President
Edwin Rapp, Treasurer
Isabella Colletti, Secretary
Ande Sailer
Linda Shapley
Lisa Schlichtman
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
VENDOR PROGRAM
ADVERTISING
MAILING ADDRESS
VENDOR OFFICE
OFFICE HOURS
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
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 Journalistsâ€™ 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: DaVita clinical social worker
and living donor Angela Laino stands
alongside division lead social worker and
kidney recipient Terry Weaver after the TGA
CareDx 5K at Auraria Campus in Denver.
PHOTO BY MARIANA ORTEGA RIVERA
DENVER VOICE
AUGUST 2026
3
ABOUT US
×‰	Ú 0s3://BufxUB44zkDu5bXSk7aoqiy3tuwx_l49TMCyZQelGpAÍ#ÔÍ`ÌÄÍ ×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦z×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦yÍ
ÈÍ×‘C’×˜š   ÍdÍu×‰œ“×‰	Ú 0s3://XAzUrw0nBXlAcyFDtf23aL56G5GsOuucZ5a0zxXqwNAÎ øÍ`ÍíÍº×‰	Ú 0s3://MbQ3yT05SyQ0PGjRxpjumrN6v3LiHjqkVRv2yiW4PMAÍ]eÍ`ÍpÍà×‰	Ú 0s3://gZ0aPRKwfEuwbCsCL-1D7rTjDfP_V9Gowc7VlFp-bfIÍ ¤Í`ÌÄÍ ×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦×˜š Íd ÍdÍu×‰œ“×‰	Ú 0s3://AEbsG9EAtMmt9hegocn-k-bfoYqzmH_8-BlqUx8GmvcÎ òWÍ`ÍíÍº×‰	Ú 0s3://zoSKIdQTwJ_pCWM5bKfbZfZeu-EPBIEZbuCl_xUvZrsÍn¬Í`ÍpÍà×‰	Ú 0s3://8Y1GVmeBVU6JVEQIx67daJOc6zI4TpuqJAnnAYA7prEÍ!ãÍ`ÌÄÍ ×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦‘‘× ×jo•a]kÒI<ê¦  Í	ØÍä89×H®http://INSP.ng××Ðˆ×‰EÚ?HUD TRIES, AGAIN,
TO MOVE FEDERAL
HOMELESSNESS
FUNDING AWAY
FROM PERMANENT
HOUSING
THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
(HUD) released its new guidelines for the largest pool of federal
homelessness funding, the Continuum of Care (CoC) grant, on
1 June. The agency had attempted to implement a different set
of guidelines last year but was temporarily blocked following
a lawsuit. Despite rolling back some of its more stringent
restrictions in this most recent set of rules, HUD remains
skeptical of Housing First programs. The guidelines could
put some programs applying for grants in a difficult position
and potentially change the nationâ€™s homelessness services
landscape.
Last November, when HUD released its updated fiscal year
2025 funding application for the CoC, a federal program that
provides funding for nonprofits working to end homelessness,
programs found themselves facing an unprecedented level
of funding constraints. HUD planned to cap the amount of
funding that localities could receive for Permanent Supportive
Housing (PSH) to just 30% of their total funding, effectively
moving a large portion of the programâ€™s $3.9 billion budget
towards transitional housing and programs prioritizing work
requirements and mandatory treatment. This shift would have
potentially forced 1,500 people out of housing and cost DC
housing programs approximately $22 million, according to
advocacy group the National Alliance to End Homelessness
(NAEH).
Those guidelines were blocked by the courts. Now, HUDâ€™s
new guidelines remove the cap on PSH, but instill other
limitations that would shift money away from permanent
housing, setting aside $1.3 billion solely for temporary and
supportive programs.
WHATâ€™S THE DEBATE?
Both sets of funding guidelines reflect the Trump
Story by Alexandra Lalli
administrationâ€™s dislike of Housing First programs, long
considered a bipartisan, mainstream response to homelessness.
Housing First is an approach to the homelessness crisis that
prioritizes providing people with permanent, stable housing
Washington DC. | Photo by Andy Feliciotti
4
NEWS
×‰	Ú 0s3://gZ0aPRKwfEuwbCsCL-1D7rTjDfP_V9Gowc7VlFp-bfIÍ ¤Í`ÌÄÍ ×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦{×‰EÚ@before other means of progress, such as treatment programs or
employment. Most experts agree the method has proven many
times over to benefit individuals and families.
Per Sam Tsemberis, the founder of Pathways to Housing
DC and an architect of Housing First, 85% of people in
Housing First programs are successful within their first year
in maintaining housing, as well as achieving other progress
milestones, such as recovering from drinking or drug use.
However, the Trump Administration has shown vehement
resistance to Housing First, arguing that it has not worked to
reduce homelessness. In 2025, Trump filed an Executive Order
ending â€œ...support for â€˜housing firstâ€™ policies that deprioritize
accountability and fail to promote treatment, recovery, and
self-sufficiencyâ€”and holding grantees to higher standards of
effectiveness in reducing homelessness and increasing public
safety.â€
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE INITIAL FUNDING GUIDELINES?
Following the release of the first set of guidelines in late
2025, a group of states and the NAEH filed lawsuits challenging
the restrictions. In April, a federal appeals court upheld an
injunction blocking HUDâ€™s funding plan. According to the
Justia Opinion Summary, the court reasoned HUDâ€™s actions
were â€œ...arbitrary and capricious, and would cause irreparable
harm by creating funding gaps and service disruptions to
vulnerable populations,â€ essentially accusing HUD of throwing
a wrench by revising the guidelines in the middle of the grant
cycle.
WHAT ARE THE NEW GUIDELINES?
In the June Notice of Funding Opportunity, HUD clearly
states its opposition to Housing First, calling it a â€œprofound
failure by any measure,â€ and claims to be â€œrestoring the
CoC program to its original goals of reducing homelessness
and optimizing self-sufficiency by focusing on meaningful
outcomes, expanding competition, prioritizing treatment,
economic independence, and emphasizing law and order,â€ a
description that points to the goals of temporary housing and
supportive services.
HUD has taken back the initial restrictions imposed on how
much funding can go towards permanent housing, but seems
poised to give favorable funding to projects focusing on job
training, education, and healthcare.
Perhaps the most significant update to the guidelines is the
removal of the 30% cap on funding for permanent housing.
Though there is no strict cap, in a quest for â€œbalancingâ€ between
permanent housing and temporary housing and supportive
services, HUD is making it likely that money is awarded to
programs that reallocate funding to the latter projects.
â€œ85% of people
in Housing First
programs are
successful within
their first year
in maintaining
housing...â€
HUD, in another policy change, also dropped the annual
renewal demand for Tier 1 programs, which are nearly
guaranteed to receive funding, from 95% to 60%. This leaves
many existing programs in Tier 2 limbo, where they may not be
funded. Within Tier 2, new transitional housing and supportive
services programs will be prioritized. So, if a program were to
be ranked as Tier 2, its transition into temporary housing and
services could earn it an edge in the competition, effectively
encouraging programs in this tier away from long-term housing
and a Housing First model.
HUD has also outlined a variety of prescribed criteria that
will factor into its funding decisions. These criteria, less
prominent in NOFOs from the Biden-era, which focused
more on Housing First, include meeting service requirements
(20 hours of voluntary work for public benefit), and whether
participants are achieving employment or returning to their
housing programs.
HOW WILL PROGRAMS MOVE FORWARD?
In a recent meeting of homelessness service providers,
leaders said that DC will continue to prioritize permanent
housing projects, but
some programs may transition to
transitional housing or supportive services.
The NAEH filed another lawsuit on 22 June, challenging the
new guidelines, citing the more than â€œ97,000 formerly homeless
people, including families with children, those with disabilities,
older adults, and veterans at risk of losing their permanent
housing.â€ The lawsuit aims to block the guidelines before they
can take effect in the grant application process.
Representatives from the National Homelessness Law Center
emphasized the stakes of these new guidelines in their press
release on the new lawsuit: â€œMake no mistake, these changes
mean more people will enter homelessness,â€ they wrote.
Antonia Fasanelli, the executive director of the National
Homelessness Law Center, demanded the administrationâ€™s
cooperation while voicing her support of the lawsuit. â€œThe
Trump administration should focus on ensuring that everybody
has the housing and support they need and want,â€ she wrote.
Applications for funding are due to HUD by 24 August, and
award announcements are expected by the end of December.
Courtesy of Street Sense Media / INSP.ngo
LISTENING WITH
CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE:
THE POWER SKILL WE
NEED IN DIVIDED TIMES
Story by Lucy Butters
AS SOCIETIES BECOME MORE DIVIDED and polarised,
we need people who can disagree without dismissing,
challenge without alienating, and build relationships across
differences. Whether we are talking about global leadership,
intercultural competence, or inclusion, Cultural Intelligence
(CQ) is the capability that sits at the heart of all of it.
And one of the most overlooked ways that cultural
intelligence transforms us is by making us better listeners.
As the mother of triplet boys, I noticed that at primary
school, my sons regularly brought home work on reading,
writing, and presenting. There were no homework tasks about
listening. Listening only seemed important if learning another
language.
That observation raises an important question. If listening
is one of the most important skills for leadership, teamwork
and inclusion, why do we spend so little time intentionally
developing it?
We often assume listening simply happens.
It doesnâ€™t.
Listening is a learned behavior. Culture shapes who we listen
to, how we listen, what we listen for, how we interpret words
Image couresty of
Lucy Butters
DENVER VOICE
AUGUST 2026
5
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Like every aspect of Cultural Intelligence, listening can be
intentionally developed.
The pioneering work on cultural intelligence was started by
Professor Soon Ang, at Nanyang Technological University in
Singapore, over two decades ago.
She was driven to explore
what the difference was between individuals and organisations
who could relate and work well across differences and those
that struggled. She found there were four capabilities that sit at
the heart of working well across all cultural differences (be they
about gender, race, nationality, profession, religion or politics).
I discovered that work in 2013 and am now one of 10
cultural intelligence master facilitators in the world. For my
book, Cultural Intelligence in Practice, I interviewed experts
around the world to share insights into how we develop cultural
intelligence in ourselves and others.
Listening is key to my thinking on developing cultural
intelligence, yet it is a word missing from the Cultural
Intelligence assessment and development language.
Listening is not a passive skill. It is a cultural one; one that
we can intentionally enhance through developing each of the
cultural intelligence capabilities.
CQ DRIVE: CHOOSING CURIOSITY
Listening begins with motivation.
As interviewee Andrej Juriga said: â€œI listen carefully because
they are telling me who they are, what matters to them... That
helps me to build knowledge about a person so I can start
planning for bridging the difference.â€
That captures CQ Drive perfectly. We choose to listen
because we genuinely want to understand another personâ€™s
reality.
In polarised societies, this can be transformative. We move
from listening to win towards listening to learn.
CQ KNOWLEDGE: RECOGNISING THAT LISTENING IS CULTURAL
There is no universal way of listening.
Culture influences:
â€¢ who asks questions
â€¢ who is expected to answer
â€¢ what silence means
â€¢
CQ Action means adapting how we listen, when we listen and
how quickly people respond
â€¢ what people pay attention to.
A pause after a question might signal uncertainty or careful
respect.
Without cultural knowledge, we easily misinterpret what we
hear, or indeed what we donâ€™t hear.
CQ STRATEGY: ASKING QUESTIONS THAT OPEN MINDS
Listening and questioning are inseparable.
All questions are useful sometimes.
Repeatedly asking â€˜whyâ€™ questions can be a good way of
getting below the surface and understanding the root cause of a
problem, particularly when that problem is mechanical or to do
with systems, such as the systems in the body, for example. But
it is not so great for understanding what is impacting our work
relationships and group dynamics.
Repeated â€˜whyâ€™ questions often make people feel that they
are having to justify themselves. Once people begin defending
their position, they are less likely to be open to exploring the
situation, and curiosity quickly disappears.
Instead, start questions beginning with:
â€¢ What...
â€¢ When â€¦
â€¢ How...
â€¢ Tell me about...
â€¢ Describe...
These questions invite exploration rather than defence.
A memorable framework for crafting better questions is:
ART.
Aim â€” Why are you asking this question?
Relationship â€” How will your relationship influence how it
is heard?
Timing â€” Is now the right moment?
These three simple considerations help to create
conversations where people feel heard rather than judged.
CQ ACTION: LISTENING THAT BUILDS TRUST
Ultimately, Cultural Intelligence is demonstrated through
behaviour.
who we listen to.
It may mean becoming comfortable with silence.
It may mean asking one clear question instead of running two
or three together.
It may mean resisting the temptation to solve someone elseâ€™s
problem before fully understanding it.
Nancy Klineâ€™s work on creating thinking environments
offers a powerful reminder that rushing to provide solutions
can unintentionally â€˜infantiliseâ€™ others. Deep listening and
thoughtful questioning, by contrast, empower people to think,
contribute and take ownership.
Listening is not doing less.
It is enabling others to do more.
LISTENING MAY BE THE LEADERSHIP SKILL OF OUR TIME
Listening is never neutral. It is shaped by our cultures,
experiences, and assumptions.
The good news is that it is also a capability that we can
develop.
In societies where disagreement increasingly becomes
division, listening may be one of the most important capabilities
that any leader, trainer, or educator can develop.
As organizations grapple with inclusion, global collaboration
and increasingly polarised conversations, we need the curiosity
to understand, the knowledge to recognize difference, the
strategy to ask better questions and the behavioral flexibility to
adapt.
In other words, we need cultural intelligence.
If you want practical tools rather than theory, Cultural
Intelligence in Practice offers dozens of immediately usable
ideas for developing cultural intelligence in yourself and others.
It was written particularly for trainers, facilitators, educators,
OD & HR professionals.
Cultural Intelligence in Practice by Lucy Butters (Right Book
Press, Â£18.99) is out now.
Courtesy of INSP.ngo
HOMELESSNESS MYTHS CAN'T
SURVIVE REAL CONVERSATION.
Every time someone buys a paper from a Denver
VOICE vendor, that's what happens. Not a
transaction. A conversation. A moment where
a Denverite sees past the myths and meets the
person underneath, someone going through a hard
stretch, trying to make it through.
That's the whole model. Vendors earn 100% of
what they sell. No handout, just a fair shot and a
human connection.
Buy a paper. Have a conversation. Change a mind.
Keep fighting for those experiencing homelessness.
BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR:
6
COLUMN
×‰	Ú 0s3://_zBr3yXvMcwXdwWAYdvjoPzMtkqm5d_FQkXlWW4ZSkwÍ'&Í`ÌÄÍ ×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦}×‰EÚvMETA
AND THE
BARKADA
ALL OF LIFE IS A REMIX
Meta and the Barkada offer their
own unique flavor of hip-hop
Photo courtesy of Meta and the
Barkada
META SARMIENTO is an awardwinning,
world-traveling poet,
rapper, and filmmaker. He is also
the son of Filipino immigrants
who grew up in Guam before
relocating to Denver
around a
JOSHUA ABEYTA
DENVER VOICE
MUSIC REPORTER
decade ago. As his love for culture
and creativity continued to weave
the threads of new possibilities,
his desire to move with a crew
became undeniable.
â€œAs I got older, I realized that
one of the core aspects of my art is
community, and there is no better
example of community in action
than a band, and Iâ€™ve always craved it,â€ said Sarmiento
â€œWe had some meaningful conversations around what
direction we wanted to go in, and we all decided as a collective
that we wanna do this for real, and that we believe in ourselves.
We believe that our music can become the soundtrack to
peopleâ€™s
lives, and it can also be the soundtrack to some
revolutionary shit,â€ Sarmiento added.
Thus, the Barkada was born.
Barkada is Tagalog for â€œhomiesâ€ or â€œchosen family,â€ and
is derived from the Spanish root word barcada, which means
boatload. The community that Sarmiento formed settled on the
name after tossing around ideas, and with some help from the
groupâ€™s extended family.
Guitarist Tommy Gatmaitan said, â€œAt first, the group chat was
called Meta and the Mob. We were thinking we wanted to do
something with that cadence, but with a different description. I
went home and was talking to my wife, Nikki, about it. I [said],
â€˜They have all these words in Tagalog, and nothing really clicksâ€™.
And she said, â€˜Oh, you guys are friends. Right?â€
Nikkiâ€™s suggestion was presented at the next rehearsal, and
the name was quickly adopted by unanimous decision. With
that settled, the group began to dig deeper.
The band met primarily through their connections to
the Filipino-American Community of Colorado, with
most members performing in the organizationâ€™s Padayon, a
traditional performance group. This cultural identity is strongly
woven throughout the Barkadaâ€™s music as they incorporate
traditional instruments such as the kulintang, a series of
different-sized, knobbed brass or bronze gongs, and themes
relating to Eskrima, the national martial arts of the Philippines,
in addition to more modern instruments such as guitar, bass,
keys, and drums.
â€œI think the beautiful part of rap and hip-hop is [that] it
comes from sampling,â€ said Lianza Yap, the groupâ€™s bassist.
â€œAnd it comes from different genres. Weâ€™re realizing where our
backgrounds can fit together into a band.â€
Sarmiento added, â€œI think weâ€™re interested in answering the
question, how does it look for us to take something traditional
and make it modern? A lot of cultural groups, music, and
choreography take this thing that existed in the past and present
it like itâ€™s a current occurring thing. So, I think itâ€™s important
to preserve cultural histories and dances and chants and songs,
but Iâ€™m interested in what does it mean to innovate something
culturally new? I think all life is a remix.â€
Hip-hop is not a monolith, with personalities and subgenres
as vast and wide as the number of native tongues spoken
globally. Sarmiento raps in both English and Tagalog, an
indigenous language of the Philippines that serves as the basis
for the standardized national language, Filipino.
â€œI think for me, as one of the main writers of the lyrics,
Iâ€™m trying to complicate
the conversation around Asian
Pacific Islander identity, and Iâ€™m just tired of things not being
nuanced,â€ said Sarmiento. â€œI think that a lot of our histories and
our uniqueness gets flattened, so that we can have these wide
sweeping general conversations about who we are, where we
come from, and where we go next. I also think that, you know,
the world is fucked up, and weâ€™re just also trying to bring some
joy back into hip-hop.â€
While the Barkada is currently working on their debut studio
album as a group, they have released a few live performance
videos, and Sarmiento has ample recordings available on
streaming platforms from his time as a solo rapper.
Sarmientoâ€™s lyrics are heartfelt, honest, witty, dynamic, and
unapologetic, traits that are on full display in his video for
â€œGood I Haveâ€. The video, which reads as a short film depicting
a dispatch from a far-flung leg of his travels, recalls the nostalgia
of backpack hip-hop in the early aughts as he delivers his hopes
and dreams through rhyme, snapshots, and â€¦ ice fishing.
When performing live, Sarmiento possesses the stage
presence of a grizzled veteran, paired with youthful energy
that draws you in like a heat-seeking missile. The Barkada,
consisting of Gatmaitan, Yip, Anthony Lopez Berenguel on
drums, and Sarah Garcia on keys and kulintang, lays down
infectious grooves and gives Meta the space to paint pictures
with his words. The energy resonates throughout the group,
and their love for one another is infectious.
The groupâ€™s revolutionary ideals donâ€™t stop when the curtain
closes. They recently performed at a benefit show, which raised
$700 for the Micronesia Climate Change Alliance. Sarmiento
has been trained as an ICE confirmer and legal observer, and
the groupâ€™s members have supported and continue to support
and organize around Indigenous rights causes such as Standing
Rock and Free Palestine. They see the struggles in both their
homeland and here in America as undeniably intertwined with
the struggles of other oppressed people across the globe, and
they are using their music and actions to fight for justice here
and abroad.
Learn more at reachmeta.com
DENVER VOICE
NEWS
7
×‰	Ú 0s3://BhN4IBkhzF_Pl8o6X6IkEoVYrWwC7vlpvvBOqeNLjIoÍ$ÿÍ`ÌÄÍ ×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦~×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦}Í
ÈÍ×‘C’×˜š   ÍdÍu×‰œ“×‰	Ú 0s3://Hy4JrD0e4b00YEyJTc_5DkDCrWV8r7QLJPnVMtDJKIcÎ ¨ùÍ`ÍíÍº×‰	Ú 0s3://GbG8NBNAtcgJCQCGmIyn8qi5OwQrXwILWAmuuS7vtcAÍ}Í`ÍpÍà×‰	Ú 0s3://PSWsMfAjiruj52WRsFy7dvD9AHljZDvTEh3t_UEqYqIÍ0æÍ`ÌÄÍ ×jo•a]kÒI<ê¦¡×˜š Íd ÍdÍu×‰œ“×‰	Ú 0s3://bUPYvJqbSvEBEHQFE-v8_MW-s8TeVvVs3prHIL5AcIEÎ ~ÂÍ`ÍíÍº×‰	Ú 0s3://OtskWDDa7ReKJ-R8m9UIFCeSyAVM4OGpW3-rdTiXAmQÍrPÍ`ÍpÍà×‰	Ú 0s3://hmawT1Ghl42oJQh-NT4x_YVkkOQr6DL6b3x2iwRiebsÍ,:Í`ÌÄÍ ×jo•a]kÒI<ê¦£×‰EÚ „SETTING RECORDS,
SAVING LIVES
Thousands gather to celebrate organ
donors and recipients
Story and photos by
Mariana Ortega Rivera
8
×‰	Ú 0s3://PSWsMfAjiruj52WRsFy7dvD9AHljZDvTEh3t_UEqYqIÍ0æÍ`ÌÄÍ ×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦×‰EÚ °TGA mascots Blaze (far left) and Spark (far right) line up with Team Wisconsin mascot
Mooracle and Denver Nuggets mascot, Rocky, to kick off the Transplant Games of America.
9
×‰	Ú 0s3://hmawT1Ghl42oJQh-NT4x_YVkkOQr6DL6b3x2iwRiebsÍ,:Í`ÌÄÍ ×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦€×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦Í
ÈÍ×‘C’×˜š   ÍdÍu×‰œ“×‰	Ú 0s3://kMlmCo2Har-TVbWzBp6772XtMo9RBQdkV8dKKJiSBOYÎ ãAÍ`ÍíÍº×‰	Ú 0s3://Gbsmyq36ylR_256nNbpsaBVaaNI2yoITHN_VbPd6cdYÍzãÍ`ÍpÍà×‰	Ú 0s3://vQvN7JvUSAOgvWmjwOnIyhjaFcL0ckHWHlmR11YM2pEÍ&Í`ÌÄÍ ×jo•a]kÒI<ê¦¦×˜š Íd ÍdÍu×‰œ“×‰	Ú 0s3://x92tKf2JFeQHWwwMsHPQnnFabSBvMSvtwF5GwKIxjjAÎ VYÍ`ÍíÍº×‰	Ú 0s3://HgH__CsvVlir4son_lpervD8Z2lQImt1JDfnSSOH7JYÍtNÍ`ÍpÍà×‰	Ú 0s3://MyoMhPpqrzgYX2rOB6GMuSPEGjpQcQ8HJNs5flBg8k0Í&uÍ`ÌÄÍ ×jo•a]kÒI<ê¦§×‰EÚ‹OR SIX DAYS IN LATE JUNE, the Colorado
Convention Center turned into
an Olympic-style event to host the
Transplant Games of America, TGA.
With its own village and competitive
events scattered throughout downtown
Denver, thousands of living donors,
transplant recipients, and donor families
gathered to raise awareness around organ
donation.
Colorado leads the nation in donor designation, with
approximately 66% of residents registering their choice on
driverâ€™s licenses or IDs, compared to a national average of
49%. Despite these high registration rates, more than 1,300
Coloradans currently await a transplant. Multicultural
communities comprise about 41% of that waiting list, with
significant representation among Latino and Black/African
American populations.
One of the main events of the games was breaking the
Guinness World Records for the most living donors and organ
recipients gathered in one place at the same time. The record
was broken Saturday, June 20, at the TGA Village, where 966
living donors and organ recipients were present for two hours.
Beyond the record attempt, participants competed in
swimming, track and field, pickleball, basketball, Youth
Olympiad, and ballroom dancing. Non-athletic events included
Texas Holdâ€™em, trivia, and Lyrics for Life.
However, TGA is more than the competition; for some,
it showed what life is like after giving or receiving an organ.
Others met their donor or donorâ€™s family for the first time, and
sponsors showed what their programs had to offer.
PATIENT CARE AND UNHOUSED PATIENTS
DaVita, a kidney care center, sponsored the games and also
had two social workers participate in the CareDx 5K. Clinical
social worker and living donor, Angela Laino, and division lead
social worker and kidney recipient, Terry Weaver, stressed the
importance of advocating for their patients.
Both emphasized the role social workers play in navigating
the complex landscape of transplant eligibility, particularly for
unhoused patients.
Weaver, who earned his masterâ€™s degree while undergoing
dialysis, said he advocates that patients educate themselves
about available resources. He noted that self-referral programs
in markets like Georgia can help mitigate racial disparities by
leveraging community support.
â€œIf someone is unhoused and theyâ€™re receiving renal or
kidney treatment, youâ€™ll work with your social worker,â€ Weaver
said. â€œMost resources are eligibility-based â€¦ in Georgia, we
have a lot of different opportunities and approaches, it can be a
shelter, transitional housing, and then long-term housing.â€
Laino pointed out that stable housing and support systems
are often prerequisites for transplant eligibility, barriers that
disproportionately affect homeless individuals.
â€œWe donâ€™t always realize we sometimes take for granted [that]
we have support systems,â€ Laino said. â€œSome of our patients
donâ€™t, and itâ€™s very important that they do have a support system
because they need that, not only after the surgery, but also
during the transplant process.â€
BIPOC RECIPIENTS AND DONORS
People of color make up about 60% of the national transplant
waiting list, but historically account for a lower percentage
of registered donors. Organs are matched based on medical
urgency, blood type, body size, and tissue compatibility, not
race. However, genetic compatibility is often higher within
similar ethnic groups.
Nydia Gonzalez, a Denver Public Schoolsâ€™ Early Childhood
Education Head Start program teacher, found herself in the
position of both advocate and donor after noticing that her
studentâ€™s father was falling ill.
Gonzalez said she started calling one of her studentsâ€™ parents
when the studentâ€™s attendance began to decline. A call from the
mother revealed the father was sick, though details were scarce.
Later, the parents called back with devastating news: the father
was suffering from kidney failure.
â€œYou will never cry alone, because Iâ€™m a crier,â€ Gonzalez said.
â€œMom and Dad were both crying, and we sat down and talked.â€
Motivated to help, Gonzalez assisted the family in applying
for emergency Medicare. But Gonzalez took it even further. She
attended workshops with the National Kidney Foundation and
learned about living donation. She underwent testing during
spring break, packing a cooler with snacks and watching Netflix
while waiting for results.
When doctors cleared her to donate, she contacted her
studentâ€™s dad, Norberto â€” whom she now considers a brother
â€” to let him know that the last step was to find out if they
were a match. Since Gonzales was older, she was not a match.
Instead, Gonzalezâ€™s kidney went to a woman in North Carolina,
and Norbertoâ€™s kidney came from a man in Atlanta. All four
surgeries took place on June 18, 2025.
Although she did not save her studentâ€™s father directly,
Gonzalez said the experience expanded her own family. Her
former studentâ€™s father asked to call her mother â€œmomâ€ because
he now had a sister-in-law through the donation chain.
â€œWe have dinner at least once a month,â€ Gonzalez said. â€œWe
do things as a family.â€
Now recovering and active in her community, Gonzalez
coaches soccer and a boysâ€™ running team. The CareDx 5K was
the fourth 5k she has run since she became a living donor. She
uses her platform to encourage Latino communities to consider
donation, noting that cultural hesitation can sometimes deter
potential donors.
â€œI feel that culturally Latinos are set in their ways,â€ Gonzalez
said. â€œIf you have an opportunity to make a difference and save a
life, do it. Just get tested.â€
Transplant Games of America attendee
writes her thoughts on whiteboard
at TGA village, expressing what the
transplant community means to her.
10
COMMUNITY PROFILE
×‰	Ú 0s3://vQvN7JvUSAOgvWmjwOnIyhjaFcL0ckHWHlmR11YM2pEÍ&Í`ÌÄÍ ×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦×‰EÚ6FOUND
FAMILY:
ONE PERSON
CAN HELP
UP TO EIGHT
LIVES
FOR LARRY AND BETH SPARKS, the tragedy of losing their son
Clayton to a ski accident in 2019 was compounded by grief.
But through his decision to donate organs, the couple found an
unexpected source of healing: a new family.
Claytonâ€™s liver was transplanted into Reid Gray, and his heart
went to Jay Renshaw. What began as a medical necessity evolved
into a deep, personal connection between the Sparks and the
Grays. Because the donation to Gray was directedâ€”the Sparks
chose him as the recipientâ€”the families lived relatively close to
one another, just 45 minutes apart.
â€œTheyâ€™re like our adopted son and daughter,â€ Larry Sparks
said. â€œTheyâ€™ve brought a joy to us â€¦ that we wouldnâ€™t have since
Clayton was our only son.â€
The bond has allowed the Sparks to welcome Oliver and
Kaylee, Reid and Abby Grayâ€™s children, as their grandchildren.
For Abby Gray, who wrote a childrenâ€™s book about Clayton
to help her sons understand their father as a â€œsuperhero,â€ the
relationship has been transformative.
â€œWithout this family, life would be so different for us,â€ Beth
Sparks said. â€œIt brings us hope and happiness and joy that we
didnâ€™t think we would ever have again.â€
Renshaw, who received Claytonâ€™s heart, described meeting
the Sparks at the Transplant Games as â€œsurreal.â€
â€œ[Saying] thank you just isnâ€™t enough,â€ Renshaw said. â€œI
would love to have gone to have a beer with him.â€
Gray echoed those sentiments, noting the similarities he
discovered between himself and Clayton.
â€œIâ€™d love to say thank you,â€ Gray said. â€œ[My donor] was a
wonderful guy.â€
For Kim Castellano, a heart recipient from Omaha, Nebraska,
meeting Thomaree Holland, the 15-year-old daughter of her
donor, offered a different kind of closure. Castellano, who had a
congenital heart defect and underwent more than 30 surgeries
in her lifetime, met Holland for the first time at the games.
â€œIt was bittersweet,â€ Holland said. â€œIt was nice, though. Nice
Nydia Gonzalez, a Denver
Public Schoolsâ€™ Early Childhood
Education Head Start program
teacher (right), dances with
another CareDx 5k runner after
completing the 5K race.
to know my momâ€™s heart went to someone who could appreciate
it.â€
Castellano noticed immediate connections between herself
and her late donor, including a shared love for Chick-fil-Aâ€”a
craving she developed only after her transplant.
â€œI think about my donor every single day,â€ Castellano said.
â€œShe raised some beautiful children, and my hope is that I can
somehow honor her by taking good care of this heart.â€
Medical professionals noted that technology played a crucial
â€œTheyâ€™ve brought a joy
to us â€¦ that we wouldnâ€™t
have since Clayton
was our only son.â€
role in these connections. XVIVO, a sponsor of the games,
provided preservation technology that keeps hearts viable for
longer periods, allowing organs to travel greater distances.
This innovation helped bridge the gap between donors and
recipients, expanding the pool of potential matches and
enabling reunions like those seen at the games.
â€œAt XVIVO, our mission is that no one should die waiting for
organs,â€ said Jenny, a medical professional with the company.
â€œWeâ€™re excited about making our goal of no one dying waiting
on an organ a reality.â€
DENVER VOICE
AUGUST 2026
11
×‰	Ú 0s3://MyoMhPpqrzgYX2rOB6GMuSPEGjpQcQ8HJNs5flBg8k0Í&uÍ`ÌÄÍ ×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦‚×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦Í
ÈÍ×‘C’×˜š   ÍdÍu×‰œ“×‰	Ú 0s3://oReoiV40Ky8KOdcAP-fD2J08XrJbTnpj5x28UDw4SgkÎ „FÍ`ÍíÍº×‰	Ú 0s3://IWSq5VpEU0Q9BUIaeKPOGllPSFl0RCdkoUypnVg5LXwÍrDÍ`ÍpÍà×‰	Ú 0s3://2bUXgVxpHLe0uz6oN7KXr0o0AkxKg_BlntyZe03hRJEÍ)TÍ`ÌÄÍ ×jo•a]kÒI<ê¦©×˜š Íd ÍdÍu×‰œ“×‰	Ú 0s3://cXBdkBN4xIeW_DmoQ4FdDctDXUlqCP6skNu_teZU6NwÎ OÍ`ÍíÍº×‰	Ú 0s3://nIQmtw2fELn9AawuL7s6YoLMnDth5HtijuSkTJG1i-cÍ%Í`ÍpÍà×‰	Ú 0s3://f-Gl1VQ5G6zNP1IQTqHXteAxcetdog7QWSB_FX9t170Í(EÍ`ÌÄÍ ×jo•b]kÒI<ê¦ª×‰EÚdIN YOUR
OWN WORDS
Words from our vendors on their life and
times, what theyâ€™re thinking and feelings,
for their neighbors to know and share.
Life Changed for
Me When I Found
the Denver
VOICE!
WHEN WEâ€™RE YOUNG, itâ€™s hard to imagine time slipping away from us,
but in the blink of an eye, time has moved on.
Itâ€™s hard for me to believe today that come January, I will have
done something for 19 years because that will be the anniversary
of when I first started vending the Denver VOICE newspaper.
I had no education. I taught myself to read and write at 28.
Before then, I only knew letters and vowels, so I learned to read by
sounding out words (like when I saw a stop sign and sounded out
St-o-p).
I was a runaway at 15 years old, traveled all the way across the
RAELENE JOHNSON
DENVER VOICE VENDOR
country, spent most of the next 40 years of my life homeless, never
having a home for very long, and ended up on drugs.
The longer youâ€™re homeless, the less hope you have, and you
canâ€™t believe that you even deserve a good life. Being homeless on
the streets, you lose yourself, or people look at you as if you could
never do better. Or theyâ€™ll turn their heads away from you.
You never know if youâ€™ll even make it another day on the streets. You have no
hope whatsoever. When no one wants to give you a chance, then you stay stuck in
homelessness, helplessness, and uselessness. Itâ€™s a hard place to be when youâ€™re in
the streets because every single person needs at least one person to lift them up
and give them hope.
When I found the Denver VOICE, I was homeless, sleeping under a bridge in
Boulder. Then, when I stopped by what used to be called Bridge House, there
was a sign up on the bulletin board that said, â€œBe your own boss, work your own
hours.â€
I asked the lady running the center what that meant, and she told me about the
Denver VOICE. She explained that the VOICE had rules for vending the paper,
but if I followed them, it would be a good opportunity.
So, I went to the VOICE, where I signed on as an independent contractor. They
gave me 10 free papers and told me once I sold those, I could come back and
purchase more. (Vendors pay 50 cents for each paper, and we sell them for $2,
keeping 100% of the profit.)
In the first three months, I had trouble selling papers, so I asked my heavenly
Father: if this was the job I needed to do, could He tell me how to talk to people?
Almost 19 years later, Iâ€™ve been able to write for the Denver VOICE, which
helps me earn additional income because vendors get paid when their writing is
published.
I was able to get off the streets and off drugs. I rented a room and now have my
own home. I wouldnâ€™t have been able to do without the kindness and generosity of
the people who are reading this right now, who bought a paper from us vendors,
giving us an opportunity to earn an income.
It is up to the vendors what they do with the opportunity.
I canâ€™t believe Iâ€™ve been at the paper as long as I have. My badge number is 42,
which means Iâ€™ve been there longer than most of the vendors. Iâ€™ve worked every
single month for all these years.
I would be devastated if the VOICE were to close â€” especially knowing that
they tried their best and we couldnâ€™t get any funding to keep the newspapers
open.
If there is no paper, the vendors canâ€™t work. With government funding and
resources so limited, a lot of good organizations like the VOICE are fighting to
keep their doors open, too.
I hope anyone reading this understands that the number of vendors we
have always changes depending on the weather, the pandemic, or the different
circumstances each vendor faces.
I do not want my life to be a struggle now that Iâ€™m in my senior years, doing the
paper. This paper has given me hope, confidence, self-worth, and self-esteem.
I learned how to believe in myself because the VOICE gave me an opportunity.
I tell people I would rather be vending the newspaper than holding up a sign
that says, â€œAnything helps,â€ or walking up to someone and asking, â€œYou got spare
change?â€ to try to take care of my bills and keep me off the streets.
That is what the voice has done for me. Thank you.
12
COLUMN
×‰	Ú 0s3://2bUXgVxpHLe0uz6oN7KXr0o0AkxKg_BlntyZe03hRJEÍ)TÍ`ÌÄÍ ×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦ƒ×‰EÚJOn a Positive Note
SONDRA JEFFRIES
DENVER VOICE VENDOR
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN, for a short stint, I was homeless. My oldest
son was young and was staying with my mom. I did what I had to do
to get out of that situation, which meant moving to Kansas.
Years later, when my youngest son, Wesley, was 5, we came back to
Colorado for a visit. I wanted to show him just how good we have it
by taking him to hand out pizza to the homeless.
We met an old man, who was a United States veteran. He was
resting under a bridge. He was so pleased by the pizza, but even
more pleased when he looked up and saw an adorable little boy
handing it to him.
We chatted for a long time. He said he was homeless by choice, and
that systemic norms were not his style. He talked about how the
world gives him everything he needs. He discussed, in childrenâ€™s
terms, what freedom may meanâ€”comparing it to being able to just
open a fridge and choose what to eat, while he had just received a
whole pizza.
He asked about my life. He said I seemed stressed. I may have been. I studied his feet for a
long timeâ€”the cracks and how black they were. When I got home, I drew a picture from
memory, the best I could, and wrote a poem based on our conversation.
De-Feet (my poem about the man)
I saw a man lying in the street today, His feet were black, his hair was grey. He had the
keenest smile I had ever seen, He seemed so peaceful, his posture so serene.
As we talked, he told me of a life â€” A life of bondage, a life of strife. He said, â€œI
was a prisoner of war, Locked up in my own mind, But they could not capture my
thoughts; They were placed neatly undefined.â€
He said, â€œSee, to you, freedom may mean opening your icebox and choosing what to
eat. To me, it means lying here at night on this street. Do I own this street? No, but I have
the option to lay. I have the stars as a nightlight and free energy in the day. I have plenty of
time to pray and think; Someday this life as we know it will be gone in a blink.â€
Then he looked at me and said, â€œYou seem very stressed, how do you do?â€ Then he asked
me to propose that question to you.
PUZZLES
7
PUZZLES COURTESY OF STREET WISE
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Current Status of Homelessness in the
Denver Metro Area
THIS MONTH, I want to focus more
specifically on what new data
tell us about homelessness in the
Denver metro area. This analysis
is based primarily on the results
of the 2006 Point in Time survey
(PIT) and how they compare
with the comparable report from
January 2025.
Once again, hereâ€™s a summary of
DONALD BURNES
VICE PRESIDENT
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DENVER VOICE
the major points in this survey.
THE METRO AREA
Although there were substantial
reductions in many areas for which
we should be very grateful, there are many more people still
suffering from the ravages of homelessness. Our work is far
from being done.
It is important to remember that these numbers are based on
a single-point-in-time survey conducted in late January each
year. This year, according to the PIT, there were 9,950 people
experiencing homelessness (PEH) across the Denver metro,
a drop of about 8% from the previous year, including a 12.5%
reduction in Denver.
In addition, as Metro Denver Homelessness Initiative
(MDHI) Executive Director Jason Johnson explained in a news
release about the PIT, there was a 21% drop in the number of
unsheltered individuals across the metro area last year.
In comparison to 2024, people experiencing chronic
homelessness, which is defined as having a disability and being
unhoused for at least a year or having four episodes within a
12-month period, increased by 4.6%, and they constituted just
about one-third of the total PEH population, according to the
full-year Homelessness Management Information System
(HMIS) report. Finally, almost half of the metro PEH had some
success in housing, but more than half, some 18,300 people, felt
no positive impact on their housing situation.
While there is a reduction in overall homelessness and in the
number of unsheltered PEH, there is a disturbing increase in
people experiencing chronic homelessness. In addition, more
than half of the total PEH population did not experience any
housing improvement. Although we are making progress
in responding to this crisis, we are falling well short of a fully
successful conclusion to this tragedy.
INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES IN THE METRO REGION
Within the metro area, there are eight different jurisdictions
that report separate PIT data. In terms of overall numbers of
PEH, Denver leads the way in the reduction of numbers by
decreasing its total of PEH by almost 1,000 people between the
2025 and 2026 PIT surveys, a 12.5% decrease. The previous
year, Denver experienced a 18.9% increase over the 2024 count.
In contrast, Aurora documented an increase of almost 33%. In
addition, the percentage of unsheltered people decreased in
four counties, including Denver and Aurora.
In summary, the 8% reduction in overall homelessness across
the region, the 12.5% reduction in Denverâ€™s homelessness
count,
and Auroraâ€™s 33% increase
in homelessness were
particularly noteworthy. Clearly, Aurora has a long way to go
before showing any improvement.
CONCLUSION
In the MDHI news release announcing the 2026 PIT data,
Johnson stated, â€œAn 8% decrease across our region is a powerful
indicator that our shift toward a truly coordinated, data-driven
system is yielding results.â€
Cole Chandler, the recently appointed executive director of
the Housing Stability Department in Denver (HOST), added,
â€œOur strategies are working. Homelessness is down across
Denver for the first time in nearly 10 years.â€
Overall, I agree with Johnson and Chandler.
Having said that, we cannot, must not rest on our laurels.
Although many of the areaâ€™s PEH are at least sheltered, we
still have too many people who are still counted among those
experiencing homelessness. We may have put our finger in the
proverbial dike, but we are far from rebuilding the entire dam.
There are still too many people in our communities and across
the state, as well as nationally, who have negative attitudes
towards those in our midst without safe and secure housing.
Too many people in housing still regard â€œthemâ€ as somehow
undeserving.
We must change that; we must change the narrative. Our
brothers and sisters need our support; they need adequate,
safe, affordable, and accessible housing along with wraparound
services that many require. It is up to all of us to ensure that
happens.
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 bachelorâ€™s degree from Princeton University,
a masterâ€™s degree from Washington University in St. Louis, and a PhD from
Columbia University Teachersâ€™ College.
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DENVER VOICE
AUGUST 2026
13
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9×HÚ ,https://www.detoxrehabs.net/states/colorado/××Ðˆ× ×jo•b]kÒI<ê¦½ ÍÁÍ\Í9×HÚ ,https://www.coloradocoalition.org/healthcare××Ðˆ× ×jo•b]kÒI<ê¦¼ Í÷Í%Ìþ9×HÚ $https://www.saludclinic.org/commerce××Ðˆ× ×jo•b]kÒI<ê¦» Í ÍÿW9×H´http://www.rainn.org××Ðˆ× ×jo•b]kÒI<ê¦º Í ÍØÌ„9×Hºhttp://www.1800runaway.org××Ðˆ× ×jo•b]kÒI<ê¦¹ Í Í°t9×Hºhttp://www.988lifeline.org××Ðˆ× ×jo•b]kÒI<ê¦¸ ÍÿÍqÌª9×H¼https://www.viventhealth.org××Ðˆ× ×jo•b]kÒI<ê¦· Í Íq\9×Hµhttp://connection.org××Ðˆ× ×jo•b]kÒI<ê¦µ ÍÍÌü9×HÚ (http://www.harmreductionactioncenter.org××Ðˆ× ×jo•b]kÒI<ê¦´ ÍÍžÌÖ9×HÚ "http://www.drugrehabus.org/rehabs/××Ðˆ× ×jo•b]kÒI<ê¦³ ÍdÍwÌž9×H¹http://www.detoxlocal.com××Ðˆ× ×jo•b]kÒI<ê¦² Í Í@c9×H·http://denverhealth.org××Ðˆ× ×jo•b]kÒI<ê¦± Í¡Íh9×H¹http://rentassistance.org××Ðˆ×‰EÚWHAT WOULD YOU DO WITHOUT
THE DENVER VOICE?
This column is a place for
Denver VOICE vendors to
respond to questions from
fellow vendors, our readers,
and staff.
RAELENE JOHNSON
DENVER VOICE VENDOR
If the VOICE doesnâ€™t have
the funding to print our
newspapers, I would be
without a job, and I wouldnâ€™t
be able to have the type
of life I have now because
of the paper. Anything that
you could send in to help
keep the paper going is
very much appreciated, and
itâ€™s a tax write-off. I want to
thank you from the bottom
of my heart for supporting
my newspaper.
JERRY ROSEN
DENVER VOICE VENDOR
I would try to
get a job at
a restaurant,
busing tables, or
some other type
of work. I like
working at the
VOICE because
you can set your
own hours and
days. Without the
VOICE, I wouldnâ€™t
know what to do.
SONDRA JEFFRIES
DENVER VOICE VENDOR
What would I do without the Denver
VOICE? I donâ€™t ever want to experience
â€œdoingâ€ without the Denver VOICE!
The truth is, this paper is the ONLY
way and means for a lot of vendors
here. If we lose the Denver VOICE, itâ€™s
essentially cutting off the voice and
income of a big part of the Denverâ€™s
community. More donors need to step
up! Thank you to the ones who do. Itâ€™s
not enough. We need our community
to say, â€œWe love you, and you matter.â€
Instead of looking away.
WAYNE EASTERLING
DENVER VOICE VENDOR
Without the VOICE,
thereâ€™d be potential
for me to go back to a
homeless way of living,
but I would need to find
other programs that
help me succeed in
life. The Denver VOICE
has helped me move
into a better position
in life. Without them, it
would be worse.
Well, I feel deeply
that if the Denver
VOICE didnâ€™t exist,
it wouldnâ€™t be
easy. The Denver
VOICE has opened
up income
ZAKIYYAH BROOKS
DENVER VOICE VENDOR
opportunities for
a lot of people
like me, so I
would probably
not be as stable
as I am now.
REA BROWN
DENVER VOICE VENDOR
What would I do if was actually True, that the rescuer of
the impoverished was defeated and through? Deleted,
canâ€™t read it, stampeded, boo hoo. A memory of energy
left to dissipate in History. No more to be the hope many,
the chance of any, a home of friendly, a place that should
be and could be, Oh how ugly to see the end, after so
little time again, my mindâ€™s eye binds, ties, spins how did
we sin to find this insurmountable trend again?
Yet I was so close to a win, from a window an enemy
snuck in and stabbed my heart and my hand I must run
away as fast as I can to a today that understands my plan.
But how much more can I stand? The young man is now
an old man snow now needs to be sand. And only money
can make me a Grand. If you can stomach everything
that Iâ€™m praying Iâ€™m running out of paint on this canvas of
Land. What else can I do, shall I do? That I have not tried
before in my youth? Yet not far yonder flickers a door on
my shoes lighting a path thatâ€™s a stab at my muse, maybe
at last I can crash and defuse, after all, what do I have to
lose? î€
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 vendorâ€™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:
â€¢ Menâ€™s shoes or boots (sizes 8-12)
â€¢ Menâ€™s hoodies or light jackets (sizes L, XL, XXL)
â€¢ Womenâ€™s hoodies or light jackets (sizes M, L, XL)
â€¢ Fold-up umbrellas
â€¢ Backpacks or carrier bags
â€¢ 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 vendorâ€™s
name in the comments. Thank you!
NEW ITEMS NEEDED:
â€¢ Socks
â€¢ Toiletries (individual or travel-size)
â€¢ Baseball caps
â€¢ Chapstick, sunscreen
â€¢ Bottled water
@DenverVOICE
14
×‰	Ú 0s3://yzZyE_S8p7bQw5pHuYfCFvt2sbCLuB-ukWkVZZLhFNYÍ.9Í`ÌÄÍ ×jo•`]kÒI<ê¦…×‰EÚ'ÃRESOURCE 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 â€” 9am-12pm: http://www.harmreductionactioncenter.org
INNER CITY HEALTH CENTER: 3800 York St.; Emergency walk-ins - 303296-1767;
Dental â€” 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 â€” 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 â€œFRONT
DOORâ€ SHELTER ACCESS POINTS:
â€¢ For individual men â€” Denver Rescue Mission Lawrence Street
Community Center, 2222 Lawrence St.
â€¢ For individual women â€” Samaritan House, 2301 Lawrence St.
â€¢ For youth ages 15-20 â€” Urban Peak, 1630 S. Acoma St.
â€¢ 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
CHRISTâ€™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, Menâ€™s breakfast 1st Sat. of the month, 8-10am,
Womenâ€™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. ELIZABETHâ€™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 CAFÃ‰: 2023 E. Colfax Ave; 720-530-6853;Restaurant serving
mostly organic foodâ€”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
AUGUST 2026
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