Thirty years ago, I was hired as the first full-time street outreach worker in Denver. I asked what they wanted me to do. The answer was simple: “Go out and see what people need.”
I spent my days walking the paths and parks where people were living outside. Many were dealing with illness, trauma, addiction, or simply a long run of bad luck. What I learned quickly was that people didn’t just need bus tickets, food, or clean socks. Those things helped — but what they really needed was a place to go. A safe place to step off the street and begin rebuilding their lives. Then and now, those places are hard to find, and many days I felt powerless.
That’s what RecoveryWorks’ provides today at Mountain View Flats — a place where unhoused neighbors can step off the street and begin stabilizing their lives.
Earlier this winter, our street outreach specialist, Michelle, connected with Sarah, a young neighbor living in a tent in Lakewood. Working alongside the Lakewood Navigation Team and Jefferson County’s Severe Weather Collaborative, she helped Sarah get a motel voucher during severe cold weather nights. Over time, Michelle built trust with Sarah, and in early March Sarah moved into Mountain View Flats, where our housing and case management team worked with her to stabilize her health, rebuild daily routines, and prepare for permanent housing.
As Michelle later told me, “She had been through so much, but we just kept showing up. We weren’t going to give up on her.”
Last week she moved into her first apartment in years and is now focused on getting her daughter back. Stories like Sarah’s show what happens when outreach, housing, and community partners come together — and don’t give up on our neighbors.
Thank you for helping to make stability possible in our community.
With gratitude,
