Hi there, I am Jimmy and it's my birthday today! As many of you who are close to me know, I am not a huge fan of receiving gifts, so maybe this year, consider donating to my birthday fundraiser instead. No amount is too small, and if you are not in a place to donate at the moment, no worries, sharing this fundraiser with friends and family would be an enormous help :)
I am passionate about homelessness through my experience in Christmas soup kitchens with my dad and an advocate for health equity, especially as my career moves into the health care industry through actuarial sciences. Homelessness is endemic to the United States, which consistently ranks in the top five in homelessness and is considered to have the worst health inequality for developed nations, particularly when it comes to income-related disparities in access to healthcare, with significant differences in health outcomes based on geography and socioeconomic status compared to other high-income countries.
Homelessness is often associated with mental illness and trauma connected to previous childhood abuse and neglect, intimate partner violence, traumatic brain injury, and a history of military service. In Denver, as we get deeper into winter, with a big freeze coming in this weekend, it is more important than ever that we take care of our unhoused individuals and help address some of the systemic issues that contribute to homelessness in the United States. I believe that Colorado Coalition for the Homeless is doing just that.
About Colorado Coalition for the Homeless:
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless was established in 1984 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Founded by a group of individuals with a will to act on behalf of people experiencing homelessness in Colorado, they recognized the struggles of people living in poverty and built the Stout Street Clinic. They opened their first transitional housing building, the Ruth Goebel House, in 1988. As of 2024, the Coalition now has 23 residential and transitional housing properties and offers critical assistance to over 20,000 individuals and families each year.
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless believes all people have the right to adequate housing and health care. They work to remove the barriers that restrict access to these rights. Society benefits when adequate housing and health care are available to everyone. They create lasting solutions to homelessness by:
1. Honoring the inherent dignity of those we serve, affirming their capabilities and fostering their hope that a better life is possible;
2. Building strong, caring, and trauma-informed communities through the integration of housing, health care, and supportive services;
3. Advocating for social and racial equity, inclusion, and diversity, and challenging the status quo in partnership with our workforce members and those we serve;
4. Achieving excellence through continuous quality assurance, innovation, and professional development; and
5. Using resources judiciously and effectively.
What Colorado Coalition for the Homeless does:
HOUSING:
Each year, the Coalition operates 24 high-quality permanent supportive housing and affordable housing properties and administers nearly 2,000 vouchers, supporting over 4,400 households with housing options. They also provide wrap-around supportive services such as counseling, life skills training, financial literacy, and employment assistance at most locations to support the residents to maintain safe and stable housing. In 2023, 99% of people remained stably housed after one year in permanent supportive housing.
HEALTHCARE:
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless responds to the health needs of adults and children experiencing or at risk of homelessness through innovative health care at one of their Federally Qualified Health Centers. Stout Street Health Center, the largest and most comprehensive program located in downtown Denver, offers medical and behavioral health care, substance use treatment, dental, vision, and pharmacy services all in one building to reduce as many barriers as possible for nearly 17,000 patients annually.
SUPPORT SERVICES:
The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless works to provide a robust array of support services such as counseling, case management, benefits acquisition, life skills training, employment services, and so much more.
The following are just some of the additional services the Coalition offers:
• Assistance with public benefit applications
• Childcare
• Support for families
• Employment services
• Legal referrals and advocacy
• Native American Talking Circles
• Street Outreach and street medicine
• Veterans Programs
Please visit their website to learn more: https://www.coloradocoalition.org/
Thank you so much for your consideration! Have a great day!
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