Denver Rescue Mission provides services to homeless community 365-days a year

Colorado experienced more than 90-hours of sub-freezing temperatures, making it imperative that every single resident find a safe, warm place out of the cold. Denver Rescue Mission facilities across the Denver Metro Area were quite busy over the weekend. Staff served thousands of meals over the last three days, and guests accessed several shelter nights. 

"It's really important what we do because we can't forget that the individuals that are using our services, they're somebody's brother. That's someone's father out there. And it's really important to remember that while we're busy in these cold temperatures, that the community can rally around what we're trying to do to help people who are experiencing homelessness," said Stephen Hinkel, Public Relations Manager for Denver Rescue Mission. 

The Mission's facilities are open 365-days a year. Individuals and families can access case management, counselors, and chaplain services, in addition to shelter and hot meals. 

"We want people that come into our services to realize that the homelessness that they're experiencing is just a brief chapter of their lives, and then when they use our services and really tap into all the resources the Mission has that they're going to come out on the other side, and they're going to start writing a beautiful chapter of life after leaving our services," Hinkel explained. 

In the last couple of years, Denver Rescue Mission has seen an increase in the number of families and older adults who are experiencing homelessness, so the Mission is adjusting its programming to serve more of those people. 

"It's really beautiful when you watch the families come in. They come in at a very vulnerable space, but they come in. They use our case management. If they have a youth, they use our youth room. And then they leave, and they find themselves in stable housing, and they're going to be on a trajectory that's going to put themselves in a really good position for success the rest of their lives," Hinkel said. 

LINK: Spread the Warmth

Denver Rescue Mission needs donations of warm weather gear; hats, gloves, coats, boots, socks, underwear. You can also make a cash donation through CBS Colorado's Spread the Warmth campaign.