Home for the Holidays: The Delores Project is Solving Homelessness in Denver
At only 20 years old, Emma was raising her 2-year-old daughter, Lily. Raising a child can be challenging for anyone, but Emma and Lily were also experiencing homelessness. About 7,000 people in the Denver metro area are estimated to be living in shelters or outdoors, with countless others in unstable or insufficient housing. Lack of stable housing is dangerous and, in some cases, deadly. People like Emma and Lily are at a higher risk of becoming ill, experiencing violent crime, and being exposed to severe weather, especially as the snow starts falling across Colorado. Fortunately, in 2019, Emma and Lily were among the first people to move into The Delores Project’s Permanent Supportive Housing, which provides low-income residences to those who are experiencing homelessness. Permanent Supportive Housing is more than just a home—It also includes on-site, supportive services to ensure all of its residents’ needs are met, including physical and behavioral health, life skills, and social engagement.
Throughout their time in Permanent Supportive Housing, Emma and Lily learned valuable skills to help them become more self-sufficient. Their growth culminated in a huge achievement: moving into their own two-bedroom home at a standard apartment complex. With much problem-solving, advocacy, and support, Emma was able to obtain a Housing Choice Voucher through the Denver Housing Authority that allowed them to secure their new home. Lily, now 5 years old, finally has got to have her own bedroom and a backyard to explore for the first time in her life. Emma and Lily’s experience in Permanent Supportive Housing highlights a simple truth: Housing solves homelessness. When individuals are given a place to live and adequate support to maintain their new home, they thrive. The path to housing for those experiencing homelessness is deeply individual and not one-size-fits-all. To serve this diverse community, The Delores Project offers a variety of services to help those experiencing homelessness find stable housing. In addition to the Permanent Supportive Housing program, the organization operates a 24/7 shelter for women and transgender people experiencing homelessness. Guests at the shelter receive meals, access to hot showers, bus tickets, access to health services, toiletries, a clean bed, a phone for local calls, on-site, housing-focused case management, and more. In 2021, The Delores Project added a Behavioral Health Counseling Program, offering mental health support for shelter guests and residents in Permanent Supportive Housing. To help shelter guests access permanent housing, The Delores Project introduced its Rehousing and Continued Care Program in 2020, which has helped more than 60 people obtain a permanent place to live. Each shelter guest who transitions into permanent housing receives an additional year of case management from the organization to help them maintain their stability. 
While there are still many people in need, The Delores Project has ensured many people like Emma and Lily have a safe place to live. If the only solution to homelessness is housing, then programs like those offered at The Delores Project are a big step in the right direction. The Delores Project can only provide this powerful programming and help change the lives of people like Emma and Lily with the support of community members like yourself. Include The Delores Project in your end-of-year holiday giving plans, and make a donation today to ensure more folk get the stability and security they deserve. 