News » City Highlights
Denver
This month we’re heading on over to Denver! Be sure to visit our opportunities page for more information about serving with us in the “Mile High City.”
News from the Denver Director
Now I lay me down to sleep…
The urban poor are often unseen. Drive through any major city in the US and you will most likely see people on street corners with cardboard signs asking for handouts. You might even see someone pushing a cart full of their possessions down the street. These homeless are visible and their plights are easy to see even if they are often times ignored.
There is a significant group of homeless, however, who go unseen by many. These are the working poor. It is estimated that 44% of America’s homeless population works full or part time jobs. Many of these hard working families are not in a situation where they are able to pay rent, and as a result they are left looking for alternative housing options. One of the options that many are forced to choose is living week to week in a motel.
In Denver, one of the busiest streets in the city is Colfax Avenue. This 26 mile long street travels through 4 cities and is notorious for its crime. Colfax is famous for breeding prostitution, drugs and gangs. There are numerous run down motels along Colfax and while many residents belong to these crime groups, this is also where countless working poor are forced to raise their families. They move from motel to motel paying cash as most places will only accept this from their transient communities. There are many issues that motel families face ranging from safety and lack of room cleanliness, to an unstable living environment for their children. It is said that each time a child moves they fall behind one month in school. The average child living weekly in motels moves 5 to 6 times a year!
Mile High Ministries felt called to do something about this issue and in 2001 they opened the Joshua Station. The ministry approached several motel owners throughout Denver inquiring about interest in selling motel property. What they heard time and time again was that the owner was not interested due to the “cash cow” created specifically by people paying week to week. These motel owners are getting rich off of the poor. Finally, the ministry found a motel available to them and it became a transitional housing program serving up to 26 families at one time. Families are given a healthy, clean and stable living environment for up to 1 year. Each family is responsible for paying a small amount of rent and sets goals with a support group to help them reach their goals throughout the year.
As the economy continues to struggle and the working poor rise in numbers I can only imagine how many more people will find themselves in a situation that forces them to live in run down motels. I am thankful for ministries like the Joshua Station, but also reminded of the need that is much greater than the resources available. My prayer is that even though the working poor are often unseen that they would not be forgotten.
– Keysha Boggess, CSM Denver City Director
Local Resources
Local News Links
- Families reach last-stop motel December 12, 2008
- Lines drawn on in-state tuition measure March 6, 2009
- Funds may bolster city's kid services March 5, 2008
CSM Urban Updates
CSM now has its own blog! Find out what’s happening in urban centers throughout North America, make comments and dialogue with others involved in urban missions.
Sign Up
Want to serve in Denver? Learn how to sign up.
