The Cares Committee continues to work to support/improve the lives of members of our community who need assistance. This is most often via volunteer work, donating or helping with fundraising. UpDoNA does not have the financial resources to donate as an organization, so we rely on the generosity of our members to support community needs.
The Delores Project is a homeless shelter that focuses on the needs of adult women and trans people in Denver. Cares Committee members recently purchased tickets to support their annual fundraising event, held May 9. At that event they announced their new tagline “Building Belonging”, describing their mission and what they do in two words. They strive to create a “place where people feel safe, secure, accepted, and that they belong”. They have a current fundraising drive – “Denver Nuggets Fan Package SweepStakes” with prizes including a $2000 value package of 2 tickets to 10 games at the 100 level for the 2024-2025 season. You can enter at TAPKAT.ORG/THE-DELORES-PROJECT/VKZ875 and proceeds benefit The Delores Project. We continue to make and serve meals(primarily lunches) at their shelter and could use more volunteers for that effort.
STEP Denver is a shelter/program focusing on adult men with alcohol and/or other drug addiction. UpDoNA members have supported them with donations and volunteer work. Recently (June 8), a group of 7 UpDoNA members, including residents of One Lincoln Park, Brooks Tower, and Spire volunteered to work with STEP clients to stain a gazebo and fence at their downtown shelter site (see attached images, courtesy of Kristin Deak). They enjoyed the experience and joined STEP clients for a pizza lunch after the work was completed. One of their fundraising activities is a Vehicle Donation Program, information about which is included in this newsletter.
Recently, UpDoNA Cares members have begun working with Urban Peak, a shelter focused on the needs of homeless older children and young adults. Members from One Lincoln Park and Spire have prepared and served lunches at the shelter and some of us have made donations as well. Urban Peak has a comprehensive program to meet the needs of its young clients. It has been operating from limited facilities with inadequate capacity to meet needs, but is scheduled to begin use of its new “mothership” facility on South Acoma St. on July 24. That new building has much improved facilities with much larger capacity, providing separate spaces for 12-17 year old minors and 18-24 year old young adults. Look forward to descriptions of needs for volunteers as they become clear after use of the new building begins.
UpDoNA could do more work for our less fortunate community members if we had more volunteers. If you would like more information or would like to volunteer, you can email ron23townsend@gmail.com.
Thumbnail photo attribution: https://cairns.health.qld.libguides.com/socialwork
Attribution for photos: Kristen Deak
