Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good morning. It is Colorado's Morning News. For more than
one hundred and thirty years, the Denver Rescue Mission has
been at the forefront of providing needed services to homeless
populations in the Denver metro area and across the Front Range.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
And in the last year alone, the Mission helped to
find stable living for five hundred and seventy four households.
We're highlighting this now because today is World Homelessness Day.
And joining us on the Kiawa Comment Spirit Health Hotline
to talk more about it is the president and CEO
for the Denver Rescue Mission. It's Dennis van camp In. Dennis,
thank you so much for your time this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Yeah, thank you. It's great to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Walk us through a little bit about this World Homelessness
Day that's taking place today, the overall mission and the
meaning that we have behind this.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Yeah. You know, this day is designed to bring attention
to the crisis of homelessness, not only here but around
the world. You know, Unfortunately, homelessness continues to increase, and
it is a problem that is solvable. It's community by unity.
If we all work together, we can move the needle
(01:02):
back on homelessness. And that's a large part of today
to really remind us all that there is a problem,
it is solvable, and we can make a difference.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
I was going to ask TENNUS, has homelessness increased in
the say, five past five ten years specifically to Denver.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yeah, I think across the country as well as Denver
over the past ten years, for sure, it has increased.
COVID didn't did accelerate that for sure. But if you
look at the point in time count, which is something
that every community has to do once a year, HUD
requires it. If you look at point in time count
from twenty seventeen to twenty twenty three, the numbers have
(01:43):
almost doubled in the Denver area. So we're certainly going in.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
A challenging direction with that challenge. What do you believe
are some of the biggest challenges that the Denver Rescue
Mission has when it comes to compating homelessness.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Yeah. I think first, the lack of affordable housing obviously
is huge. You know, we just do not have enough housing.
And then what happens is the people that we work
with certainly don't qualify for even affordable housing. So we
have several people that work with or that shelter with
(02:18):
us that have full time jobs. They're working really hard,
they're maintaining jobs, they pulling down a paycheck, and they
don't make enough to be able to afford the cost
of housing. Also, you know, last year Denver set an
all time record for eviction rates, and this year we're
on track to actually break the record from last year.
(02:42):
So combine that with mental illness and addictions and things
like that, we kind of have the perfect storm and homelessness.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
People living on the margins literally a paycheck away in
many instances. And I'm maybe conflating issues here, Dennis, but
have you seen more of an uptick as well with
the influx of migrants you've had coming into the city.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
You know, we have certainly I think at the height
of the migrants coming in about ten percent of our
shelter population, where migrants's down I think two about six
or seven percent right now, So that certainly has increased
the numbers for sure.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Now, while we do have these challenges throughout our city,
what are some of the success stories that the Denver
Rescue Mission has had in some of the work that
you do in order to help some of these people
get out of the shelters and into affordable housing.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Such a great question, thank you. You know, as you mentioned,
last year, five hundred and seventy four households and we
call it households because that could be one person, two people,
a family of four that we have helped leave homelessness
for more stable housing. Those are the stories that are
so impactful and sometimes don't get told. There was a
(03:56):
guy that was with us. He came in the shelter
and after some time in the shelter, he decided to
get into our program, so he moved into our New
Life program and by the end of that program, he
decided that he really wanted to be a plumber, so
he became went into an apprentice program and now today
(04:20):
he is housed, he is working making a really decent
living wage, and he likely will never return to homelessness again.
And it's that kind of story that happens over and
over and over again. So you know, while certainly homelessness
is increasing, we can't forget that there are many, many
people that are leaving homelessness.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Forever we started the discussion and I think you referenced
by saying that homelessness is an issue that can be
solved most issues come down to whether their will or skill, Dennis,
is the issue of homelessness? Is it a will issue
where the will of those that can help the problem
don't have or is it a skill issue we don't
(05:01):
have the tools necessarily to help solve the homelessness issue.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Yeah, you know, I think will is certainly a part
of it. I think that my belief has always been
in my career that if we all come together, we
can solve this problem. And what I mean by all
is the government can't solve this problem alone. Nonprofits can't
solve this problem alone. But when we get the government,
(05:30):
nonprofit organizations, churches, businesses, you know, communities coming together to
solve this problem, I truly believe we can do that.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
So going off of that, Dennison and wrapping up with you,
how could listeners help contribute to that as well? With
the Denver Rescue Mission?
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Yeah, you know, I always say three things that listeners
can do. The first thing is is, in my opinion,
the most important. If you're a person of faith, pray
for us. You know, this is really really hard work,
and we are the doorway for the city and we
get people that come in that are really struggling with
(06:08):
mental illness and it's really hard and our staff. So
that's the first thing. The second thing is volunteer. We
have so many volunteer opportunities. You can go to our
website and you can find out more about that. And lastly,
certainly donate every dollar that comes in. We use that
to help people leave homelessness. And you know, our vision is,
(06:30):
through the power of Christ, to bring an end to homelessness,
one life at a time in Denver and northern Colorado.
So we just invite the public to support us, and
our commitment is that we will use those dollars and
those prayers and the volunteer time will be good stewards
of that.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
President CEO for the Denver Rescue Mission Dennis Van Camp
and thank you, Dennis.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
Yes, thank you,
Good morning. It is Colorado's Morning News. For more than
one hundred and thirty years, the Denver Rescue Mission has
been at the forefront of providing needed services to homeless
populations in the Denver metro area and across the Front Range.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
And in the last year alone, the Mission helped to
find stable living for five hundred and seventy four households.
We're highlighting this now because today is World Homelessness Day.
And joining us on the Kiawa Comment Spirit Health Hotline
to talk more about it is the president and CEO
for the Denver Rescue Mission. It's Dennis van camp In. Dennis,
thank you so much for your time this morning.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Yeah, thank you. It's great to be here.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Walk us through a little bit about this World Homelessness
Day that's taking place today, the overall mission and the
meaning that we have behind this.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Yeah. You know, this day is designed to bring attention
to the crisis of homelessness, not only here but around
the world. You know, Unfortunately, homelessness continues to increase, and
it is a problem that is solvable. It's community by unity.
If we all work together, we can move the needle
(01:02):
back on homelessness. And that's a large part of today
to really remind us all that there is a problem,
it is solvable, and we can make a difference.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
I was going to ask TENNUS, has homelessness increased in
the say, five past five ten years specifically to Denver.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Yeah, I think across the country as well as Denver
over the past ten years, for sure, it has increased.
COVID didn't did accelerate that for sure. But if you
look at the point in time count, which is something
that every community has to do once a year, HUD
requires it. If you look at point in time count
from twenty seventeen to twenty twenty three, the numbers have
(01:43):
almost doubled in the Denver area. So we're certainly going in.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
A challenging direction with that challenge. What do you believe
are some of the biggest challenges that the Denver Rescue
Mission has when it comes to compating homelessness.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
Yeah. I think first, the lack of affordable housing obviously
is huge. You know, we just do not have enough housing.
And then what happens is the people that we work
with certainly don't qualify for even affordable housing. So we
have several people that work with or that shelter with
(02:18):
us that have full time jobs. They're working really hard,
they're maintaining jobs, they pulling down a paycheck, and they
don't make enough to be able to afford the cost
of housing. Also, you know, last year Denver set an
all time record for eviction rates, and this year we're
on track to actually break the record from last year.
(02:42):
So combine that with mental illness and addictions and things
like that, we kind of have the perfect storm and homelessness.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
People living on the margins literally a paycheck away in
many instances. And I'm maybe conflating issues here, Dennis, but
have you seen more of an uptick as well with
the influx of migrants you've had coming into the city.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
You know, we have certainly I think at the height
of the migrants coming in about ten percent of our
shelter population, where migrants's down I think two about six
or seven percent right now, So that certainly has increased
the numbers for sure.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Now, while we do have these challenges throughout our city,
what are some of the success stories that the Denver
Rescue Mission has had in some of the work that
you do in order to help some of these people
get out of the shelters and into affordable housing.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
Such a great question, thank you. You know, as you mentioned,
last year, five hundred and seventy four households and we
call it households because that could be one person, two people,
a family of four that we have helped leave homelessness
for more stable housing. Those are the stories that are
so impactful and sometimes don't get told. There was a
(03:56):
guy that was with us. He came in the shelter
and after some time in the shelter, he decided to
get into our program, so he moved into our New
Life program and by the end of that program, he
decided that he really wanted to be a plumber, so
he became went into an apprentice program and now today
(04:20):
he is housed, he is working making a really decent
living wage, and he likely will never return to homelessness again.
And it's that kind of story that happens over and
over and over again. So you know, while certainly homelessness
is increasing, we can't forget that there are many, many
people that are leaving homelessness.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Forever we started the discussion and I think you referenced
by saying that homelessness is an issue that can be
solved most issues come down to whether their will or skill, Dennis,
is the issue of homelessness? Is it a will issue
where the will of those that can help the problem
don't have or is it a skill issue we don't
(05:01):
have the tools necessarily to help solve the homelessness issue.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Yeah, you know, I think will is certainly a part
of it. I think that my belief has always been
in my career that if we all come together, we
can solve this problem. And what I mean by all
is the government can't solve this problem alone. Nonprofits can't
solve this problem alone. But when we get the government,
(05:30):
nonprofit organizations, churches, businesses, you know, communities coming together to
solve this problem, I truly believe we can do that.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
So going off of that, Dennison and wrapping up with you,
how could listeners help contribute to that as well? With
the Denver Rescue Mission?
Speaker 3 (05:47):
Yeah, you know, I always say three things that listeners
can do. The first thing is is, in my opinion,
the most important. If you're a person of faith, pray
for us. You know, this is really really hard work,
and we are the doorway for the city and we
get people that come in that are really struggling with
(06:08):
mental illness and it's really hard and our staff. So
that's the first thing. The second thing is volunteer. We
have so many volunteer opportunities. You can go to our
website and you can find out more about that. And lastly,
certainly donate every dollar that comes in. We use that
to help people leave homelessness. And you know, our vision is,
(06:30):
through the power of Christ, to bring an end to homelessness,
one life at a time in Denver and northern Colorado.
So we just invite the public to support us, and
our commitment is that we will use those dollars and
those prayers and the volunteer time will be good stewards
of that.
Speaker 1 (06:48):
President CEO for the Denver Rescue Mission Dennis Van Camp
and thank you, Dennis.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
Yes, thank you,
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