More than 450 religious leaders took part Tuesday in the official kickoff of a new city effort to help homeless families and seniors find housing.
They met at the Colorado Convention Center to celebrate the “Family and Senior Homeless Initiative: One Congregation, One Family” program, part of Mayor John Hickenlooper’s 10-year plan to end homelessness.
Since the program’s start in July, more than 55 homeless families and one senior have been paired with mentoring teams from 45 metro-area congregations. Of those, 47 families have been placed in permanent housing, according to Denver Rescue Mission figures.
The program works like this: When a congregation commits to working with a homeless family, it gives $1,200 to the Denver Rescue Mission, which will find a home for the family and pay for its first month’s rent and deposit. Mentors meet with the family seven times over four to six months to help the family become self-sufficient. They teach budgeting and parenting skills, how to keep a job and how to get information on community resources, according to Greta Ritchey, spokeswoman for Denver Rescue Mission.
“When people of faith have been asking, ‘What can we do?’ this mayor’s program gives them this opportunity,” said Rabbi Joel Schwartzman of Congregation B’nai Chaim.
“The faith-based community is the most important component,” Hickenlooper said. “They are the backbone of compassion in our community.”
The city and county of Denver and Denver Rescue Mission contributed $120,000 each to finance the program. The city money comes from federal funding earmarked to end homelessness.
According to studies by Denver Rescue Mission, families that have been mentored have an 80 percent chance of maintaining and keeping a home, but families that weren’t mentored had a 30 percent chance.
Hundreds of people have completed 18 weeks of mentor training provided by Denver Rescue Mission. Still, a lack of mentors has left 21 families on a waiting list.
“We hope to have a waiting list of congregations and not a wait list of families,” said Roxane White, manager of the city’s Department of Human Services.
“We’ve seen more and more families in dire need,” said Senior Pastor Melanie Rosa of Lakewood United Methodist Church in Lakewood. “We are eager to organize and be of help.”
Staff writer Annette Espinoza can be reached at 303-820-1655 or aespinoza@denverpost.com.
