April Peak News
Planting Seeds for the Future
It feels like spring has finally sprung in Denver, and what better way to ring in the season of rebirth and renewal than by digging into the dirt and growing a green thumb!
Urban Peak staff across our housing programs recently started a youth gardening club, designed to give youth the opportunity to grow their own fruits and vegetables as well as to beautify their community’s outdoor spaces with flowers. Our Supportive Housing Supervisor, Madison, has been spearheading the effort and explained the group’s goals to improve our physical spaces. “I just really want them to take pride in where they live, and have a say in what it looks like,” Madison said.
Beyond creating a sense of pride, Madison envisions the club as an outlet for youth to learn valuable life skills such as self-sufficiency (by growing and cooking their own food), accountability (by keeping plants alive) and mindfulness. The possibilities are endless, though, as we’re also hoping to teach cooking classes, host monthly outdoor community dinners and even create an Urban Peak cookbook, all using the food our youth will grow.
“Our goal is to have a big family-style celebration outside, spending time with each other, laughing…” Madison shared, “and we really want youth to bring recipes that are traditional for their family, for their culture. Having that taste of home can be really heartwarming, and I think it can be healing.”
To that end, youth were given little seedlings to grow in their own apartments, and in a few weeks we’ll move them to larger garden plots outside the buildings with a hope to harvest in the fall. We can’t wait!
If you have any ideas for fun and healthy recipes that can be made from easily accessible ingredients, especially if they leave little mess and few dishes, please reach out to Madison at madison.magor@urbanpeak.org and share with us!
Peak Spotlight
Earlier this month, Urban Peak CEO Christina Carlson, Mayor Michael Hancock and other city leaders in the fight against homelessness gathered at the Volunteers of America Family Motel for an exciting announcement: the City and County of Denver is investing $37 million into homeless housing initiatives, including $16 million in funds for the construction of our new facility capital project at the site of our current Shelter!
Urban Peak CEO Christina Carlson jokes with Dave Schunk, President and CEO of Volunteers of America Colorado. Photo by Evan Semon
Funded through General Obligation RISE Denver Bonds that were approved by Denver voters in November of 2021, this is a significant commitment for our new youth Shelter. The innovative model will provide Urban Peak youth with access to a full convergence of services – including shelter, transitional housing and supportive services – co-located under one roof. The new four-story building will provide a pathway for youth to find stability, develop independent living skills and ultimately move to long-term, independent housing.
We’re excited to break ground this fall and we continue to be humbled by Denver’s commitment to supporting people experiencing homelessness. Thank you, Denverites, for being the spark!
Partner Highlight
Urban Peak has been fortunate to work closely with the City and County of Denver for several decades, almost as long as we have existed as an organization.
Denver and Urban Peak have a shared vision for the city to address the root causes of homelessness, to provide support for the most vulnerable members of our community and to work to ensure that all Coloradans have access to safe housing, supportive relationships and the opportunity for self-sufficiency and success.
One of the most beneficial ways the city supports our mission is financially, through ballot initiatives as well as grants, bonds and subsidies. Every year, Urban Peak applies for and receives multiple grants from several subsidiaries within the City and County of Denver, including the Department of Housing Stability. Recently, we received a substantial investment in our upcoming capital project through voter-approved GO bonds (see Peak Spotlight for more details). And those are just a few of the avenues we receive support!
We couldn’t do our critical work to help youth exit homelessness without the continued partnership of the city we call home and the tireless efforts of many public servants with whom we have the privilege to work. A complex and systemic problem like homelessness can only be addressed across industries and institutions, from the highest levels of government all the way down to the streets that too many call home. We’re grateful that the City and County of Denver recognizes this need and is fully invested in working with us to eradicate youth homelessness.
Youth Spotlight
Shilas has been hard at work on his education goals since arriving at the Shelter. Due to circumstances out of his control, he was having difficulty getting into a traditional high school and was starting to lose motivation in pursuing his diploma. After consulting with our education team about his options, however, Shilas decided to try an official GED practice test to see where he would score and ended up scoring significantly higher than passing. Using that motivation, he passed four additional GED practice tests in two days and decided he was ready to take the full GED test.
In just over one week, he passed all four GED tests and has already received his diploma! With his GED, Shilas plans on pursuing culinary school with the hope of working in the restaurant industry one day. Without his strong drive to move past previous frustration with his education and use it as motivation in achieving his goals, none of this would have been possible. You rock, Shilas!
