Help Provide Hope to the Homeless
Every day, over 1000 homeless youth, between the ages of 18-24, spend the night on the streets of Denver. Most have recently "aged out" of the foster care system and have nowhere to turn. Many are running away from parents with drug addictions or abusive home situations. Some are simply lost.
The statistics are staggering:
· 60-70% came out of the foster care system
· 30% are recruited for human trafficking within 48 hours of running away
· 32% have attempted suicide
· They are 75% more likely to drop out of school
· Many resort to “survival sex” for food, clothing, or a safe place to sleep.
· They often self-medicate with substances to deal with their trauma
The last statistic is incredibly poignant, because frequently it leads to a life tortured by substance abuse and broken relationships, which in turn continues the cycle of homelessness.
Consider this:
· What if a park bench was your only option for a bed tonight?
· What if a public restroom what the only place you had to clean up each morning?
· What if you had to look at a dumpster as a possible source of your next meal?
· How would you feel if people simply passed by you on the street as if you were not there?
· What if you had no place to safely store your few possessions so you could search for work?
· What if this were your child? Brother? Sister?
Providence Network has been helping provide hope and a pathway to self-sufficiency to the homeless, addicted and abused for 30 years. They have an incredibly successful track record based on a proven two- year program that provides transitional housing, job training and in-house counseling for those most in need. Then upon graduation, the resident can take the next step and move into apartment buildings that are occupied by past graduates, so they have a healthy, sober and intimate community of support among those with similar experiences. And the best news...most graduates find productive ways to return the favor by giving back to the same community that helped them in their time of need.
Please indulge me with one more staggering statistic: The city of Denver spends nearly $40,000 annually between police, jail/courts, emergency and health services, simply to maintain the lifestyle of a single homeless person. This is according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Again, depending on the size and location of your city, that number may even be larger.
Yet, at Providence Network, it costs only $6,000 annually per person to help them become a self-sufficient and productive member of our community. But, because there is a faith-based component to the recovery process (as there is with most successful rehabilitation programs), the government will not help support the mission, even though it is nearly 7 times more fiscally responsible and clearly more effective.
On September 14, Providence Network will hold their annual fundraiser, and I am honored to be their MC for the event. The theme is "Walk in My Shoes," and attendees will have the opportunity to experience a brief glimpse into the world of the homeless. Our goal is to raise $850,000. This is their largest goal ever. And for good reason. This year, they are extending their reach to the growing homeless youth population. The aim is to serve people earlier in their life experience, so they do not live a long life of despair.
Please visit Providencenetwork.org to learn more. And if it impacts your heart, as it does mine, please donate...any amount would be greatly appreciated. Help us give hope to those much less fortunate. You can also use the link below into your browser.
Thank you for listening and any support you can provide.
