
One of the most exciting events of the year was the groundbreaking of the new Theodora Family Hotel.
The ceremony was attended by many of our wonderful volunteers and donors, as well as Denver Mayor Johnston, our partners at the Department of Housing Stability, our board chair Glenn Rippey, and representatives from the City and County of Denver.
The Theodora Family Hotel will allow us to serve families in greater numbers, in an improved facility, and offer more services. By the time this Hotel is complete, we will be able to house 60 families and veterans.
There are many unique features to the hotel, not the least of which is that it is a state-of-the-art trauma-informed space. It will include all of VOA Colorado’s services, all of which go beyond what some call a hand-out. The services residents of the Hotel will have access to are holistic and touch on all aspects of life.
This Hotel is an example of VOA Colorado’s mission in action and a testament to our investment in the lives of families and veterans in our community who need help and support.
That support is more important now than ever before. With too many people in our community experiencing food insecurity and homelessness – families, seniors, veterans, children – we cannot stop our efforts. Our work is not done, and the Theodora Family Hotel is just one of many programs and services that provide the life skills necessary to help end the cycle of food insecurity and homelessness in Colorado.
Other Family Housing Programs include the Shelter into Rapid Rehousing initiative. The goal of the program, as described by case manager Jeremy Miles, is to “take on families, while collaborating with other organizations such as the Denver Human Services, and provide them safety, support, resources, and the time to grow and become stable.”
For Tosha, a mom of four young children, the Shelter into Rapid Rehousing program was the fresh start and “the bridge” that she and her family needed. She and her family lived in the VOA Family Motel for several months, invaluable time that allowed her to find a job, settle her older children into school, and begin to rebuild her life. Supported by Jeremy and his team, Tosha “worked the program,” received consistent case management, and eventually received vouchers through the Denver Housing Authority for an apartment.
“I had someone I could call any time,” she says. “I needed time and I needed someone to help me with the system. VOA of Colorado did that for me. Today, my kids and I are in permanent and stable housing.
“The first night in our new home, we slept peacefully,” Tosha says. “No one was scared, we were together. When I look at where we were last year and where are we now, it’s amazing! It feels like home.”
Learn More
- VOA Colorado, Denver break ground on 5-story shelter for veterans, families
- Denver facility that serves families, veterans experiencing homelessness to expand
- Volunteers of America: Needs of people living on Colorado streets growing
- Denver breaks ground on new family shelter on West Colfax Avenue near Sloan’s Lake