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Groundbreaking ceremony in Denver means more room for more men in recovery.
By Melissa McKewen
When Founder General William Booth gave the order to “do something” for people sleeping beneath the London Bridge, he could not conceived how far-reaching his command would become. More than 145 years later, The Salvation Army in Denver is still “doing something” for nearly 1,000 men, women and children housed each night throughout the year along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.
The Salvation Army has been active in Colorado since 1887 in meeting human needs without discrimination. The Denver Harbor Light Center stands as a beacon of hope to homeless men in search of a second chance at life. Assisting an average of 590 men in residence each year and enjoying a 73 percent success rate, the Denver Harbor Light Center is a vital part of Denver’s continuum of care for the homeless and the addicted.
The latest data on homelessness in the area supports the continuing and growing need for the programs and services offered through Harbor Light. To help meet this ever-growing need, The Army is expanding its current facility on Champa Street, in Denver, which currently houses 116 men a night.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion took place May 22. Speakers included Colonel David Hudson, Western Territory chief secretary; Bennie Milliner from Denver’s Road Home; and Harbor Light graduate Clark Willingham.
“Although the current facilities have served this program well, living accommodations for the men in residence are seriously outdated and in need of major improvement,” Divisional Commander Lt. Colonel Daniel Starrett said. “The expansion will provide us with a safe and modern residential complex that will allow us to not only continue our transitional housing programs and services for returning veterans, but also enhance our life skills training, job readiness, social/recreational activities, case management, individual and group counseling, family reunification, follow-up and aftercare services.”
The Salvation Army hopes that the new facility makes a positive statement about the programs offered. The building design will be flexible enough to accommodate changing client population and community needs that will demonstrate The Salvation Army’s commitment to a strong partnership with the City of Denver in helping to achieve the objectives of Denver’s Road Home.
All photos are by Melissa McKewen.
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