The Delores Project

THE DELORES PROJECT PROVIDES SAFE, COMFORTABLE SHELTER AND PERSONALIZED SERVICES FOR UNACCOMPANIED WOMEN AND TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS BY ADVOCATING FOR HOUSING SOLUTIONS.

THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES LOW-BARRIER, HOUSING-FOCUSED SHELTER SERVICES IN A 50 BED FACILITY. SHELTER GUESTS RECEIVE CASE MANAGEMENT BASED ON A HOUSING-FIRST MODEL WITH SUPPORT FROM A HOUSING NAVIGATOR TO ASSIST THE GUEST IN SECURING APPROPRIATE, LONG-TERM HOUSING. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES REHOUSED INDIVIDUALS WITH AT LEAST 12 MONTHS OF CONTINUED CARE CASE MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING SEVERAL MONTHS OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDES 35 ONE-BEDROOM SUPPORTIVE HOUSING UNITS WITH ON-SITE WRAP AROUND SERVICES TO ENSURE SUCCESS IN HOUSING RETENTION AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY. FISCAL YEAR 2023 USHERED IN AN ONGOING TRANSITION OUT OF THE SURVIVAL MODE OF THE PAST TWO FISCAL YEARS AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. ACROSS OUR PROGRAMS, STAFF AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE ABLE TO FULLY GATHER AGAIN AND OUR FOCUS ON COMMUNITY-BUILDING RETURNED TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS.THE MOST EXCITING ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSITION OF FISCAL YEAR 2023 WAS THE LAUNCH OF OUR NEW BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS TEAM WHICH WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY SUPPORT FROM COLORADO'S OFFICE OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND THE CARING FOR DENVER FOUNDATION. COLLECTIVELY THIS NEW TEAM PROVIDES ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING, GROUP PROGRAMMING, TELEHEALTH AND CONNECTION TO MEDICAL CASE MANAGEMENT AND PSYCHIATRY FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN OUR SHELTER, SUPPORTIVE HOUSING, AND CONTINUED CARE PROGRAMS. HOMELESSNESS IS OFTEN THE RESULT OF TRAUMA AND ALWAYS THE CAUSE OF IT AND WE HAVE KNOWN SINCE OUR FOUNDING THAT INCREASED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT IS A GREAT NEED AMONG THE COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WE SERVE. TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THIS TYPE OF WRAP-AROUND SUPPORT ON-SITE MEETS A DESPERATE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND CONTRIBUTES TOWARDS GREATER STABILITY AND PERMANENT RESOLUTION OF HOMELESSNESS FOR THOSE WE SERVE. PRESENT DURING DAY, EVENING, AND WEEKEND HOURS, THIS TEAM PROVIDES AN ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR NOT ONLY THOSE WE SERVE BUT FOR OUR FRONT-LINE STAFF MEMBERS.FINANCIALLY, FISCAL YEAR 2023 WAS A CHALLENGING YEAR, WITH SEVERAL PAST FUNDING SOURCES NO LONGER AVAILABLE OR CHANGING THEIR PRIORITIES AWAY FROM SHELTER AND REHOUSING. WITH THE ONBOARDING OF A NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND AN ENTIRELY NEW DEVELOPMENT TEAM DURING THE YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION IS MINDFULLY STRATEGIZING MORE FISCALLY RELIABLE SOURCES OF FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE ONGOING SUCCESS AND IMPACT OF OUR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES. IN ADDITION, FISCAL YEAR 2023 ALSO INCLUDED THE START OF A NEW STRATEGIC PLANNING FOCUS WHICH HAS BEEN INCLUSIVE OF STAFF AT ALL LEVELS OF THE ORGANIZATION, GUESTS AND RESIDENTS, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND FUNDERS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO FINALIZING THIS WORK AND OUR VISION FOR A MORE IMPACTFUL PATH FORWARD IN THE COMING FISCAL YEAR.AS ALWAYS, THE WORK WE DO IN HELPING OUR UNHOUSED NEIGHBORS TRANSITION INTO PERMANENT HOUSING WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE SKILL AND DEDICATION AND TEAMWORK OF OUR STAFF AT EVERY LEVEL AND POSITION OF THE ORGANIZATION. WE LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR AND CONTINUING TO POSITIVELY IMPACT THE DENVER COMMUNITY AND LIVES OF THOSE WE SERVE AND INVITING EVEN MORE PARTNERS ALONG WITH US AS WE ENACT OUR VISION OF ALL PEOPLE HAVING THE COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT AND HOUSING STABILITY THEY NEED TO REACH THEIR POTENTIAL.ONWARD!