4 8 6 9 N o r t h B r o a d w a y , B o u l d e r , C O 8 0 3 0 4 • 3 0 3 . 4 4 2 . 4 6 4 6 • w w w . b o u l d e r s h e l t e r . o r g

N e w s l e t t e r o f t h e B o u l d e r S h e l t e r f o r t h e H o m e l e s s • S u m m e r 2 0 1 6

The homeless are all around us. And yet you could say they are a nation of strangers to most of us. Displaced. And often ignored, even discarded.

But this summer, because of your support, some at least are finding “welcome” here at the Shelter.

That welcome includes opportunity—and some requirements. Shelter summer residents succeed because they find a path to self-sufficiency through their requisite

buy-in to our summer environment, like sobriety, commitment to the case management relationship, and employment.

For the one who is willing, it takes motivation, honesty, realistic goals and dedication. But without the welcome you empower us to extend — the “come on in and give it a try” — there might not be the place or space to exercise responsibility, to invest the time, the energy and the effort required to accomplish new goals.

At the Shelter this summer you can be sure every smile, every conversation, and every moment will matter to someone. Our residents may come in as strangers but they will leave knowing their stories have been heard; they will gather their resources, use some of ours, take with them some tools, and move on.

Because you first welcomed them in.

H O S P I TA L I T Y T O T H E S T R A N G E R S A M O N G U SYou give us the energy and spirit big enough to continue “taking in and taking on”

“To offer hospitality to a stranger is to welcome something new, unfamiliar and unknown into our life-world…. Strangers have stories to tell which we have

never heard before, stories which can redirect our seeing and stimulate our imaginations. The stories invite us to view the world from a novel perspective.”

Thomas Ogletree, Hospitality to the Stranger

When we can, Shelter staff will take advantage of opportunities to tell each other how we’ve been able to welcome someone, give someone a little hope or even change someone’s life. A Shelter case manager recently wrote this note to his colleagues:

“Jack came to the Shelter one morning for Morning Services, and was having a mental health crisis. An observant and compassionate staff member—he is unsure who—connected him with Emergency Psychiatric Services. He was gradually stabilized, is sober now, and has entered First Step. Jack has a severe and persistent mental illness, a long history of alcohol abuse, and has been living on and off (mostly on) the streets in Denver for 30+ years. Helping Jack find stability and offering him opportunity is a prime example of the positive change in the world that we create with the work that we do. Thanks to all for your efforts.”

Morning Services: The Shelter is open each morning, year-round, to provide a hot breakfast, access to showers, and other limited services to those not staying overnight at the Shelter.

First Step beds are reserved for qualified clients who are on the wait-list for the Shelter’s year-round Transition Program and who meet sobriety and income requirements.

All the way through the summer, every night up to 90 people— each one committed to sobriety and each one working towards self-sufficiency—are residing in the Shelter. Many are part of our Transition Program, working with our case managers to find their own pathway to success.

When we can, Shelter staff will take advantage of opportunities to tell each other how we’ve been able to welcome someone, give someone a little hope or even change someone’s life. A Shelter case manager recently wrote this note to his colleagues:

“Jack came to the Shelter one morning for Morning Services, and was having a mental health crisis. An observant and compassionate staff member—he is unsure who—connected him with Emergency Psychiatric Services. He was gradually stabilized, is sober now, and has entered First Step. Jack has a severe and persistent mental illness, a long history of alcohol abuse, and has been living on and off (mostly on) the streets in Denver for 30+ years. Helping Jack find stability and offering him opportunity is a prime example of the positive change in the world that we create with the work that we do. Thanks to all for your efforts.”

Morning Services: The Shelter is open each morning, year-round, to provide a hot breakfast, access to showers, and other limited services to those not staying overnight at the Shelter.

First Step beds are reserved for qualified clients who are on the wait-list for the Shelter’s year-round Transition Program and who meet sobriety and income requirements.

All the way through the summer, every night up to 90 people— each one committed to sobriety and each one working towards self-sufficiency—are residing in the Shelter. Many are part of our Transition Program, working with our case managers to find their own pathway to success.

U n d e r O u r R o o fp a g e 2

BOARD OF DIREC TOR S

JEFF KAHN, PRESIDENTAttorney

ANN GETCHES, VICE-PRESIDENTRetired Business Owner

BETTY HOYE, TREASURERCPA and Realtor

JACK GIPPLE, SECRETARY/RECORDERPsychotherapist

RUTH CORNFELD BECKERAttorney

DARRELL BILLINGTONSecondary Educator, Fairview High School

JIM CARLSONCOO, Acustream Inc.

BENITA DURANProgram Director,

Denver Public Schools

MARK GOOSMAN

JEFF HOFFMEYERPastor

CATHERINE BEANDeveloper, Element Properties

MATT ROANDirector of Specialty Banking, EVP

Vectra Bank Colorado

ARDIE SEHULSTERRetired HUD Official

ADMINISTR ATIVE STAFF

GREG HARMSExecutive Director

MICHAEL BLOCKDirector, Programs

TRAVIS RAILEYDirector, Development & Marketing

MIKE RAUERDirector, Facilities

WAYNE AGRAZController

TIFFANY S.Manager, Volunteers

Manager, Grants

JANET M.Manager, Transitional Housing

CECILY W.Manager, Boulder County Cares

CHRIS BYRNEManager, Housing First

CAROLINE GOOSMANManager, Donor Outreach & Events

MARYBETH BANNONManager, Kitchen

DIRECTOR’S DIALOGUE

The first clause in the Shelter’s mission statement is “To provide safe shelter”. At the Shelter, safety is our number one priority; but it is a balancing act. If we have too few rules, the Shelter becomes unsafe for

clients, staff and volunteers. If we are too strict, many people who need assistance cannot access our services because they cannot meet the requirements. Finding the right balance of safety and accessibility is a perpetual conversation for us. A recent example of this safety conversation was the staff’s reexamination of its handling of hate speech. Almost since its inception, the Shelter has not tolerated derogatory or violent language. However, hate speech is a particular brand of inappropriate language that warranted specific review. As we looked at our rules around hate speech, the question came down to trying

to determine how much this language makes the Shelter a less safe place for certain, vulnerable populations. Comments about someone’s ethnicity, race or sexual orientation have long been forbidden at the Shelter but determining if these kinds of comments rise to the level of violent language was at issue. Ultimately, the Shelter staff decided that hate speech could be deemed as an actual threat in certain situations and the consequences for using such language were aligned with those who make threats of physical violence. For me, the most important part of this process was not that we found the right answer to this question but that we continue to challenge our understanding of what it means to “provide safe shelter.”

Greg Harms, Executive Director

33 years of service in our community.

The mission of the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless is to provide safe shelter, food, support services, and an avenue to self-sufficiency for homeless adults in our community.

Formerly this wall in the Boulder Shelter for the Homeless kitchen cried out for color and shine. Then a student from Boulder Country Day School dove into her Capstone Project with passion and produced this beautiful and meaningful work. Residents, volunteers, staff and Shelter visitors will delight in this for a very long time.

(You’ll have to come by and see it in person to appreciate the dazzling color.)

The reviews are in: “Stunning, meaningful, cheerful, hopeful, inspirat ional—well done!”

S u m m e r 2 0 1 6 p a g e 3

Summertime, winter prep...Meet our new ATV/snowplow! During the winter, many of our clients are able to get work with snow removal companies that can pay a fair wage. But to keep things safe (and legal) around here we’ve got to keep our own sidewalks clean and safe. So this snow plow really meets a genuine need for us. And the best part: One of our Shelter volunteers stepped up and helped us make this purchase. He knows that effective programs can depend on things as apparently mundane as this, and that his donation is actually financing the stories of hope and success we have to tell. Thanks to him, and to all our volunteers who generously invest their hearts, time, and, yes, even money to help us fulfill our mission.

Our residents do art! Welcome to our resident art wall—much of it produced at the PoshSplat art classes held regularly here at the Shelter. Uncovering hidden talent every week...

Annual Report The Shelter’s 2015 Annual Report is now on our website—and it's all about YOU! Take a look...www.bouldershelter.org

Thank You!Thank you to Dr. Richard A. Cross, Optometrist at Boulder Vision Associates, who four times a year offers a free eye exam and glasses for one of our residents. And, he’s been doing so since 2003!

[ staff profile ]

Amanda H. Facilities LeadWhy do you work at the Shelter?I work here so I can go home knowing that my time in this one life we get was put to good use! Being proactively compassionate is good for the soul—not to mention I fully stand behind what we do here.

What are your daily responsibilities?I’m the Facilities Lead, so my responsibilities are pretty varied. I take care of everything from picking up donations to running our Service Work program and double checking the daily shift paperwork. My favorite part of my work is being on the floor in the evenings and being able to get to know residents as well as keep the building safe. I am protective by nature so that aspect of the job speaks to me.

What exceptional challenges and opportunities have you discovered in your work here?I have had to learn how much sadness I can hold and when I have to walk away and take care of myself so I can keep helping. That is a hard thing to learn. The opportunities for personal growth through this work are endless, and for that I am so grateful!

What do you like to do for fun?Anything outside! I live in the mountains so I love nothing more than being in the woods or getting out in my kayak. I have a sidekick Labrador named Libby-Lou, who is my constant companion on my adventures. My partner and I are avid explorers of the National Park System. Our plan is to see them all!

U n d e r O u r R o o fp a g e 4

Thank You! Thank you to Ben & Jerry's Pearl Street for including the Shelter, Bridge House and Boulder Outreach for Homeless Overflow at Free Cone Day in April. And, of course, to the wonderful volunteers from all three organizations who cheerily scooped gallons of ice cream into hundreds of cones.

Bridge House Bridge House's Resource Center now operates out of the Shelter three days a week, providing effective and efficient access to services such as mental health, substance abuse and detoxification, benefit acquisition, assistance with obtaining ID, veterans services, employment preparation, training and education, and housing. All services are geared toward assisting our clients move towards self-sufficiency.

THANKS! Many thanks to our faithful friends from The Peanut Butter Club at Sunrise Senior Living of Boulder, who lovingly supply our residents with PB&J sandwiches throughout the year.

[ volunteer profile ]

Steph HeacoxHow long have you been volunteering at the Shelter and in which volunteer positions have you participated?Four plus years, I think. I began as a breakfast cook, moved up to breakfast kitchen lead, then added dinners to the mix.

What inspired you to volunteer at the Shelter?My old employer, Markit on Demand (formerly Wall St on Demand) had a team that did a weekly breakfast shift. It was coordinated by a colleague whose family had a catering business, and he had pretty much grown up in a commercial kitchen. He was a great kitchen lead and I learned a lot from him. Over time, as he and others left the company, they took on new positions that didn’t fit into the Shelter’s breakfast schedule, so they left the team. I stayed, and have had a range of team members since then, including a wonderful group of CU students who just graduated and are also moving on (sniff).

Has anything surprised you about volunteering at the Shelter? If so, what?On a personal level, I was surprised to discover how energizing it can be to work the early morning shift, which is an experience my team shares. You would think that folks would go home after shift and fall back into bed, but we’re all just jazzed when we leave.

At an institutional level, I was most surprised to learn how many Shelter residents are working–around 40%. That is a really significant number, and I don’t think that most people are aware of it.

On a community level, I was pleasantly surprised at the generosity of many of our local stores and producers; it affects which brands I buy.

What is your favorite story or interaction from your time volunteering at the Shelter?I am part of a cohousing community here in Boulder, and my role there is to coordinate our volunteer work in the larger Boulder community. Our most popular volunteer activity by far is cooking dinner at the Shelter, especially on New Year’s Eve, which is now an annual tradition. I have to turn community members away, as the kitchen can only hold so many . After dinner, we have a New Year’s party back at my place.

S u m m e r 2 0 1 6 p a g e 5

Curb Appeal This summer, we’re mulching our way to a better, low-maintenance landscape design, as you can see from this inside-out view of the Shelter’s prettier, healthier front yard.

Google Pastries Check out this sweeping array of “new-to-us” pastries that came to the Shelter kitchen one day, courtesy of our friends at Google. This made some people very happy! Thanks Boulder Googlers!

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage

PAID Boulder, CO

Permit No. 840

BOULDER SHELTER • for the Homeless •

4869 NORTH BROAdwAY BOULdER, CO 80304

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Our achievements are yours, THANKS TO YOUR SUPPORT!

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The Boulder Homeless Service Collaborative is a collective effort by the three local nonprofits that provide many of the services available to homeless adults in Boulder County. These agencies, Boulder Shelter, Bridge House and Boulder Outreach for Homeless Overflow (BOHO), have been working together for more than two years to improve the services delivered to those in need. The Collaborative continues to meet regularly to explore opportunities

to better integrate the services and operations. One result of these efforts has been the expansion of the Resource Center at the Shelter. Three mornings a week, Bridge House case managers meet with clients at the Shelter to assist with procuring ID’s, looking of employment and securing housing. These services are complementary to the programs the Shelter offers and gives clients one more option to pursue stability. Stay tuned as the Collaborative continues its work.