DENVER — Mutual Aid Monday, Friends of SoDen, and Housekeys Action Network Denver are coming together earlier than expected to collect cold weather gear for people experiencing homelessness.
Campaign 5280 was supposed to start Nov. 6, but their mission to collect 5,280 winter survival items started early because of the cold weather over the weekend. The advocacy groups are collecting tents, tarps, sleeping bags, blankets, coats, gloves, hand and foot warmers, and more for people experiencing homelessness.
The October snow and fast drop in temperature made things especially tough for people like Anthony Jones, who is staying in a tent near 18th and Marion.
“My tent -- really it was nice, then all the sudden, the snow, and it got wet and you wouldn’t even be able to tell it’s my tent now,” Jones said.
Kimberly Miller with Mutual Aid Monday volunteers to bring hot food to people experiencing homelessness. Her newest mission is to bring winter survival gear.
“We really need things like parkas, any adult warm weather clothes, socks, gloves, hats, sleeping bags, comforters, tents, and then also really actually money so that we can buy heaters and propane,” Miller said.
“They’re not luxuries at all,” Jones said.
That’s where Campaign 5280 comes in.
“We pushed it up,” Miller said. “This isn’t going to be, obviously, the first cold weather event and snowstorm event that we will have in our beautiful city.”
With very little time to prepare, the advocacy groups have only collected a few things so far.
“Blankets, I had a tent, I had a sleeping bag,” volunteer Melissa Clark said.
It all went quick.
“Super fast. I didn’t make it down the line with the bin of stuff,” Clark said.
Anyone can drop off cold weather survival gear on any Monday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the intersection of 14th and Bannock.
If you want to schedule a drop-off or pickup, you can get in touch with Housekeys Action Network Denver to coordinate.
Collecting donations earlier for Campaign 5280 is one of many plans that have shifted because of this weekend’s cold. Denver activated their Cold Weather Shelter Plan for the first time this season Saturday night at the Denver Coliseum and at a Best Western the city bought to turn into a shelter.
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