DENVER — When Gary Peters walked through the door of his new apartment and saw the likes of an HGTV-style reveal, the 76-year-old was mostly lost for words.
"I never in my life expected anything this wonderful," Peters said, choking up while slowly turning to look at all the people who made his new home possible.
It's been nearly a decade since Peters had his own home.
Most recently, after having a stroke, the Army veteran lived in Colorado Village Collaborative's Safe Outdoor Spaces. Before that, he set up a tent every night for seven years in downtown Denver.
“Basically I was camped out by myself because I was retired and didn’t want to spend the money on rent," Peters said.
He is proud that he had all the right gear, and knew how to survive year-round outside in Colorado.
But the constant threat of park rangers telling him to move, the takedown and setup of a camp, and the worry of his gear being stolen were tiresome, especially after his stroke.
“After I had the stroke, I don’t plan on next month or next week. It’s just every day for itself," Peters said.
Once he found his way into a Safe Outdoor Space, a regulated camping area with staff that connects residents to services, he started to work toward getting his Veterans Affairs benefits.
“There’s so much paperwork, and especially with the VA. I remember having to give Gary pep talks every time he had to resubmit his income verification multiple times," said Cuica Montoya, the Safe Outdoor Space Program Director.
Montoya likes to point out all the steps it takes to house the unhoused, so people understand the need to help connect people with those steps.
“Housing is one of those really small words that comes with a huge amount of baggage, steps, red tape, policies, all of the things that can feel very, very frustrating for folks that are already exhausted," she said.
After months of working through the paperwork, Peters received his benefits through the VA, which will help him pay for his new apartment.
Of course, after living outside for so long, he didn't have all the furnishings for a home -- other than his TV, which he likes to point out he got for a good deal.
The TV is in the living room, along with a couch, a recliner, a desk and even modern art on the wall.
“I think when you feel blessed, you should be a blessing to others, and it’s something we’re capable of doing and so we do," said Barrett Miller, one half of the duo that made sure Peters' apartment felt like a home.
Miller owns Checkmate Moving and Storage, and together with Scott Matthias, a real estate agent with RE/MAX Professionals, they formed the Colorado chapter of the nonprofit Knock Knock Angels.
“It was a way to reuse so many things that we, Scott and I, knew were just getting thrown away," Miller said.
Knock Knock Angels furnishes and decorates homes for people who have recently overcome homelessness, with a focus on veterans, single moms and seniors.
"This isn't surviving. This is living," Peters said, sitting on his new living room couch.
Since Safe Outdoor Spaces began 18 months ago, they've helped transition 100 people into stable housing.
Montoya said they will follow their folks for up to a year afterward.
Knock Knock Angels Colorado accepts donations through their Venmo, @KKACO, and they'll be hosting a gala on Sept. 9 at the Painted Hoof Ranch in Sedalia.
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