DENVER — Every moment living outside is a moment of survival, and every Monday, Kelsang Virya helps people meet their basic needs through Mutual Aid Monday.
“Yeah, eat up. Take some for later," Kelsang encouraged someone with a full plate of food.
But this Monday, Kelsang helps to meet a need that's often forgotten for people like Sara, who calls herself "front door deficient."
“I don’t even know what’s happening. This is as girly as I've been in I don’t know how long. It’s very strange," Sara said as she got a manicure.
This Monday was a spa day for people experiencing homelessness, with facials, foot scrubs and manicures.
"I'm just used to going and taking care of everybody else, so when it comes to me it’s very hard to stop for a minute and breathe and let somebody do something for me," Sara said.
On the other side of the table, Ryan, who just came across Mutual Aid Monday while walking by, said he struggles to let his guard down knowing his stuff often gets stolen.
"There’s so many obstacles to just doing anything when you’re in a homeless situation," Ryan said. "Probably about a year honestly, that I actually had a good time or really been able to relax. It’s been about a year."
So for one moment under the trees in Civic Center Park, survival comes second and community takes over.
"It is a family at the end of the day," Sara said. "Right, wrong, or indifferent, nobody goes without."
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