DENVER, Colorado — Newly arriving migrants who have nowhere to go can turn to a church in Denver's Sunnyside neighborhood who will offer them a place to sleep and a warm meal on nights when the temperature drops below freezing.
Denver Friends Church began brainstorming ways to help in December as migrants created encampments in areas throughout the city. The encampment off of Zuni Street grew to more than 300 people before it was swept by the city last week.
"When we found out about the situation, we just kept asking, 'What are we supposed to do?'" said Keith Reeser, senior pastor at Denver Friends Church. "I’m reminded that at one time, all of us were foreigners, and someone gave us a shot, someone gave us a chance."
The church has since held three town halls with the community to find solutions and plan ways to help the growing migrant population in Denver.
The church landed on a solution not yet offered by others in the area: an overnight, emergency shelter.
The church plans to open its gymnasium to migrants from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. every night the weather is below 32 degrees. The church also plans to open when there is an impending snow storm of three inches or more.
"The reality is that’s now probably through the end of March," said Reeser.
Reeser and his team worked with the city to make the arrangements. Cots and blankets were also provided by the city.
The fire department confirmed the space was up to code. Without a sprinkler system, the gym can only shelter 29 people per night.
Besides the overnight arrangement, migrants will be given a dinner when they arrive and a to-go breakfast when they leave.
"It’s a small drop in the bucket because there is so many more people, but it’s a start," said Reeser. "I think at the end of the day, they will think to themselves, 'I finally got to start over. I got my first try at life,' and I think we can be a part of that."
The biggest obstacles to operations are volunteers and finances. The church is looking for additional volunteers to make sure there are enough people to prep the space every night, staff it overnight and do clean-up afterwards. Volunteers will be on a rotation based on days identified when they can help. The church hopes more people will step up so that volunteers will not become overtaxed or exhausted by offering a hand in the shelter.
"We are delighted at the fact that we can serve this community in a way like this because I know this community is struggling and this is a humanitarian crisis," said Reeser.
Each night the shelter is open, the operational costs are estimated to be $500. The church is asking for additional volunteers as well as financial donations to keep the shelter operational.
You can donate by clicking here and submitting donations under the 'Venezuelan Migrant Ministry' category. Donations sent in this category, Reeser says, will solely be used for the shelter and as an aid fund to help migrants. If you would like to volunteer, click here.
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