METROPOLITAN DENVER HOMELESS INITIATIVE

METROPOLITAN DENVER HOMELESS INITIATIVE
A quarterly newsletter brought to you by MDHI
VOL. 1, ISSUE 2
SECOND QUARTER 2014
The mission of Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative (MDHI) is to implement a comprehensive homeless housing and service
continuum of care (CoC) system in the seven county metropolitan region .
Highlights
 Thank you to Housing & Homeless Funders Collaborative for $35,000 grant
 MDHI will be moving to the new Mile High United Way building at 711 Park Avenue West in Denver by September 2014
 AmeriCorps Vista grant awarded to MDHI for seven full-time VISTA members to assist in expanding local and regional capacity
Upcoming Events
 Annual CoC stakeholder meeting is scheduled for October 2014, stay tuned for further details
 MDHI is recruiting new board members. Online application found here.
State of Homelessness Report
Downward trend in veteran homelessness continues according to 2014 PIT count.
MDHI released the 2014 State of Homelessness Report which includes Point-In-Time findings. This report is unique where you will
also find:
 Analysis of PIT information (separated by homeless and at-risk populations)
 Collection of expert articles on various sub-populations and underlying causes
 Personal narratives from those who have experienced homelessness
Thank you to all of the contributors in developing this report!
Please follow the link to view full report.: www.mdhi.org
Peer Navigator Project
The Peer Navigator project aims to help those who are experiencing chronic homelessness by employing formerly homeless individuals
to help them secure housing and receive support services.
Project Objectives:
 Assist individuals and families to become housing ready
 Elevate the voices of those in need to inform policies and practices
 Broaden collaboration between agencies and systems
Partner Agencies:
Bridge House, Our Center, St. Francis Center, Volunteers of America, The Gathering Place and Urban Peak.
Foundation Partner: The Denver Foundation
“This is a prime example of the continuum working in collaboration for a common goal.” — Anne Olsen, MDHI Intern who assisted with
launch of the Project
Coordinated Assessment & Housing Placement System
Getting the right services to the right person at the right time
The Denver Metro region has committed to housing 100 chronically homeless individuals and veterans over the next 100 days using a
coordinated assessment and housing placement system. This regional system aims to more efficiently assess, assist and match
individuals experiencing homelessness with the most appropriate housing intervention that meets their needs.
What is the Coordinated Assessment & Housing Placement System?
A system which assesses & identifies the housing and support needs of those experiencing homelessness, targets outreach and
housing navigation for those most in need and matches the right level of service and/or housing intervention.
Find out more at their website: www.25cities.com
Gary Sanford—Executive Director
Rebecca Mayer—Program Coordinator
Joe Baker—Data Coordinator
Interns: Anne Olson, Amanda Trujillo, Guyia Morris
Metropolitan Denver Homeless Initiative
2505 18th St, Denver, CO 80211
www.mdhi.org 303-561-2193 Twitter: @M_D_H_I
Special thanks to our investors and partners:
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck - City and County of Denver
Mile High United Way - The Denver Foundation - State of Colorado
Housing and Homeless Funders Collaborative - US Department of Veteran Affairs
US Department of Housing and Urban Development