Samaritan House Women's Emergency Shelter, Denver

WHO WE ARE:

Samaritan House Women's Emergency Shelter opened in October 2017 to meet the needs of the increasing number of women experiencing homelessness in Denver. The facility offers emergency overnight services for single women. Samaritan House 48th, which opened in July 2021, doubled our capacity to serve women. The pandemic and economy have left even more women needing safe shelter and we are growing and expanding to meet the ever-changing and increasing needs of the neighbors who rely on us every day.

We operate with a "hand up" rather than a "hand out" approach, fostering long-term goals that encourage independence for our clients. Our goal is for residents to regain their own self-sufficiency.

*All Samaritan House gifts $100+ are eligible for a 25% tax credit through the Colorado Homeless Contribution Tax Credit.

Statistics according to our 23/24 fiscal year:
• 585,000 meals prepared by Samaritan House in Denver
• 225,000 nights of shelter at all Samaritan House locations in Denver

THE IMPACT OF YOUR GIFT:

A transformative project aimed at providing a sense of community and security to 271 women at Samaritan House 48th just reached the finish line. The project, featuring innovative private spaces known as Domes, stands as a pioneering endeavor, representing one of the first of its kind in the country. These meticulously crafted Domes were conceptualized and built with the primary goal of offering a more dignified living environment for individuals seeking refuge and support within the congregate space.

To celebrate the final installation of Domes, our team invited the community to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony and blessing late last month. Our Catholic Charities Chaplain, Father Barnabas, prayed and sprinkled holy water over the 70 new Domes to prepare them for participants.

Jeff Kositsky, Deputy Director of Homelessness Resolution and Housing Stability at HOST, emphasized the profound impact of the project. “These Domes are more than just walls, they are containers for humanity. They offer each person a chance to have a place to call their own, even if only for a little while.” The sentiment underscores our Catholic values to serve the vulnerable across Northern Colorado with love and respect, creating pathways out of poverty. “You know, I have a sense of privacy now. You have a place to store your belongings. I have a place to store my belongings. I have an outlet to plug in my phone and medical equipment. We also have a place to put our wheelchairs. It’s almost like a little tiny home, which is my dream home by the way,” said Carole Chambers, one of the recipients of these Domes.

The completion of this project represents a significant milestone at Catholic Charities to provide compassionate and effective support to the whole person. The design and construction of the Domes reflect a commitment to fostering a sense of belonging and security, which in turn makes the participants feel a little more at home. In a recent survey done at Samaritan House, conflicts are down 60% because of the Domes. These essential elements are a small step in the journey towards stability and empowerment for the residents of our entire Samaritan House community.

*Samaritan House Women's Emergency Shelter is a ministry of Catholic Charities of Denver*

Completed Dome Sleep Pods 

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony