According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, “more than half of Americans live paycheck to paycheck and one crisis away from homelessness.”

Most people who are unhoused have experienced this phenomenon first-hand or through other unfortunate circumstances.

This is a prominent issue, especially in high-population cities like Denver and Boulder, Colorado. Though our local politicians in Colorado, such as the mayor of Denver, Mike Johnston, often promise change within this issue, there are still many acts of service that we as a community can do in order to help those who are being affected.

Oftentimes, “safe havens,” such as shelters, require those in need of security to be clean from all substances. This can be an unrealistic expectation for those living without stable housing. Everyone in the world has their vices to get through the day; who are we to judge those in vulnerable positions and how they choose to overcome their personal obstacles? Instead of judging individuals for how they cope, why not provide safety, resources, and encourage rehabilitation instead?

The Sweetheart Foundation’s top priority is to provide resources and assistance directly to those in need. Our protocol is to assemble packages for those waiting outside of shelters or in areas with heavy populations of people who are experiencing homelessness. These packages most often consist of materials such as water, nonperishable food, hygiene/menstrual products, sunscreen, gloves, socks, and Naloxone (better known as Narcan: an emergency medication used for suspected opioid overdoses).

Though our foundation cannot provide a permanent solution for those in this vulnerable position, we do our best to supply temporary fixes in hopes of making people as comfortable as we can at that time.