In 1986, the city of Denver had an especially cold winter. The city reached out to a variety of organizations, asking help for sheltering homeless people during these cold nights. The congregation of Central Presbyterian Church answered the call.
Not only did they shelter the homeless during that winter, but subsequently took on the mission of providing safe space for the unhoused men of Denver all year round. In the early ’90s, seeking access to additional outside funding, Central transitioned the shelter to function as a non-profit organization.
Over the years the shelter has been called by several names: Central Shelter; New Genesis; and now Heartbeat Denver Working Men’s Program. But its basic mission has remained the same:
To help men transition out of homelessness into a self-sufficient, independent lifestyle, so they may become productive citizens. In addition, to help men transition from Incarceration and work towards a law-abiding lifestyle of self-sufficiency.
Heartbeat Denver lives out that mission by providing a Safe, Clean and Sober environment.
This shelter has continuously operated in the lower level of Central Presbyterian since 1986, celebrating two years as Heartbeat Denver in February 2025.
In the very trying circumstances during and immediately following the COVID-19 pandemic, the shelter — at that time known as New Genesis — fell on financial hard times. In February 2023 the shelter emerged, re-energized, with a new name, new management and a renewed commitment to help the unhoused men of Denver.
In 2024 we started doing business as Heartbeat Denver Working Men’s PROGRAM. This slight change was done to reflect our new emphasis. Although we still provide shelter to those who need it … too many men were being directed here with the expectation that we would admit anyone who needed shelter. Although we take in the majority of those who come here, we reserve the right to test for drugs and alcohol and reject those who fail the test.