Working Men’s Program

Our Program is based on what we believe are the fundamental pillars of success, proven through years of experience and successful outcomes within other organizations such as Step Denver, a close partner of ours.

1. Sobriety
2. Work
3. Accountability
4. Community

Our Program centers on the same fundamentals, but we are different in our approach and cast a wider net across the homeless population. Heartbeat Denver strives to keep more men off the street and out of the justice system, while providing a supportive environment for growth, sobriety and purpose.

There are many pieces to solving the puzzle of homelessness. It starts by recognizing that there is no one solution that fits all. Every person arrives from different directions to a homeless position.

1. Most arrive from addiction … drugs or alcohol
2. Some by circumstances … eviction, divorce or abuse
3. Others by mental health issues or crime and conviction

A successful outcome after being unhoused is to eventually have an independent lifestyle of sobriety, employment, purpose and community.

Our approach is to try and reach each individual where they are when they arrive at our door.

We treat everyone with respect and believe every man can better themselves with the right attitude and support. We will help anyone who wants to help themselves. We try to find out what goals they hope to achieve. It could be learning a skill for long term employment, simply staying sober, saving money for a car or independent housing … whatever it might be, we will help them develop a plan to reach these goals.

Orientation

When someone first enters the program, together we fill out an INPUT FORM, both for us and for HMIS (Homeless Management Information System).

We show them around and go over House Rules and Resident Responsibilities, assign a bed and a locker. We also give them a bin and bedding to use during their stay with us.

We discuss our program and talk about their situation and what their goals are.

We do an internal assessment of their status and how much support they need from us.

Do they have proper identification, such as a drivers’s license and/or a Social Security number? Do they have a cell phone? Do they have a job?

Why are they here? Do they have any addictions?

Sobriety is mandatory and employment is the next thing we focus on.

Employment

This is key to our clients’ long-term success. Some men come to us with a job, some come already working with a temp agency and many come with no job at all. Our goal is to get everyone a job … then a good job … and then a better job. In 2024 it was not difficult to find work for anyone willing to put in the effort to look. As long as an individual has proper identification and is without physical or mental limitations, Denver has many opportunities for good entry-level employment.

Once employed, we work with our partners to help clients get additional training to get jobs that provide a path for advancement and higher incomes. This is a big step and is harder for some than others. The educational background of some residents limit their opportunities and we work with them to get enough training in specific areas to find good jobs beyond minimum wage.

Besides our in-house employment services, we have three preferred partners to help our residents get to the level of better jobs: St. Francis Employment Services; Colorado Coalition for the Homeless; and Denver Works all provide excellent support for advanced employment opportunities.

Skills Training

Twice a week classes in learning important life skills are provided, that will help prepare the men for life beyond the Program. Classes include:

Transition

After the men have been here for an appropriate amount of time and completed much or all of the life skills training, we start talking very specifically about moving on from our Program.

Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound)

Creating a support network

Preparing for the next step

Discerning appropriate housing options

And finally. finding sustainable housing for them.

Interested In Joining Our Program?

Give us a call or send us an email to learn more.

• 
  Jose’s Journey of Hope
  Jose Gregorio Parada Hernandez traveled from Venezuela to the United States. He was given an opportunity for a life free from repression, fear and a lack of basic human rights.
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  A Wise Decision for Teddy
  Teddy Wise walked out of those prison gates for the last time. Being fed up of being fed up wasn’t a clíche to him anymore.