Wow, I am really excited about the project that we are doing with/for The Gathering Place (TGP) this semester. I live in a transitional living facility called Joshua Station and I have known about TGP for a little over a year now. I was once homeless and was given the name of TGP but never made it over there to get any help. Now I am sorry that I didn't take advantage of all the services they provide there, but glad to know that if I am ever in that position again, I will know where to go to get help.
They provide a myriad of resources to anyone that comes through their doors. Their target population is women and children. They are the only daytime drop-in center for women and children in the Denver area. What you may not know is that people who are living in homeless shelters are allowed to stay the night inside, but during the day they are put out on the street and not allowed to return until usually dinnertime. If you are a man it is one thing to be outside all day on the street, but if you are a woman with, for example, 2 toddlers or a baby this is a whole different reality. TGP has stepped up to fill this gap, but they do so much more than that. They understand the reality of homelessness and the basic facts of life, such as if you don't have food or diapers for your children, you are less likely to be motivated to look for work. If you don't have access to a computer or know how to use one, you are less likely to be capable of finding the resources that you need to better yourself in life. At TGP they have a computer lab that is available to all of their clients, regardless of their abilities or resources. They provide a nutritious breakfast and lunch including fruit and vegetables and salad and milk to all who need it. They have also just started providing a late afternoon snack to get their clients through from lunch to dinner. They have a food pantry and toiletries that are available to all patrons as needed. But these are not the only services provided to clients, also available are GED training, help and testing, an on-site Denver Human Services liason that processes foodstamp and welfare applications, as well as things that enrich the minds of their clients like a shop where clients can create home-made greeting cards and do art projects. These are only a few of the services provided, there are also many more and if you are curious about what else they offer please feel free to check out their website at http://www.tgpdenver.org/.
I really enjoyed the presentation Justine made for her organization in the panel in our classroom and I have only grown fonder of her as I have spent more time with her. Last Friday all 6 of the students who are doing service learning with TGP met up there and spent several hours touring and learning more about their mission. So it was really nice to meet the other students who have committed to helping this semester, everyone got along great and was really enthusiastic about making sure to bring Justine's vision to fruition. Basically what we are going to accomplish is that we are going to figure out how to allow the patrons of TGP the opportunities that most upper or middle class families take for granted, such as trips to The Denver Zoo or The Children's Museum. Most children have been to these places and it's hard to imagine but people who are economically and socially struggling to survive, don't even think about taking their children to places like these. Or if they do think about it, they are not able to accomplish it because they don't have the resources to pay for admission, or they don't have transportation, or they can get in the door but then they can't afford to eat once they are there. So this is a very discouraging situation for a mother to be in. She wants the best for her children but is unable to provide for them the same opportunities that many of their peers are afforded. We intend to close this gap. Our mission is to approach these cultural institutions and find a way to make it possible for these mothers and children to spend a day at the zoo, or to visit the botanical gardens and enjoy their day just as much as any other family they run into there. To be treated as equals and not be ashamed of their economic circumstances. It is not the fault of the children that their mother may be economically disadvantaged and it is certainly the responsibility of the society at large to ensure that all children are given an equal chance to learn and thrive. In part the ability to thrive is determined by the experiences shared between people, and by providing these cultural experiences to these children who otherwise would not have them, we are doing something that will lead to the betterment of society in general. I think I speak for the rest of my group when I say that we are stoked to be a part of this project and we can't wait until we can deliver the good news to Justine and Kathy at TGP that WE DID IT!
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