Gilmore Construction, JLThompson Dance Ensemble Ministry and Media Salad are working together to warm up the homeless this fall with your unwanted cold weather clothing.

We are looking for gently-used clothing donations (socks, shoes, coats, sweaters, pants for all sizes for men, women and children donated in separate bags)  for the fall to distribute to three very important organizations that serve Denver’s homeless: The Crossing, Urban Peak, and The Gathering Place.

We want to drop donations off to these facilities before the first snow, so we are looking at Oct. 31 as the last day we will collect items.  Items can be brought to Gilmore Construction (4949 Ironton St., Denver, CO 80239) and we will store them for delivery.  Thank you for your help.

Urban Peak is a non-profit organization founded in 1988 that is the only organization providing a full range of services for youth ages 15-24 experiencing homelessness or at imminent risk of becoming homeless. Urban Peak’s goal is to provide the youth with whatever assistance and support they need whatever state they are in at the time to become self-sufficient or to get what they need to exit a life on the streets. Anyone who knows the fall and winter can be bitterly cold can understand the need for Urban Peak to be able to give some bit of warmth and comfort in the form of your unwanted warm clothing as they try to move forward into a better future.

The Crossing is a residential community that provides long-term rehabilitation and transitional housing to people and families who want self-sufficiency and to contribute to the community that was established and is run by the Denver Rescue Mission, which provides daily services to the homeless in Denver. The outreach center at 6090 Smith Road has 149 living units for nearly 500 participants in the Mission’s New Life Program, Post-Graduate Program, STAR Transitional Housing Program and Respite Programs. Comfortable and warm winter wear for these people seeking a life out of the darkness means one less thing they have to worry about.

The Gathering Place is the only center in Denver where women, children and trans individuals experiencing poverty or homelessness can drop in and get a wide range of services, including but not limited to daily warm meals, emergency food, clothing, hygiene products, baby supplies, laundry machines, nap rooms, showers and lockers, as well as GED preparation, job readiness programs and a computer lab. Children are especially vulnerable to catching illness and other consequences of being exposed to the cold, so making sure they have warm wear to cover them up from head to toe means lifting one more worry from these struggling mothers.