Wanted: A Job, A Paycheck. A Life!

You desperately want and need a job. Without that steady income, how are you going to get off the streets? And you know that, given a chance, you will prove your value to your employer. But it’s not easy. Maybe you recently (or not so recently) got out of prison or jail, and that is making your job search really challenging. Maybe for one reason or another you haven’t worked in a while, so employers are wary about hiring you. Or maybe your work skills are out of synch with the demands of today’s job market. And the jobs that used to be so plentiful--where are they? Help!!
    Here are some employment programs that might work for you. Unless otherwise indicated, they offer a full range of employment services, including individualized career planning, job search and basic computer skills training. They may also offer supportive services such as bus tickets and clothing assistance, and may have phones, computers, and fax machines for you to use. Why not check them out?

Bayaud Enterprises
Serving anyone facing barriers to employment, disabled, homeless, and most sexual offenders.
333 W Bayaud , 303-830-6885
M-F 8am-4:30pm
Call to schedule initial appointment.

Bud’s Warehouse 
One-year paid transitional home improvement thrift store employment and training program for individuals with significant barriers to employment.
4455 E 46th Ave, 303-296-3990
M-F 10am-5pm, Sat 9am-5pm
Complete online application at http://budswarehouse.org/about/employment-application/

DenUM
For everyone, including those with barriers to employment. 
1717 E Colfax, 303-350-5061
M/T/F 9am-3:30pm, W 9am-noon, 
Th 9am-5:30pm
To begin, attend employment orientation M/W 9am. (Space limited-arrive early)

DenverWorks
For anyone, especially those with barriers to employment, age 17 or older with documentation they can work in U.S./able to pass drug test. 
5725 E 39th Ave, 303-433-0300
M-Th 8:30am-3pm
Call x4101 to register for initial workshop (1st/3rd Wed of mo/8:30am-2pm)

Denver Workforce Centers
For everyone--call or come in for more information.
--1200 Federal Blvd (Human Services Bldg--1st floor), 720-944-1615
M-F 7:30am-4:30pm
--4685_Peoria_St, Ste 251, 720-865-4800
M-F 8am-4:30pm

The Empowerment Program
For women/transgendered individuals who are disadvantaged due to incarceration, poverty, homelessness, HIV/AIDS. 
1600 York St, 303-320-1989
M/T/Th/F 8:30am-5pm (closed noon-1) 
W 8:30am-noon
Call ext 202 to sign up for orientation (Weds at 1pm).

Goodwill’s Career Connection Centers
For everyone--call or come in for more information.
--5825 W 44th Ave, 303-412-4794
(call for hrs)
--2675 S Decatur St, 303-565-9531
(call for hrs)
--7125 Cherry Creek Dr N (center for refugees and immigrants), 720-424-0990
M-F 8am-4:30pm
--7797 E 36th Ave, 720-317-2237
M-F 9am-5pm

Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program
For homeless veterans with other than dishonorable discharge.
1200 Federal Blvd (Human Services Bldg, 1st floor), 720-944-3500
M-F 8am-4pm
Come in or call for more information.

Mi Casa Resource Center
--Career training in customer service, bank teller, and healthcare professions/
Entrepreneurial training/GED, computer training
At 360 Acoma St, 303-573-1302
M-Th 8am-6pm, F 8am-4:30pm
--Job search assistance/Computer use/
Evening business classes
At 3399 Holly St  (In Boys and Girls Club bldg), 303-388-8213
Call or come in for more information.

Open Door Ministries’ Open Door to Success program
5-week job readiness classroom instruction plus work detail
For everyone, especially low income and homeless people
1567 Marion St, 303-830-2201
(call for more info)

St Francis Employment Program
--General program for anyone who is homeless
--Training 2 Work 2 program for those age 18 or older, convicted as an adult and imprisoned under Federal or State, no sexual offense except prostitution, and enrolled in WRC/CC/ISP with release date within 9 months of enrollment.
1630 E 14th Ave, 303-813-0005
Call for info on how to begin.

Second Chance Center’s 
Training 2 Work 2 Program
For those age 18 or older, convicted as an adult and imprisoned under Federal or State, no sexual offense except prostitution, and enrolled in WRC/CC/ISP  with release date within 9 months of enrollment. 
9722 E 16th Ave, Aurora, 303-537-5838
M-TH 8:30am-4:30pm, Sat 10am-1pm (mentoring), closed Fridays
Come in or call for more information.

Sox Place Street to Stability Program
3 month screen printing job skills 
development program
2017 Lawrence St, 303-296-3412
T-F noon-4pm, Sat 11am-2pm
Come in for more information.

Urban Peak
Employment and Training Program/
ServSafe Food Handler and Customer Service training/GED program
For ages 15-24
2100 Stout St, 303-974-2928
M-F 8am-noon. Visit the center for more info and to get started.


Women’s Bean Project
9-month transitional paid employment in gourmet food and jewelry manufacturing
for women age 21 and up with a history of unemployment. 
3201 Curtis St, 303-292-1919
M-F 8am-4:30pm
 Come in to fill out an application.

Work Options for Women 
Culinary training program for women and men age18 and up who want to work in food service, able to lift up to 50 lbs and stand on feet for 7 hrs/day.
Earn up to $300/mo. while in program.
1200 Federal Blvd (Human Services Bldg), 720-944-3393
Call to sign up for orientation (held every Tues at 10am).

​We asked people who are dealing with the above-described dilemma how they manage.  
                           Here’s what a few people told us...

Cheri: I’d like to work but how can I find anything when I have to watch my things all the time so they don’t get stolen? My stuff has gotten stolen or thrown away so many times already. And then when your blankets and sleeping bags are gone, how are you going to sleep? How are you going to be ready to look for a job and to work in the morning? It just seems impossible. It’s hard to be a reliable worker and have a good work ethic when your morale is so low because of houselessness.

Lee: Sometimes I try to sleep near where I work but that doesn’t always work, because I do manual labor and I work up a sweat, so I need to take a shower. So I find a YMCA where I can get a membership for $25 a month, and I can take a shower there and also work out, so I can stay in shape and lift the heavy shit....But I only make about $160 a week, so that’s a lot of paychecks to save up even for a studio here, with rents being so high.

Chad: Crossroads [see below] helped me get off the street and on my feet. It’s a cheap place to stay while you get yourself established. Not having to wait in line helps a lot-- when you get out of work, you don’t want to wait three hours to get a bed. They got showers, which I kinda helped them fix cuz I’m a plumber. And they’ve got a locking drawer under the bed and a locker against the wall so you can keep your stuff safe while you work.

​    Here are two places that cater to working people--where, for a relatively small weekly fee, you can secure a bed and a place to keep your belongings while you work--without having to worry about standing in e-shelter lines every night or missing curfews because of your job.
    
  Crossroads, run by the Salvation Army, at 1901 29th St, 
         720-305- 4640--currently $59 a week (payable by money order).
    
  New Genesis, at 1680 Sherman St, 303-831-4910, is a program for
    working men where residents pay a small amount of rent (currently
     $63) for a dormitory bed, and participate in the upkeep of the facility
    as they work through the program’s three stages--orientation,
     residential, and mentoring. 

  Hey employers!! Want to find great workers? Call HIREDenver! 
  They work with many of the programs listed here and can help match you
  up with just the person you’re looking for! And in the process you can
  qualify for valuable tax breaks and other incentives!

         HIREDenver   720-636-3035   [email protected]