So many times during my years in the homeless community and since, I have heard the negative comments about many of the providers in Denver. In reality, it's not all bad. We are all human, though, so there will be some bad experiences.

I've had several good experiences though. The one I'll share now happened at the Denver Rescue Mission's Lawrence Shelter in 2011

The Lawrence shelter is commonly referred to as an emergency shelter. As such, the men who sleep there are required to strip their beds and turn their sheets in each morning. This is because the beds are occupied by different people each night.

One morning, after texting my wife and doing a few other things with my cell phone, I got up and started preparing for the day. At some point I stripped the bed and put the sheets in a rolling laundry bin. It would later be rolled to the freight elevator and taken to the laundry room in the basement. I proceeded to gather my belongings, preparing to vacate the dorm.

At some point I realized my cell phone was not in my pants pocket that I usually kept it in. I checked all the pockets of my coat and pants. I rummaged through every compartment of my backpack. The cell phone was not in my possession any longer.

I began to think about when I last remembered having it, and what I had done since that moment. I realized I hadn't touched my cell phone since I was texting in bed. And the bed was stripped!

I found one of the program guys (who work there while completing a transitional rehab program) and told him what my phone looked like. I told him that whoever was doing laundry would find it wrapped up in the sheets. He said he would notify the laundry personnel. I wasn't sure if I would ever see my phone again. Even if they found it, would they be honest and return it? And would it be found before or after it went through the wash? I didn't expect to hear anything about my phone until later that day when I returned for the night.

I left the dorm a few minutes later. I routinely had breakfast at the shelter back then, so I went to the main chapel area on the main floor to wait. It would be a half hour before breakfast would be served. The chapel areas are used as a waiting area during the day for meals.

I had barely even sat down when the same person I'd talked to upstairs called out to me. I walked over to him and he handed me my phone.

"Holy crap," I said. "It's been found already!"
"Yep," he said.
Well, thanks," I said. This is awesome."

I found out that evening from one of the staff members that the person I had talked to and two other program guys had decided to look through every laundry bin until they found my phone. They stopped what they were doing and did this as soon as they heard about my misplaced phone. I was told that they didn't want to be recognized or rewarded in any way. "They did what they felt in their hearts was the right thing," is what I was told. 

To me, that was pretty awesome.

Sitting at The Gathering Place with other homeless women, I'm so scared all the time now.  "Russ" threw me out on Thursday.  Went to my son's house, he put me in the truck, stayed one night, froze my butt off.  Took shelter at 1340 Elati in Women's Shelter.  I've seen women much worse off than me.  I can handle it.

Second day at The Gathering Place. I've cried two times today.  Met a woman that gave me a number for a place to live.  Left a message and maybe.  Hoping that I get a call back.  Being homeless sucks.  I don't ever want that for me again.  I've met so many interesting people in the last week.  I always looked down on homeless people, but now have a new respect for them.  It's not their fault they are homeless, it's the circumstances of this world.  I just met two ladies that have taken me under their wings and are showing me the ropes.

Writing this down helps to keep me in perspective.  I don't want to give in to despair.  I am doing ok so far.  I wanted adventure in my life just not this.

Saturday here I sit at St. Francis Shelter.  The stench is horrible (so many unwashed bodies in here).  One week homeless it feels like a year.  I just want to go home and sleep next to Russ tonight.  I'll be good.  I've learned a lot about street living from Pearl and her daughter Ronnie.  They keep me sane and going on, day after day.  Writing keeps me sane so I don't completely lose it.  Have class tomorrow at the Workforce Center till 1:00.

2-31-2014 Thank you ladies of the Montview Presbyterian Church.  You made all the difference.

3-31-2014 stayed all day at St. Francis.  Held a lottery to see if 20 women would go to a church to sleep tonight.  I didn't get in on the list, but was put on the wait list #4.  When they called the names of the women, 5 didn't show up.  Guess what I made it on the van.  So went to Montview Presbyterian  Church.  We were welcomed with hugs and hellos at the door.  The ladies of the church were so kind, and welcoming.  Dinner was served at tables with tablecloths and daffodils as centerpieces.  After dinner we went to the cellar to play pool and sing.  I lost at pool, but it was fun.  I opened up and actually had fun.  We do it again tomorrow, the lottery.  Hoping and praying I get picked again.  Oh well, that is for tomorrow.  I feel real good tonight, my belly is full and I'm tired.

4-3-2014 stayed at St. Barnabas it was a good experience.  Volunteers were very nice and caring to treat us with respect.  All in all it was a nice night.

It’s the first of the month and every once in a while a friend will ask me if I want to stay in a hotel with them for a couple days. They get an SSI check on the first of the month and I get my AND on the 3rd, so if it works out those first couple days, I’ll spring for the next two. It’s nice to sleep in a warm soft bed for a couple days, soak in a tub and space out on T.V. every once in a while. Keep in mind there are no strings attached to anyone that I stay with. I make that VERY clear from the beginning. 

So this time a friend of mine and I found ourselves pushing our buggies to the Ramada on Colfax. After check in, my friend told me I could hide my cart and all its contents behind the dumpster out back because he had stayed there before and that’s what he had done in the past with no issues or complaints from the hotel staff. I took my valuables up to the room and came downstairs to hide the rest of my belongings. Not a moment went by when the hotel butt-kisser on duty came outside and told me I had to move my cart somewhere else or they would throw it away. Naturally I was frustrated and wasn’t about to leave all my bedding outside the walls for someone to take, so I dragged everything else upstairs to our room. 

My friend and I had a relaxing couple of days and decided to check out because funds were running low and I needed to get to the shop and finish some work. I packed up all of my belongings on a hotel cart and found my empty buggy and proceeded to pack up my stuff and get the hell out of there. I hid my packed buggy for about five minutes to return the hotel key and when I came back outside to leave I heard a loud crash and a boom-boom coming from the dumpster area. I looked to see if my cart was gone and low and behold it was!!! I thought to myself, OMFG, they just threw my stuff away. 

I ran out back and saw three men hopping into a truck. I ran over to the dumpster and found my friend’s cart and the rest of his belongings inside the dumpster but my cart was nowhere to be found. I was very angry by this time and approached the men and asked them what the hell they did with my stuff. They started laughing and getting all aggressive and defensive about it and then I said, “Hey man, I was a paying customer for  two whole days in this overpriced piece of shit hotel and I was JUST checking out and about to leave!!! My buggy wasn’t abandoned and by belongings are NOT junk!! You didn’t have to throw my stuff away!” 

They told me they didn't want to see me or my friend around there anymore and told me my cart was behind the dumpster. Geez guys, thanks for the courtesy screw. I grabbed my stuff and left and was thinking to myself the entire time...wow, how pissed off would those guys be if anyone of them were in my shoes and someone decided to be a jerk like that and toss all of their possessions and warmth into the garbage? Guess what Ramada Inn on Colfax, this is my YELP and you suck as a hotel. I give you a one star rating and recommend to other people to find a better place to stay.