Summer 2022 Newsletter

2029 Larimer Street Denver, CO 80205

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 2495 DENVER, CO

StepDenver.org

INSIDE: YOUR IMPACT A report on what you made possible this year.

WHY I GIVE

“Just two years ago, I was evicted from my rental home. I had no car, no roof, and no job. I was drunk all hours of the day. I was dropped at a detox at 1 a.m. August 1, 2020.

“I had heard of Step on local radio in the past, during holiday fundraisers hosted by Mike Rosen. The stories I heard resonated with me, as I was a somewhat functional addict at the time. However, it was the season of Covid and along with Step, vacancies in rehab facilities were scarce. I knew I needed help, and the options were very limited.

"On the day I was going to have to leave the detox facility, I was told that Step had 10 beds available. I was on the payphone immediately and after a couple of conversations with Carter, I was allowed to check in to Step Denver. My life will never be the same.

“I didn't just find sobriety at Step, I found myself. I found long forgotten self-respect. I found a way to be a productive member of society and contribute to the general good of the community. I have witnessed miracles at Step, and seen men from ALL walks of life succeed.

Giving monthly in honor of Step Staff: “You helped me find the man I had lost.

I’m doing well enough now that I can start to give back.”

- Timothy H.

“Step is free to do this the way they know best in part because they rely on private, not government, funding. It is essential to the community at large that Step is well funded in this way.

“This is why I give to Step Denver - why I give back to Step Denver. So that these fine people may continue to offer men the tools they need to find, and put into practice, the inherent goodness in themselves.”

Jeffrey C.

How have you grown?

"It’s a complete reconstruction of myself.” – Step Resident, Matt H. Growth in all its forms, powered by you. We saw it in the lives of our men, in our capacity to be there for more who are ready, and in the continued improvement of the program itself. This year brought significant progress as you will see in the Impact Report. I hope you know that none of this would be possible without the support you have shown for Step and all the men who walked through our door over the past year – a record number. Together, you provided us the ability to not just serve more men but serve them well.

363 vehicles were donated. The sale proceeds funded facility operations, giving Step Residents a safe, structured place to call home. 3,395 people made monetary donations, giving our men all of the support, tools, and experiences they need to overcome addiction, build a strong foundation, and have lasting success.

Step grew through the expansion of the number of men served (a 40% increase from 2021), Sober Living Home additions (five just this past year), and staffing increases to coincide with the growth (two Recovery Support Managers added); protecting the quality of the program.

One of the greatest achievements was an increase in the average length of stay for our men - from 78 to 120 days strengthening their chance of achieving long-term sobriety and sustained success. Our experience and national studies have shown that the more time men are given to build a foundation in recovery, the less likely they are to experience relapse. Our residents are coming from chaos and destruction - you are making it possible for us to give them solid footing for life beyond these walls.

We’re committed to being the truth tellers and the truth is, addiction is an insidious disease. It is the only disease in which the primary symptom is that it tells you “You don’t have a disease.” Amid all the success of the past year, we also suffered some hard losses. A few men who had once shown such promise ultimately lost their hard-fought battle. Because 18 of our 21 employees are people in recovery – 17 alumni of Step Denver – they were able to support each other through it and were unwavering in their dedication to our mission (our men). While many who come through Step don’t make it, the lives of hundreds who do are the reason we are here. And we’re here for those who will ultimately relapse too, planting the seeds that will allow them to rebound quickly. We are constantly reminded of how important this work is for the men we serve and their families.

You inspire us daily through your generosity and messages. In the dining room where our men share meals together, your words of encouragement are on display. These notes make your presence felt; the community of people out there who are providing a hand up and believing they can make it. There is no question that their victories would not be possible without your support. I hope this Impact Report gives you the same feeling it gave all of us as we reflected on a remarkable year. With your help, we will continue to help men find freedom from addiction and I look forward to sharing more good news ahead.

With gratitude,

Paul L. Scudo

Economic Impact $5.6M

Savings to community by taking men out of homelessness (Cost Estimated by HUD)

$4.9M

Contribution to community by men becoming active, tax-paying members of society

$10.5M

Every

$1 you donated was turned into $5 of impact

Step Opens 10th Sober Living Home 5 Beds 5 Beds

5 Beds

Larimer Street Primary Facility (60 Bed Capacity)

5 Beds

5 Beds

5 Beds

5 Beds 5 Beds

5 Beds 5 Beds

Because of your support and our partnership with HM Capital, FIVE homes were added over the past year two purchased and three leased.

WHAT THAT MEANS: 25 more men can take the time they need to build strength in their recovery.

Step can now house up to 110 men at any given time. This time last year that number was 85.

"I come to tears because I was a mess in a sleeping bag September 26th.

Now I'm in a beautiful home." - Francisco, Sober Home Resident Back in 2017 Step Denver forged a partnership with HM Capital, through the generous support of the Nagel Foundation. In an effort to help Step keep pace with the pressing needs of the men we serve, Ben Maxwell (pictured) builds homes that meet our specifications then leases them to us below market rate.

Due to the rising property costs in Denver, this partnership has allowed Step to grow at more than twice the rate we would be able to on our own. Ben and his team are proof that it makes good business sense to invest in people who are investing in themselves. It's a win-win.

We looked at all the affordable housing programs out there and the cost per bedroom on apartment units is $250-300k. Our cost per bedroom is $50k.

By having a simpler scale and a good partner like Step Denver, it’s more feasible. We can actually solve the problem rather than just talking about it.

"Everybody knows somebody who’s struggled with addiction. People that are willing to pull themselves out, we’re willing to give those folks a hand, give them a nice place to stay, and a feeling of hope. It just makes it absolutely worth it."

– Ben Maxwell, HM Capital