Interfaith volunteers spend holiday helping hundreds of Coloradans who are homeless or in need
At Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park in Denver this Christmas, organizations from across Denver came together to host a holiday flea market for those in need.
Pastor Logan Robertson works with AfterHours Denver, a church and homeless ministry that works to host this Christmas in the Park event every year. But seeing as this year the first night of Hannukah and Christmas fell on the same day, Robertson also highlighted Temple Sinai's help as well.
"They have everything from hats and gloves, duct tape, hand warmers right here. We have tarps, which is a huge need for our community," Robertson said.
For more than 10 years, Robertson has spent Christmas morning with hundreds of volunteers, putting out truckloads of donations to create a free shopping experience for anyone in need with no questions asked.
"Whether they're housed or unhoused, whether they're dealing with drug addiction, whether they're mentally ill or not," Robertson said, "We believe that it's really important that we honor that dignity of each individual and so building some choice into this where it's not just a giveaway, it's also an experience."
This year the team helped hundreds of Coloradans in need with crowds and lines going across the park all Christmas morning. "We have 580 sleeping bags this year, and this, this crew comes together every year to distribute sleeping bags, which we know is one of the major needs here on the streets," Robertson said.
One person who has seen the value of this program year after year is a man named Albert.
"I've been coming here for a while, for some years, but it's just I'm speechless man," Albert said, "I love all y'all. I love all y'all, thank you so very much."
And this year, as he holds onto his sleeping bag from last Christmas, he credits programs like this for helping him get a roof over his head.
"I was homeless, but I just got a place," Albert said, "These are some of the people that make you want to get yourself to get on track. Then, you know, maybe join and start helping them, doing the volunteer work and stuff that they do."
The volunteers and the market will be sticking around for a while, Robertson assuring, "As long as there's a need and there are people taking shelter outside in the Denver area, we're gonna meet that need and be here in the park on Christmas Day to distribute those goods."
Beyond the holiday market, AfterHours hosts programs throughout the year to help those in need and always shares information for those resources and those looking to volunteer on their website.
