Women who complete the transitional program can move to a 120-day program at the Samaritan House downtown location. This program aims to help residents develop life skills and find opportunities for employment and housing.
Larry Smith, CEO of Catholic Charities of Denver, said gentrification of Denver neighborhoods has made housing unaffordable for many people.
"With the increase in the value of those properties, and the increase in the price of rent, those people are being forced out of their homes, and for the first time experiencing homelessness," Smith told CNA.
"As a result, you end up with an increasing population of former Denver residents who now don't know where to go because they can't afford housing."
Catholic Charities' administrative offices will be located in the same building, which has 32,000 square feet of space. The women's shelter is a $5.1 million project, including $1 million secured by the City of Denver.
Mayor of Denver Michael Hancock joined Archbishop Aquila and Smith at an Aug. 24 grand opening of the shelter. He has made homelessness a priority in his administration.
"We are fortunate here in Denver to have a strong community of partners who work alongside the city to serve those experiencing homelessness," said Hancock.
"We are never to stop trying to care for them, and to make sure we do everything we can to provide comfort and compassion and opportunity to live a healthier fuller life," he added. "While we may not always agree how we do it, the bottom line is we're trying to do it."
Hancock cited the injunction of Jesus to St. Peter in the Gospels to "feed his sheep."
According to Smith, the growing homeless situation in Denver is "terribly challenging."
"Both the City of Denver and other major shelters in the city are working to change how homelessness is addressed and help those who experience homelessness recover," he said. Partnerships like the grant secured through the city will help these people "find a path back to self-reliance and dignity."
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For Brown, the assistance she found from the Veterans' Administration and Samaritan House was wonderful.
"I appreciated everything," she said. After living in transitional housing, she is planning to move into her own place with the help of a housing voucher.
During her time at Samaritan House, Brown was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Given her disability, she hopes to find something she can do like volunteer work.
"I'd love to help out the community, help those who have helped me," she told CNA.
The Samaritan House website is samhousedenver.org.
Kevin J. Jones is a senior staff writer with Catholic News Agency. He was a recipient of a 2014 Catholic Relief Services' Egan Journalism Fellowship.