Volunteers of America teams at their network of 44 facilities around Colorado this past year faced a surge of people, many of them longtime residents of the state, who no longer could afford to own or rent housing. The VOA teams saw more people needing food, reeling from hard times, and suffering in spirit due to “relational poverty” that can make challenges feel insurmountable, VOA chief executive David Schunk said. “We might be the most connected generation ever due to the internet. But we are also the loneliest. Relational isolation – when you do not have a family to go to – is a big factor. There are mental health and depression issues that arise.” In metro Denver, the number of people lacking a house or apartment increased from 9,997 in 2024 to 10,774 in 2025, according to a Denver point-in-time report based on annual count data. A U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development assessment in 2024 estimated 18,715 people were living without shelter in Colorado, up 30% over 2023, compared with an 18% increase nationwide. More of the people seeking help at VOA facilities “are just regular people who were living paycheck to paycheck. They lost their job, and they didn’t have enough money,”  VOA vice president Faustine Curry said. “They had to choose: Do I pay rent? Or do I buy food? Many made the decision to eat instead of pay rent,” Curry said. A  faith-based organization, VOA was founded in 1896 by Maud Booth and her husband, Ballington, who established VOA’s westernmost mission at the time in Denver at 2877 Lawrence St., promising soup, work, and a safe place to sleep. VOA welcomes anybody in need — older adults, children, families, and military veterans. It relies on 430 employees, 1,300 volunteers, and an annual budget of about $50 million to run its network of facilities, where more than 106,000 people this past year found food, shelter, counseling and other help. In May, VOA opened a model facility in Denver at 4855 W. Colfax Ave., the Theodora Family Hotel, after renovating the 1960s-era former Aristocrat motel using $17.7 million in city funds. The five-story Theodora with 60 rooms has been full since it opened, VOA officials said. It provides shelter at no cost for 160 people in families. Each is assigned a case manager. A target timeline gives residents 90 days. The average stay this year was 92 days — as long as family members showed progress toward goals set with their case manager.  The residents typically congregate for shared meals. Children are enrolled in a nearby school. A staff of 30 includes the caseworkers, who get to know the families personally, and at least two employees at the hotel 24/7. The place holds a small courtyard — an outdoor space that allows sunlight. “It gives residents the freedom to just be. There are trees, plants, some astroturf and squishy material under the playgrounds,” Curry said. “Greenspace, being with nature, being outside, being in the sunshine, is a huge part of being able to move forward and continue with life. Nature’s impacts are huge. Being outside just helps people.” Play area inside the Volunteers of America Family Hotel, which provides housing for thousands of people who lack housing in Denver, Colorado on Nov. 24, 2025. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post) VOA officials are planning to expand their network of facilities around Colorado. A metro Denver site has been selected for one new facility. VOA officials declined to identify that site. VOA will enlarge its facility in Durango. And officials are working on new affordable housing projects in Grand Junction and Fort Collins. The network depends on donations and support from communities. “The pressures keep getting greater and greater,” Schunk said. “At some point, it will max out our generous community.” Volunteers of America Colorado Address: 2660 Larimer St., Denver, CO 80205 Number of employees: 430 Number of volunteers: 1,300 Founded: 1896 Number of clients served in 2024: more than 106,000 Annual budget: $50 million ...read more read less