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Step Newsletter Winter 2024

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January 15, 2024

Step Denver receives Daniels Fund inaugural “Medal of Excellence”

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November 14, 2023

More than 100 No Cost beds available

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November 8, 2023

Homeless Contribution Tax Credit (HCTC)

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September 28, 2023

Leadership Announcement

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12 hours ago

Do you see the similarities in smiles from the black and white picture to the man standing next to it on the left? That's our Founding Board Chair, Tyler Norris, in front of the original Step building about 40 years ago, along with Step’s first Executive Director, Kathy Ellis, and Bob Cote when he was Director of Operations.

Last week Tyler paid us a visit and told us the story of how he – at 22 years old - wandered around Denver’s skid row looking for a way to help people struggling. He ran into Step's founder, Ray Hayworth, and they struck up a conversation. Back then, Step was a small space attached to a bar on Larimer Street where Ray offered cots to any man who wanted to stay sober. After hearing Ray’s vision Tyler was hooked, and he started to volunteer.

One day, a resident named Bob Cote (who later became Step’s legendary leader) said to Ray, Tyler, and Kathy, that they needed to "go get that building" pointing across the street. After having a meeting with the then owners of the building, they walked away with a 10-year lease for a dollar a year.

Back at the room across the street, they wondered what they had gotten themselves into – sharing a big vision and having no idea if they had what it took to pull it off. One of them said out loud, "We don't even have a plumber!"

Step residents began to chime in:

"Well, I'm a plumber."

"I'm an electrician."

"I have an uncle who might be willing to help," said the nephew of the owner of Sutherland Lumber - who ultimately donated everything needed to build out the 28,000sf facility.

The men staying in that building attached to a bar in the mid-80’s built every wall of Step’s current facility - where thousands of men have rebuilt their lives over decades.

Thank you to Tyler for visiting and sharing a first-hand account of Step’s history with us, for his continued support to this day as a donor, and for all the people involved in doing whatever it takes to keep this incredible program going for the next man who needs help. What a legacy!

Pictured L-R:

Sean Hoy - Director of Programs & 2016 Step Alum

Amy Shaw - Director of Development

Tyler Norris – Founding Board Chair

Meghan Shay – Executive Director

Vincent Turnbull – Director of Vehicle Donations & 2008 Step Alum ... See MoreSee Less

Do you see the similarities in smiles from the black and white picture to the man standing next to it on the left? Thats our Founding Board Chair, Tyler Norris, in front of the original Step building about 40 years ago, along with Step’s first Executive Director, Kathy Ellis, and Bob Cote when he was Director of Operations.

Last week Tyler paid us a visit and told us the story of how he – at 22 years old - wandered around Denver’s skid row looking for a way to help people struggling. He ran into Steps founder, Ray Hayworth, and they struck up a conversation. Back then, Step was a small space attached to a bar on Larimer Street where Ray offered cots to any man who wanted to stay sober. After hearing Ray’s vision Tyler was hooked, and he started to volunteer.

One day, a resident named Bob Cote (who later became Step’s legendary leader) said to Ray, Tyler, and Kathy, that they needed to go get that building pointing across the street. After having a meeting with the then owners of the building, they walked away with a 10-year lease for a dollar a year.

Back at the room across the street, they wondered what they had gotten themselves into – sharing a big vision and having no idea if they had what it took to pull it off. One of them said out loud, We dont even have a plumber!

Step residents began to chime in:

Well, Im a plumber.

Im an electrician.

I have an uncle who might be willing to help, said the nephew of the owner of Sutherland Lumber - who ultimately donated everything needed to build out the 28,000sf facility.

The men staying in that building attached to a bar in the mid-80’s built every wall of Step’s current facility - where thousands of men have rebuilt their lives over decades.

Thank you to Tyler for visiting and sharing a first-hand account of Step’s history with us, for his continued support to this day as a donor, and for all the people involved in doing whatever it takes to keep this incredible program going for the next man who needs help. What a legacy!

Pictured L-R:

Sean Hoy - Director of Programs & 2016 Step Alum

Amy Shaw - Director of Development

Tyler Norris – Founding Board Chair

Meghan Shay – Executive Director

Vincent Turnbull – Director of Vehicle Donations & 2008 Step Alum

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