The Story of Homeward Alliance

The origin story of Homeward Alliance is likely relatable to many Coloradoans. The organization was founded by Ken John, an avid mountaineer who loves the outdoors and good gear. He had always wanted to do something to help with homelessness but didn’t know where to start. He had a revelatory moment while walking in Old Town when he saw a homeless man carrying all his belongings in a worn trash bag. He thought to himself, “I have a garage full of all this outdoor equipment and my friends do too.” This sparked the start of Homeward Alliance.

Originally called Homeless Gear, it was founded in 2008 with a commitment to collecting and distributing survival gear. It evolved over the years from a small grassroots nonprofit to the region’s leading agency addressing homelessness. The mission of Homeward Alliance is to empower individuals and families facing homelessness to survive, move forward, and thrive. Homeward Alliance assumed operation of the Murphy Center in 2015, expanding its focus from meeting basic needs to offering housing support and long-term case management. It serves as a hub of services for homelessness, hosting more than a dozen agencies and over 30 programs, including family services, employment services, resource navigation, re-entry for individuals on parole – and even bike repair and mobile laundry!

I had the opportunity to talk with David Rout, the Executive Director of Homeward Alliance, who started as one of the first employees and has helped guide its growth. He holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) from Colorado State University and is committed to fostering innovative, data-driven, and community-centered approaches to ending homelessness.

We discussed the importance of a housing first philosophy – and the role of societal perception in creating change that can transform the lives of individuals, families and our community.

The answer to the problem is always the same: Housing.

What causes someone to be homeless? They might be employed, but underemployed, with a job that doesn’t earn enough to make rent. They could be facing financial hardship from a medical issue. Or struggling with a mental health condition, but don’t have adequate access to mental healthcare. They may face challenges with substance use or addiction. Or be a victim of domestic violence, with nowhere to go if they leave.

“The backdoor to every failed system, is the front door to the homeless shelter,” explained Philip Mangano, the former Director of the US Interagency Council on Homelessness. There is a societal perception that homelessness is an individual failure, rather than a system failure – and that’s just not the reality on the ground. David Rout

shared, “As a country we’re focusing less on helping secure housing, and more on making sure people who are homeless don’t get in the way.” He urged that rather than try to hide the problem, we work to solve it.

People who are homeless often face violence and suffer disproportionately from chronic illness, higher mortality rates, and access to preventative and primary healthcare. Hundreds of people die across the state of Colorado every year from homelessness. It’s difficult to address anything, without the security and stability of housing; homelessness is first and foremost a housing issue. A housing first philosophy is about getting people housed and then addressing underlying issues. Research has shown this is economically more effective – and it’s also common sense.

The impact of Homeward Alliance also show this. The organization consistently helps more than 350 people escape homelessness and secure permanent housing each year and serves 5,000 people through different services and programs annually.

Partnership with Crossroads and the Family Justice Center

When I asked David Rout what one thing is that he wished more people knew about homelessness, he said, “I don’t think that most people realize the extent to which homelessness and domestic violence intersect.”

Studies show that the majority of women who are experiencing homelessness either experienced domestic violence before they became homeless or are experiencing violence while homeless. Domestic violence is often a cause of homelessness, because if someone chooses to flee the situation and leave their home, they may have nowhere to go.

Homeward Alliance and Crossroads have built a strong partnership over the years and work together closely. Homeward Alliance will also be part of the new Family Justice Center, with the EARN Employment Program. “It’s clear that what is going to be here has been thought through so well,” David Rout observed. “The Family Justice Center is one of the most important things coming to this community since I’ve been here.”

The impact of the partnership across the organizations can be seen in a moving memory that David Rout shared. There was young woman in a relationship that she did not want to be in with an older man, who felt trapped between the choice of leaving and homelessness. She said that she would rather face violence from one man each day, than violence from many people if homeless. Homeward Alliance helped connect her with Crossroads, and she is now housed through one of the housing programs. “Crossroads saved her life,” he said.

How can you get involved with Homeward Alliance?

Donate – Make a donation: Here.

Volunteer: Sign up Here. There are lots of different volunteer opportunities at Homeward Alliance, whether you are looking for something consistent or just want to volunteer once!

Listen to the podcast and spread the word: “From Here to Home”.