Father Woody's Haven of Hope Expands Homeless Services

Father Woody’s Haven of Hope has broken ground on an expansion of the homeless services shelter that will more than double the size of its current space at 1101 West Seventh Avenue in Denver.

The new space should be open by January 2016.

Father Woody’s, a day shelter, currently provides meals, hygiene items and showers, clothing and laundry, over-the-counter medicine, job-training aid and other community services, such as assisting with food stamp sign-up.

The shelter got its start with tents and a small home seventeen years ago. In 2007, the organization built a larger building — 5,700 square feet — and last month, the original home was demolished to make way for the new construction.

The four-story addition will add 6,200 square feet to the building.

The space will allow the organization to offer additional services, including mental health services, addiction group meetings, financial management classes, veterans services, a gardening program, legal services and more.

The building expansion, which will cost $2 million, is being paid for by donations and grants. The capital campaign to raise the funds is currently under way, with $1.2 million raised. There are a number of naming opportunities for donors; learn more at www.frwoodyshavenofhope.org.


Father Woody’s is named after Monsignor Charles Woodrich, who founded the Samaritan House, one of Denver’s largest homeless shelters, with Father James Rasby. The day shelter and homeless services space was added in 1998 because of growing need in the area.