Near the heart of downtown Denver on a residential block on Lawrence Street lies one of Colorado's greatest fishing holes. The Sacred Heart House of Denver has been serving the metro area's homeless women and children for over twenty years. Like other homeless shelters, it provides immediate food and shelter to those in need, but SHHD also offers a two-year transitional program, filled with personal case management, help with employment and educational opportunities, subsidized apartments and on-going training in parental and practical skills.

In most instances, a person doesn't become homeless overnight, but rather through a series of set-backs and poor decisions. And at SHHD, they don't expect to solve these problems overnight. As the old adage advises, this is not a "give someone a fish" program, but one dedicated to the long and often difficult process of "teaching someone to fish."

Sonya B. and her 18-month-old daughter moved to Denver in 2002. They came to SHHD's In-House Stabilization Program in May and to the Transitional Housing Program in June. It wasn't easy. But with the support of the SHHD staff and volunteers, Sonya earned a degree in Business Management while working as head clerk at a retail chain. Today she puts her degree to use as an administrative assistant in a law firm. She is providing for her daughter, looking forward to the future and happy where she's at. "I've come so far since I first came here," Sonya said of a speaking engagement at the Colorado State Treasury Division. "I felt proud being up there talking about what I've done."

This is the self-sufficiency that comes when someone is taught to fish. I'm proud to introduce Sacred Heart House of Denver to the YourHub community. For more information or to volunteer, please go to sacredhearthouse.org.