Working Towards Stability at Samaritan House 48th
Carole is one of more than 230 residents currently staying at Samaritan House 48th, a Catholic Charities shelter for single women in northeast Denver. Before coming to Samaritan House, Carole experienced homelessness for five years. During that time, safety was a significant concern.
“It’s secure. I feel secure here. I feel safe because they have a security check—you know, when you come in, to make sure there are no weapons or anything being brought in,” Carole explains. “That’s really super cool to me because I have safety issues, and a lot of people do.”
Carole lives in one of the Domes at Samaritan House 48th, a small semi-enclosed living area that includes a bed and a closet. She says she loves the Domes, particularly because they offer privacy.
“You have a sense of privacy. You’re not rolling over and looking at your neighbor. You have a space to store your belongings, where you can actually put a lock and lock them up so nobody can take them. There are outlets where you can plug in your phone, medical equipment, whatever you need. There’s space for your wheelchair. It’s almost like a little tiny home—which is my dream home.”
Beyond offering her safe shelter, a warm bed and nutritious food, the team at Samaritan House is helping Carole work toward securing permanent housing. A long-standing eviction on her record has made finding housing difficult, but her case manager is actively assisting her in clearing it.
“I have an eviction on my record, which is making it impossible for me to rent. They’re actually going to help me clear my eviction. Once that’s done, they’ll help me navigate into my own apartment. To me, that’s a hand up, not a handout.”
With the support of the entire team at Samaritan House 48th, Carole is looking forward to regaining her independence. She remains hopeful that soon, she’ll be able to move into a place she can finally call home.