Feeding Denver's Hungry
Hi, my name is Jim Scharper. In October of 2013, I started this group as a way for myself to pay back a community to which I owe so very much.
I went down a long dark road with my alcoholism causing me to lose almost everything, including my life.
I had found myself without a home and sleeping in my truck, I found myself waking up in Denver Cares facility on a regular basis, after another of my daily benders, which would lead to a black out drunk which I hear many people joke about, but its a real thing that only leads to something terrible, so those of you who can relate to a black out drunk, please focus up, as this is your sign your body is no longer functioning correctly. Then August 29th, 2009 I woke up and the switch was flipped, I thank my higher power everyday for the humiliation and the courage it took to check myself into Denver General Hospital, followed by an extended stay at Denver Cares. Within Denver Cares I found Alcoholics Anonymous, the group to which I owe my life, I spent the next year going to meetings everyday, sometimes twice a day to keep myself sober, and within this group I found myself. I was taught many things there,
the first thing I learned there was I had an allergy to alcohol, which over many years of drinking became uncontrollable by me, and with the help of many friends and my Higher Power, it is no longer a problem in my life!!!
I also learned how I was not dealing with things in my life, like being a gay man, it was leading me to not deal with issues in my life, rather to just drink and not worry about it.
I also learned how I was blaming everyone else in my life for things happening around me, but soon realized I was the cause of everything that I was involved in.
Now to wrap this up.
The last thing I learned in my recovery, is that in order for me to move forward in life I needed a way to pay back a society in which I took advantage of over the many years of my drinking.
Therefore the 2nd Thursday of October 2013 I started making sandwiches and handing them out to those less fortunate in our city. When my friends found out what I was doing, they themselves wanted to help, and it has continued to grow until we got to where we are today.
Today we meet at Li'l Devil's Ultra Lounge, 255 South Broadway, on the 2nd Thursday of Every Month, @ 10am and all are welcome to join us. We put together, as a group of people wishing to pay forward their blessings to those less fortunate, a sack lunch with a sandwich containing, 1 slice of white bread and one slice of wheat bread with both american and swiss cheeses, and 1 slice of ham and 1 slice of turkey.
Along with this sandwhich is a napkin, mustard packet, mayo packet, A fresh piece of fruit(apple, orange, or banana), a bag of chips, a breakfast bar, a protein bar, cheese crackers, and a cookie or equivilent, and a bottle of water, to be added soon a cup of pudding or yogurt and a spoon. In the winter months we have been including hats and gloves as well as handing out slightly used coats, blankets/survival gear.
This is not cheap!!! Every month it requires between $800 and $900.00 in donations.
We are hoping to expand to multiple feedings per month rather than just one, and with your help we can make this happen.
We have now become
Feeding Denver's Hungry, Inc.
and have gotten our 501 (c) (3) from the IRS
EIN # 47-2732656
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Feeding-Denvers-Hungry/403156773182481?sk=timeline
Which means to you that every dollar you donate to help us to keep this going, is now TAX DEDUCTABLE!!!!
Not everyone can donate their time to do such things for those less fortunate, so I ask you to dig deep if you are able and make a donation today, either here or you can mail a check to:
Feeding Denver's Hungry
care of Jim Scharper
4110 Hale Pkwy #2H
Denver, CO. 80220
Lastly, I would invite you to share this on your walls (and in your will) to make it even more successful.