Personal Philanthropy

Proposals for how to deal with Denver's homeless "ranged from dropping the whole bunch -- 10,000 strong, by current estimates, which would mean there are more homeless folks than official residents of downtown -- on new Aurora mayor Ed Tauer, [to promoting] sensitivity, maybe by featuring a different homeless person on a poster each week." Gloria Hoffer, however, has taken matters into her own hands. "[H]er good intentions have built into a free feed that stretches $30 from [her] family budget into a hot breakfast for 55 to 80 people every Saturday." The practice has become a way of life for Hoffer and her family. Says her husband, "We pray with them, we pray for them; we hug them like they're real human beings. That's more than anything else you can do. Their real-life stories would break your heart." Hoffer adds, "If you took just half an hour to go out and meet them, you'd completely change your idea [of the homeless]."

Thanks to David Gest