For seven years, Veronica lived in her vehicle, moving from place to place and bracing herself for another cold night. Winters were the hardest. Some nights she stayed with people she barely knew. Other nights she was alone, praying for safety and for someone to believe in her.
“Nobody knows unless they’ve been there,” she said. “I didn’t want to live that life. I just needed one person to believe in me.”
Today, Veronica lives at Holy Family Plaza, a Catholic Charities Housing senior community in Denver. It is the first place she has ever had entirely on her own.
“I didn’t know how to act at first. It’s wonderful. I thank God every day. This is His home. He gave it to me, and I’m going to take care of it.”
During the years she was unhoused, she battled addiction and loneliness. She struggled to find safety and trust after decades of trauma and abuse. A turning point came when she met a woman through social media who welcomed her into her home in Northern Colorado. Though the situation was not perfect, the woman introduced Veronica to a network of people who encouraged her to seek healing.
“I gave myself to the Lord after that. I told Him I didn’t want to drink or live that life anymore. I just wanted to be right.”
Eventually, Veronica returned to Denver, where that search for stability continued. She spent time in emergency shelters, with various family members and again found herself living in her truck. She used recreation centers to shower and relied on plasma donations to survive.
“I still knew God was with me. I could feel Him.”
With the help of the network she was introduced to, a case manager and healthcare team from the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), helped Veronica apply for housing around the Denver area. For more than a year, she waited. Many communities required residents to be 62 or older, and she was just shy of that age.
Then, one call changed everything.
Kylie, a Catholic Charities Housing manager reached out. A home that also accepted individuals living with disabilities had opened at Holy Family Plaza. Within six months, Veronica moved in.
Catholic Charities Housing provides affordable, safe and stable homes for seniors, families and individuals with disabilities across Northern Colorado. Communities like Holy Family Plaza do more than offer housing. They create supportive environments where residents can build connections and access resources. By addressing both housing and community needs, Catholic Charities helps ensure that individuals like Veronica not only find a home, but also rediscover hope, stability and the chance to thrive.
“I had people from my church come bless my apartment. I told the Lord, this is Your home.”
Now, Veronica has what she once prayed for. She spends time with neighbors during the various activities Catholic Charities Housing provides its residents, including a monthly birthday party, bible study and art group. She stays active in her faith and church community, located only a few miles away.
Though she lives with chronic pain and mobility challenges, her outlook is rooted in gratitude. “I wake up with oxygen in my lungs and a beautiful place with a patio looking out at the mountains. I’m thankful.”
Her apartment is warm and welcoming, filled with furniture and household items donated by her church friends and other community partners. For Veronica, the greatest gift is belonging. After years of isolation, she now has neighbors and church members who check in on her, and even recently through her healing, she reconnected with her sister who had been estranged for years.
“It’s clean, it’s peaceful and it’s mine. I never thought I would have this. All I can be is blessed.”