In Your Own Words — April 2020

Helping Other People to Help Themselves Doesn’t Cost. It Pays!

By John Alexander, VOICE vendor

This is what I have learned from people at the Denver VOICE, a street paper published monthly. Since the VOICE’s inception, the non-profit has put more than 4,000 individuals to work. All of our vendors are self-employed — developing, managing, and building their own businesses.

The Denver VOICE truly reaches out to help people. They are there, with open hearts, filled with compassion, concern, love, and the uplifting spirit to give to anyone who is trying to help themselves.

How does someone benefit from the program? The best way to explain this is to share my story. My name is John Alexander, and I have been vending papers for the VOICE for 12 years. Before I crossed paths with the Denver VOICE and its program, there were many, many chapters in my life that were not my favorite chapters. I managed to hurt people emotionally and physically.

I’ve bootlegged liquor, sold drugs, run prostitution, gambling, and trick houses. I was in and out of my family members’ lives while battling 25 years of drug addiction and homelessness, and literally traveled all over the country while living on the streets.

My wife told me that at one point during that period in my life, I left to get her a pack of cigarettes or something, and she didn’t see or hear from me for about four years. During those years of experiencing homelessness, there were times I slowed things down long enough to think about finding something to eat. I did not buy or choose my food from a menu. I would go down certain allies and pick my food by choosing from dumpsters, according to their colors. For example, the first part of the day I would search for whatever was in the green dumpsters. Later in the day, I might choose from the brown dumpsters.

I remember that last night of actively pursuing my way of life, before finding the Denver VOICE. I had been out all night getting high. During the night, I had mismanaged the money that I had saved for bus fare and for art supplies I’d planned on purchasing. When I woke up the next morning, I found myself broke. That was only the first blessing I received that day.

I found the next few hours and the remainder of the day filled with additional blessings. I had been made aware of the VOICE only a few days earlier. At the time, I thought there was nothing in my way to stop me from going. “Just go. Just be there,” I told myself. After all, the place was within walking distance.

I had been told that vendors received 10 free papers upon signing up with the program. I figured I could take those free papers, hit the streets and sell them, and then take the money and buy the art supplies I needed. I would then spend the rest of the day making more money, and then, go right back to the nearest dope dealer and start right where I had left off the day before.

Well, that was 12 years ago. I did go to that Denver VOICE place, attended orientation, got my vendor ID, and most of all, I got my 10 free papers. But as I was leaving the VOICE office, a lot of my previous thoughts and plans left my head and began being replaced with new feelings and different thoughts. I remember feeling those good thoughts as I repeated them to myself, aloud but softly, “Johnny, that chapter is over. You are starting some new and good chapters now.” I was suddenly self-employed and working.

My new thoughts allowed no room for negative thinking. I also realized I was not a bad guy to work for. (I mean, who else can I work for and be named “employee of the month” every single month of the year for 12 years straight?)

Early on, I started writing articles for the VOICE. After I wrote my first article, I found that I liked writing. On top of that, the VOICE paid me for my article. (Wow!)

From reading my articles in the VOICE, people started seeking me out to speak for them. I started giving lectures at colleges, churches, schools, fundraisers, etc., and they paid me for these speaking engagements. (Wow, again!)

This is just a small part of my story as a Denver VOICE vendor, where people helped me to help myself. But that help did not start with me, nor will it end with me.

There were people who helped get the Denver VOICE started, which made it possible for the Denver VOICE to help thousands help themselves. Somewhere out there, those thousands of people are helping others, and the helping goes on and on — all because someone helped the Denver VOICE to help others.

Those who support the Denver VOICE by making donations, donating clothes or supplies to the vendors, or purchasing the paper also ensure the helping continues.

To you, who have supported the Denver VOICE and its vendors, thank you. Thank you for believing in our mission and putting into practice the idea that helping others to help themselves doesn’t cost. It pays! ■

Denver VOICEMarch 29, 2020