Jumping right in - Ellie Oberheu

I am Ellie Oberheu, a third year, religion major at Wartburg. I wanted to come out to Denver, CO because I wanted a different feel of jobs other than the Midwest style. I jumped right in with Rev. Diana Flahive. Diana is the CHUM (Capital Hill United Ministries) Community Minister. She is one of the founders and the director of WHI (Women’s Homelessness Initiative), which shelters twenty women each night at different churches in the Capital Hill neighborhood of Denver. There are 20 congregations involved with WHI and 14 open their doors, taking responsibility for different nights of the week. Through their volunteers, each site offers sanctuary, hospitality, a good meal, and a safe place to sleep. The women are brought to the church from the St. Francis Center. The SFC is a day shelter for people who are homeless. I am working with Diana to help serve the communities and programs of both CHUM and WHI. I have already connected with many of the community leaders and they are all great! I recently attended an annual CHUM picnic for the summer. It was good to hear about what all the other CHUM organizations were doing in Denver. I am already getting a good vibe from the Denver community. I cannot wait to see what else Denver has in store for the semester.