Announcing the Dry Bones Living Academy
Dry Bones is embarking on a pivotal new chapter. After years of refining our job-readiness work, we have evolved our approach into a new, person-centered program: the Dry Bones Living Academy.
When we launched Purple Door Coffee in 2012, industry training in a coffee shop was often the right step. But today, the realities young people face have shifted. Young people on the streets need much more than a job to survive. They need the skills to navigate complex systems like social services, medical care, and housing. They need space to pause, focus on their own barriers, and build a realistic path forward. In short, we’re now giving young people the opportunity to focus on their most important work: their own lives.
The Living Academy is our response to these real-time needs. It is not a cookie-cutter program but a holistic approach with emotional, spiritual, and practical support woven together. Each participant shapes their own destiny—for some, that’s steady employment; for others, it’s stability, building life skills, or deep healing. For all, it is about creating an inner sense of home—the true ending of homelessness.
How It Works
The Academy is a one-year journey of personal development and transformation, unfolding in four phases: Opportunity, Motivate, Empower, and Thrive. These phases are designed to build confidence and momentum, with each one ending in a stepping-stone “success moment” that celebrates progress.
Small Cohorts: Six participants per cohort to ensure personalized attention and a strong sense of belonging.
Life-skills curriculum builds practical foundations for adulthood.
Weekly one-on-one coaching offers personal guidance and accountability.
Therapeutic support helps participants address past traumas and begin to heal.
Experiential learning through field trips, site visits, and mock interviews expands horizons.
Bi-weekly Stipends: Compensating participants for the work they invest in their own lives.
A New Home for the Academy
We’ve created a permanent home for this program in the lower level of our Dry Bones headquarters on Downing Street. The space—with a classroom, office, cozy living room, and patio—feels like home itself: safe, welcoming, and designed for growth.
The Name
The name, Dry Bones Living Academy (DBLA), was chosen by our community members and former Purple Door graduates. They felt the name was a powerful reflection of the program’s purpose. The word living speaks to an unfolding and full life, while academy conveys a sense of dignity, importance, and seriousness. The name itself invites participants to take a significant step into their future.
Join Us
This new program is not only designed for a deeper impact, but it is also more cost-effective per participant. However, unlike our previous model that was partially funded by coffee sales, this new approach requires our community to directly fund its critical work. The annual budget for the DBLA is $250,000, and your partnership is essential to ensuring every cohort has the resources they need to thrive.
Your generosity fuels a lasting path toward resilience, hope, and flourishing for Denver’s unhoused youth. We are grateful for a community of supporters who believe in the worth of every young person. Whether through increased giving, new commitments, or faithful monthly support, your generosity directly fuels the Living Academy and the whole community of Dry Bones to ensure this mission continues to thrive.
Ways to Support the Living Academy
One-Time Gift – Invest today in the journey of a young person. Cost per participant is approximately $1400 per month, or $16,700 for the year. **
Annual Commitment – Sustain the program year after year, ensuring each new cohort has the resources they need.
Monthly Donor Circle – Provide steady support and walk with us all year long. All sized gifts make the difference. **
Volunteer (eventually as needed) – Participate in mock-interviews, teach a class on a needed subject (eg: banking, filing taxes, etc), host the cohort at your place of work for a tour or interview, provide flexible therapy services, offer next-step internships, etc.
Volunteer Opportunities
(Please contact Tami Bonner to learn more. Some volunteer opportunities require background checks and an application process. Others do not.)
Skill-Building & Teaching
Participate in mock interviews.
Teach a class on practical subjects (banking, filing taxes, cooking basics, budgeting, car care, etc.).
Share your career story or host a Q&A session on workplace culture.
Assist with resume review or LinkedIn profile building.
Professional Exposure
Host the cohort at your workplace for a tour or informational interview.
Provide job-shadowing opportunities.
Offer next-step internships, apprenticeships, or volunteer opportunities.
Wellness & Support
Provide flexible therapy or counseling services.
Lead sessions in art, music, mindfulness, or physical wellness.
Volunteer professional skills (legal, financial planning, IT support, etc.).
Food & Hospitality
Adopt-a-Day Meal Sponsorship: Provide breakfast or lunch on a Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday.
Meal Preparation Volunteers: Bring a meal and serve it to participants, sharing the table as a community moment.
Grocery & Pantry Support: Donate grocery gift cards or staple foods to ensure participants always have access to breakfast and lunch.
Cooking Together: Lead a hands-on cooking session to teach meal planning and healthy eating on a budget while preparing food for the group.
Community & Relationship Building
Provide tickets or passes to arts, music, or sports events.
