COLUMN: John Parvensky is Denver’s ‘Mr. Smith’
“And you know you fight for the lost causes harder than any others.”
This is a famous line from an old film, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” spoken by Sen. Jeb Smith (played by Jimmy Stewart), a young and relatively naive new Senator from a western state. The phrase is part of a speech by him as he conducts a one man filibuster on the floor of the U.S. Senate opposing a bill by the senior senator from his state that contains a provision that would enrich a powerful backer of that senator but would damage the state’s environment. Smith stands alone in opposition speaking continuously on the Senate floor for 24 hours until he faints but in the end he prevails.
If a remake of “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” were made today, they may cast John Parvensky, the president and CEO of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, in the starring role.
Many may say that John is fighting for a lost cause when he seeks to end homelessness in our state. The challenge with homelessness is that it isn’t only about not having a place to stay but usually involves other problems that must be addressed if one seeks really to solve this issue. Providing a place to stay for one night is important but creating a path for an individual to get off the street for the rest of their life is a whole other and more difficult challenge. John recognized that for many, being homeless is a symptom of a bigger problem such as addiction or mental illness. One cannot truly solve the homeless problem for these individuals without addressing the deeper root of the problem.
On my part I only know Mr. Parvensky from afar. I can’t say that I agree with all of his ideas but I am with him on most of them. More than that, I admire his commitment to a cause that many shy away from or ignore altogether.
John Parvensky has led the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless since 1985. Under his leadership, the Coalition has grown from a single center helping a limited number of individuals experiencing homelessness to one that now provides services annually to over 18,000 people who may be experiencing problems. On any given night the Coalition provides housing for over 4,000 households that would otherwise find themselves homeless.
Parvensky has been a leader at both the state and national level in advocating for the homeless and developing innovative programs and ideas to address the homeless issue. He was instrumental in creating the Denver Housing First Collaborative in 2003 which represents an integrated model for attacking the problem of chronic homelessness in blending housing, healthcare, training, and employment toward providing a path for individuals and families to leave the streets behind. This program has proven to be a success and has led other communities across the country to adopt a similar program. His achievements and efforts have led him to be recognized and receive awards from various groups at the city, state, and national levels.
Being in the fight against an intractable problem such as homelessness could take a toll on anyone, especially if one were involved in it for over 40 years as Parvensky has. Some might compare his job to that of the Greek god, Sisyphus, who was punished by Zeus to eternally push a boulder uphill, only to reach the top of the hill and have it roll down and require Sisyphus to push it back up again. It’s easy in looking at the homeless problem to feel that you may take one step forward and only in the next week believe that you fell two steps back. It can be disheartening to see someone that has overcome addiction and other problems and gotten off the streets only to find that person back on the street a year later as they are drawn back into old habits.
Pavrensky did come under some criticism last year about his salary of over $300,000 for running the nonprofit. In the case of the directors of other nonprofits, I might question that salary but in the case of John, I don’t. More than anyone he has raised the visibility and consciousness of the state on homelessness. He has secured millions of dollars in grants, private sector funding and donations toward improving the lives of thousands of individuals in helping them to acquire housing, healthcare, jobs, and treatment. How many others can lay claim to that type of achievement in their lives?
Yes, many may view homelessness as a “lost cause” because of the many challenges associated with it and the lack of an easy answer. Just like the fictional Senator Jeb Smith, though John Parvensky realizes that these “lost causes” may be the ones that you fight for the hardest because he believes that even the smallest, poorest, and least powerful people in our society deserve our respect and support.
Greg Fulton, a 40-year Denver resident, is the president of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association, which represents over 600 companies directly involved in, and affiliated with trucking in Colorado.
Debris and belongings line the street at Denver’s Liberty Park after a weeklong homeless encampment.
