There’s been some rumblings across the internet that 2018 has been… Let’s see, how to put this… A bit of a dumpster fire. And I won’t say that’s entirely untrue; in all of human history there’s probably been better years than the one where humanitarian crises deepened, dire global climate change warnings mounted, and Paradise actually became a dumpster fire.  I’m not sure I like this much irony in my current events.

But the point is, yes, maybe 2018 wasn’t so great—but for some, things are also looking up at the end of a long year.  Take, for instance, the homeless veterans of Colorado. I can’t think of any group more deserving of a win, and they got one on Tuesday. According to CBS Denver, Colorado broke ground on the Veterans Renaissance Apartments at Fitzsimons, which will provide affordable housing for homeless veterans and their at-risk families. However, that’s not all the new complex will do. Besides providing 60 units for permanent living, there will also be employment assistance, mental health services and case managers to help veterans get back on their feet and into stability.

CBS News via YouTube
CBS News via YouTube
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“If we can provide the housing that’s affordable to them [veterans] and the avenues to get them into work and address health and mental health needs, we can end their homelessness for good,” said John Parvensky, the President and CEO of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless on the new development.

With construction officially beginning in 2019, Aurora is hoping to open the new housing complex in 2020, right next to the VA Medical Center.

So maybe 2018 wasn’t fabulous, either for you personally or for those around you. But I like to think that if we can end it by connecting and aiding those less fortunate than ourselves, then we’re welcoming in a year that will be a vast improvement on the last.

Cheers to a non-dumpster-fire new year, Colorado.

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