You Belong: Open Soul Foundation Sponsorship Helps Dry Bones Denver Foster Belonging for Unhoused Youth

For many of us, Christmas is synonymous with home. It is the warmth of familiar faces, a seat at the table, a meal shared without hurry, and the comfort of being known. But for unhoused teens and young adults, the holiday season can intensify feelings of separation, grief, and loneliness. At Dry Bones Denver, this season is approached with deep intention: creating spaces where street connected young people can experience a genuine sense of belonging and know they are seen, valued, and not alone.

This is why the partnership between Open Soul Foundation and Dry Bones Denver matters.

Through Open Soul Foundation’s sponsorship, Dry Bones is able to meet young people with more than resources. They are met with dignity, presence, and meaningful human connection. In moments that might otherwise feel chaotic or isolating, this steady presence helps transform fear into trust and isolation into belonging.

When the holidays are the hardest

November and December can be especially difficult months for young people living on the streets. The season carries a constant reminder of family gatherings and togetherness, which can deepen the pain of disconnection for those without a safe place to belong. For many, this time of year feels heavy physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Dry Bones responds the way family responds.

They create spaces where young people can slow down, breathe, and feel grounded. Places where they are welcomed without conditions and where connection replaces isolation.

A table, a meal, and the quiet miracle of belonging

Throughout December, Dry Bones hosts shared meals and gatherings that reflect what many of us associate with home: familiar food, shared laughter, and the simple act of sitting together. These meals are not only about nourishment. They are about restoring dignity and reminding each person that they matter.

Without needing many words, these moments communicate something powerful: you are not invisible. You are not forgotten. You have a place here.

When a Christmas party becomes a reunion

Dry Bones gatherings often turn into reunions, with young people who were once served returning years later to reconnect and share where life has taken them. It is a reflection of the lasting relationships built over time. A place people return to because they know they will still be welcomed.

At this year’s Christmas celebration, amid the food, laughter, and shared joy, one simple moment captured the heart of the ministry.

Two words that speak louder than a sermon

Each young person who attended the Christmas party received a custom sweatshirt bearing two words across the front:

You Belong.

It is one of Dry Bones’ core pillars, not as a slogan, but as a declaration of identity. These words are worn long after the event ends, offering a quiet reminder on hard days that someone sees them and that they matter.

This is the kind of ministry that transforms lives. It does not merely provide an item. It reinforces worth. It counters the lie of abandonment with truth and presence.

And it reflects the heart of Christ, who consistently moved toward the overlooked and the wounded with compassion and closeness.

What our sponsorship makes possible

Through the sponsorship of Open Soul Foundation, Dry Bones Denver is able to show up consistently for street connected and unhoused youth. This partnership helps create spaces of dignity, presence, and connection, especially during the most tender seasons of the year.

This support makes it possible to gather young people around a table, offer warmth through shared meals, and provide steady companionship that reminds them they are seen and valued. It fuels a ministry rooted not only in meeting practical needs, but in restoring hope and a deep sense of belonging.

Looking ahead

As Dry Bones approaches its 25th year, the ministry remains focused on what it does best: building deep community through consistent companionship and long term relationships. Walking alongside young people who often lack stable support systems and offering a place where they are welcomed as they are.

A key expression of this vision is the Dry Bones Living Academy, launched in 2025 and continuing to expand. This 12 month journey supports young people as they explore identity, purpose, and growth with guidance from coaches, therapists, and a structured curriculum.

At its core, Dry Bones Denver continues to offer something simple and profound: a place where young people are reminded, again and again, you belong.

Open Soul Foundation was here.

“If you extend your soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shall dawn in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday.” Isaiah 58:10