Caring for Denver Foundation

??Caring for Denver Foundation is excited to announce more than $10.3 million in grant funding to 28 incredible youth-focused organizations expanding access to mental health and substance misuse care. The goal is to provide proactive, personalized care that affirms Denver’s youth while uplifting the families and communities who support them. ?? Meet the grantees and learn how they're ensuring consistent, affirming mental health and substance misuse care in safe, trusted spaces — where youth feel seen, heard, and supported. Learn more! ?? https://lnkd.in/g2CF5yKk Together, we’re building a healthier future for Denver’s youth. ??

?? Our Alternatives to Jail Grant Opportunity launches next week! ?? Why do we fund Alternatives to Jail? We aim to prevent people with substance misuse and mental health conditions from unnecessarily interacting with the criminal legal system — and for those who have, we aim to support their recovery through community-based resources that prevent re-entry. ?? Mark your calendar and join our LIVE Q&A session: ?? Thursday, April 3, 2025 ?? 9:00 a.m. MT ?? Facebook, LinkedIn, & Instagram We'll guide you through this funding area and the application process. Don’t miss your chance to make a lasting impact! ?? Follow us @caring4denver and sign up for our newsletter for updates: https://buff.ly/3yydxG3 #GrantOpportunity #AlternativesToJail #DenverFunding #CommunitySupport #MentalHealthMatters #CompassionOverIncarceration

Our Executive Director, Lorez Meinhold, joined Give5 Mile High in action — volunteering with We Don't Waste, a nonprofit dedicated to reducing food waste and fighting hunger in Denver. Since 2009, they’ve rescued and redirected high-quality, unused food to food pantries, shelters, schools, and more — ensuring families in need have access to fresh, nutritious meals. So, what is Give5 Mile High? It’s a citywide volunteer initiative led by Denver’s First Lady, Courtney Johnston, designed to bring our community together through service. The idea is simple but powerful: give 5 hours of your time each month to help build a stronger, more connected, and resilient Denver. Volunteers are the heart of this movement — creating meaningful change for local families and neighborhoods. Ready to make a difference? Join the movement, volunteer, and Give5 today! ??? https://lnkd.in/edAvSskJ Pictured: Tran Nguyen - Wills, Deputy Outreach Director for Office of Denver Mayor Mike Johnston Mary Nguyen, Executive Chef and Owner of Olive & Finch Collective Mary Herreria-Schultz, Human Rights and Community Partnerships, City of Denver #Give5MileHigh #WeDontWaste #CommunityStrong #VolunteerDenver

Yesterday, our youth-serving grantees connected with Crisis Text Line to learn how to share this vital, confidential resource and better support Denver youth. Crisis Text Line offers free, 24/7, text-based mental health support in English and Spanish — and it’s not just for crisis moments. Whether you’re struggling with relationships, school, anxiety, stress, bullying, or anything else, support is available. Through our partnership, we’ve launched a co-branded text line, provided insights, and created practicum opportunities for master's degree students studying to become mental health professionals. So far, 373 conversations have started with the DENVER keyword — and 88% of texters were first-time users. ?? Text DENVER to 741741 for free, confidential support. You’re not alone — no struggle is too big or too small. Jana Lynn French, MBA #MentalHealthSupport #YouthMentalHealth #CrisisTextLine

Meet the next generation of Denver’s mental health leaders! ???? The inaugural cohort of the Building Denver’s Mental Health Workforce program at Metropolitan State University of Denver is stepping up to create change. Through hands-on experience and a passion for advocacy, these students are helping to build a more accessible and supportive mental health system for our Denver community. Click the link to learn more about Gaby Torres, one of the program’s first grant recipients, and how this initiative is shaping the future of mental health in Denver. ?? https://buff.ly/t99XXY1 #BuildingMentalHealth

Finding and securing an appointment has overtaken cost as a primary barrier to mental-health care in Denver. Here's how the MSU Denver Gina and Frank Day Health Institute + Caring for Denver Foundation are working to fix that ??

Excitement is in the air as we launch the?Building Denver’s Mental Health Workforce program! ???? ? Community feedback emphasized that a key barrier to mental health care is securing an appointment. We're here to change that. That’s why we’ve partnered with Metropolitan State University of Denver to kick off this impactful program! ? Through this initiative, Social Work and Addictions Counseling graduate students will receive $15,000 stipends, with the commitment to work in Denver's mental and behavioral health field for one year after graduation. This program is a huge step forward for students and the future of mental health care in Denver. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gtQNP4kb

?? Meet Crystal, Our New Program Officer! ?? Please join us in welcoming Crystal Ayala-Goldstein to the Caring for Denver team! ???As our newest Program Officer, she brings strong expertise and sincere dedication to mental health and substance misuse support. We’re so excited to have her on board and can’t wait to see the impact she’ll make! Join us in giving Crystal a warm welcome! ??

We were honored to share our approach to capacity building alongside our partner, The HadaNou Collective, at the 2025 Philanthropy Southwest Summit (PSW). This gathering brought together PSW volunteer leadership for strategic planning, goal setting, and training—all with the goal of fostering meaningful philanthropy that strengthens communities across the Southwest. ??A special shoutout to our Director of Evaluation and Learning, Rebecca Davis Ochtera, for providing insights as part of a presentation and panel discussion around capacity building. The session, Building Grantee Sustainability: A Bottom-Up Approach, was led by Nathan Pai Schmitt (Co-founder & Executive Director of The HadaN?u Collective) and Rebecca was joined by Erin McGarry (Chief Granting Officer at the Engelstad Foundation) as part of a panel to share about our experiences and learnings in this space. ?? Key takeaways from the discussion: ? What effective grantee support looks like ? How to shift from top-down models to collaborative & supportive approaches We’re grateful for the opportunity to connect, learn, and help advance thinking in supporting grantee sustainability! ??

Grantee spotlight! ??? Denver Health has launched a free naloxone vending machine on its hospital campus! This life-saving resource provides Narcan (naloxone) at no cost to help prevent overdoses and support community safety. ?? ?? Location: Outside Pavilion K at Denver Health Hospital Campus (667 Bannock St). Caring for Denver is proud to support Denver Health’s THRIVE program, which expands behavioral health services and improves treatment accessibility for high-risk youth, individuals experiencing homelessness, and legal-involved individuals. We also help fund the Youth Crisis Team Response and 2 STEP at Denver Health’s school-based health centers, ensuring that young people receive urgent mental health support when they need it most. Access to naloxone saves lives—let’s spread the word and keep our community safe! Learn more! ?? https://buff.ly/3CV6vAU #NaloxoneSavesLives #DenverHealth #HarmReduction #OverdosePrevention