Caring for Denver Approves $6.7 Million in Grants

Executive Director Lorez Meinhold and Board Chair State Rep. Leslie Herod of Caring for Denver Foundation recently approved $6.7M in grants to community-based non-profit organizations and departments within the City and County of Denver. These grants will support programs that help appropriately move Denver’s criminal justice response to public health, trauma, mental health, and substance misuse crisis response.

With these grants, Caring for Denver aims to reduce incarceration, recidivism, and ensure those released from the criminal justice system have the resources they need.  They aim to eradicate racial and ethnic disparities within Denver’s criminal justice system through community authored programs.

“This work will be transformational for more than 13,000 Denverites. When we don’t adequately fund mental health and substance misuse, we pay for it in the criminal justice system. These funded programs focus on care rather than incarceration,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, Board Chair.

More than 13,000 Denverites will receive services and other support from the organizations to break cycles of addiction, decompensation, and involvement in the criminal justice system. Over 70 percent of the funded organizations utilize peers and mentors with real-life experience as part of their intervention which is a key component to a successful recovery.

Of the $6.7 million, $5 million will go to the following community-based non-profit organizations:

• • 5280 High School
  • Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado
  • Colorado Circles for Change (Formerly Victim Offender Reconciliation Program of Denver)
  • La Raza Services, Inc.
  • Life-Line Colorado
  • Make a Chess Move (MACM)
  • Mile-High Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
  • Second Chance Center
  • Sobriety House, Inc.
  • The Center for Trauma & Resilience
  • The Delores Project
  • The Empowerment Program
  • Tribe Recovery Homes

The remaining $1.7 million will fund the offices within the City and County of Denver and as stipulated by the founding ordinance for the Foundation. Those offices are:

• City & County of Denver, County Court
• City & County of Denver, Denver Sheriff
• City & County of Denver, Department of Public Safety
• City & County of Denver, District Attorney’s Office

“We’re incredibly eager to partner with the community on solutions that meet people where they are, reinforces their strengths, and support their long-term recovery. These community programs will divert people with mental health and substance misuse needs from the criminal justice system and toward the right care,” said Lorez Meinhold, Executive Director.