By Marcia Johnson,
Denver District 5 City Councilwoman
As the weather grows colder and the holiday season approaches, food banks become more important than ever to Denver families who are struggling to get by. In the tough economic times we are living through, demand is up, but supplies and donations are down.
Food banks, like their customers, are also suffering from high gas prices and struggling with the impact of rising food prices on their operations. Some have had to cut back on how much food they give, or how often.
Can you afford to purchase an extra can or two of food every week?
I urge you to dig deep and remember your neighbors in need every time you visit the grocery store. There are several food banks that serve our community right here in District 5, maybe even in your own backyard. I have partnered with the following food banks that serve residents in our district, to help them get through the coming winter. If you plan to drop off outside of the hours listed here, please contact the organization first.
Greater Park Hill Community Food Bank
2823 Fairfax Street
303.388.0918
Open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday - Thursdays
Dahlia Street Church of Christ Food Bank
1100 Dahlia Street
303.377.3677
Open the 3rd Sunday of each month
Lowry Community Christian Church Food Bank
855 Yosemite Street
303.364.7146
Open on Thursdays from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.
I am also offering my office as a drop-off point for residents who’d like to donate to local food banks. Please stop by anytime Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the non-perishable food items you’d like to donate. You can even select a specific shelter from this list, where you’d like us to deliver your donation. My office is located on the southwest corner of Colfax & Newport Street at 6740 E. Colfax Ave - please enter on Newport Street.
Please feel free to contact my office with your thoughts, questions, or concerns any time at 303.355.4615 or marcia.johnson@denvergov.org.
By Doug Linkhart,
City Councilman At-Large
A few months back President Obama went to Chicago to bring attention to the problem of youth violence in the wake of vicious attacks on two teenagers in separate incidents. While Chicago, Los Angeles and other cities have been in the news lately for high-profile gang activity, Denver made it through the summer with few incidents.
Reasons for Success
One reason for this success is the work of the many non-profits that work in the crime and gang prevention arenas and in youth development. Dozens of these non-profits came together two years ago to reestablish the Metro Denver Gang Coalition, which has been meeting with coordination from the Crime Prevention Control Commission.
One such non-profit is the Open Door Youth Gang Alternatives program operated by Rev. Leon Kelly. The program provides after-school and summer activities for over a hundred kids at Wyatt-Edison Elementary in the Cole neighborhood.
Rev. Kelly, who used to focus his attention on gang members themselves, says that he started working with younger kids because that’s where he can make a bigger difference. “There are elements of hope when you see the offspring of gang members come through a program like this. We’re filling the voids in their lives.”
Denver Public Schools is also working to reduce youth crime by changing how it deals with kids who commit these acts. Working with Denver’s Safe City Office and School Resource Officers, DPS has reduced the number of school-based suspensions by 6,136 during the past five years.
Restorative Justice
DPS is also implementing a “restorative justice” program in many schools, which involves meeting with offenders, parents and victims, rather than sending kids to court. An example of the success of this program is Abraham Lincoln High School, where only eight kids were sent to court last semester, compared to up to 80 at other high schools.
A recent discussion in the Council Safety Committee showed that we still have a ways to go to get the number of arrests down in other schools. Some of the arrest numbers at other high schools last semester include: 81 at Montbello, 56 at East, 42 at North, 34 at South, 21 at West and 18 at George Washington,
A speaker at a recent luncheon for Urban Peak, Chet Sisk, spoke of the need to invest more in youth programs. “This is about our sustainability of people—saving people. We’ve worked on saving the whales and the climate; now we need to save ourselves.”
By Carol Boigon,
City Councilwoman At-Large
Every year, I host a baby shower in my backyard for Denver Health’s Newborns in Need program. Everyone is invited. A few hundred of you came by or dropped off gifts. To all of you who participated, I say many, many thanks. To those of you who could not join us, there is still a way to help: you can write a check to Denver Health’s Newborns in Need program, or call the program and sign up to host your own Newborns in Need baby shower. This is a wonderful activity for service clubs, churches and synagogues, social clubs, youth groups, and circles of friends.
Baby Shower Results
At the baby shower, we collected new baby clothes and blankets, boxes of new diapers, strollers, pack and play’s, car seats, cash and checks, and other items on the list prepared by Denver Health. Denver Health volunteers pick up the supplies and package them to give to low-income moms who give birth at the hospital.
I support this effort because it does so many important things well. It gives these moms the equipment they need to start providing proper care for their babies. It introduces the young parents to the elements of good parenting: warmth, safety, nutrition, cleanliness, and reliability. Finally, it encourages bonding between mom and infant, which is the all-important connection that underlies the development of every healthy human personality.
Infants in Poverty
Newborns In Need, a Denver Health Foundation program, provides infants born to low income families with basic baby care supplies. Every year, nearly 4,000 babies are born at Denver Health. More than 85 percent of these new babies are born to families living below the poverty level. Families in this situation often must make gut-wrenching choices between buying baby supplies and paying for basic necessities such as rent and heat.
“Every child is deserving of a healthy start in life,” says Patricia Gabow, M.D. and C.E.O. of Denver Health. “We fulfill this vision through our quality health care and genuine commitment to the metro Denver community.”
Baby Welcome Bags
Last year, the hospital distributed 2,169 New Baby Welcome Bags and raised additional funds to meet special circumstances. Each bag is filled with essentials such as blankets, clothing, diapers, and car seats. Donated items leave the hospital with a new baby as quickly as they are collected.
The Denver Health Foundation is always in need of the following NEW items for the “New Baby Welcome Bags”:
Disposable diapers, wipes, diaper bags
Onesies, undershirts, sleepers
Bibs, socks, booties, sweaters
Blankets, baby wash/baby shampoo
Nursing supplies (pumps, pads, cream, etc)
Baby ear thermometers
Baby picture books and toys
Cribs and crib sheets
Strollers and car seats
Please NO bottles, formula, or pacifiers.
Items can be dropped off at the front desk of 777 Bannock Street, Pavilion A, Denver, CO 80204. If you need assistance, please contact program manager, Robin Engleberg at robin.engleberg@dhha.org. You may also donate online at www.denverhealthfoundation.org.
By Jeanne Robb,
Denver District 10 City Councilwoman
On Monday, October 26th, at the City Council Bond Implementation Committee, Parks and Recreation presented their recommendation, unanimously supported by the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, for City Council to authorize the expenditure of $6 million to purchase the former Church in the City site at Colfax and York for a future central Denver Recreation Center. The agenda item was forwarded out of committee for a vote by City Council in the coming months.
Land and Design
The November 2007 bond issue allocated $11 million for land acquisition and design services for a new recreation center to serve the central Denver area. The remaining $5 million will be used for design of the new Recreation Center and saved until future funds become available for construction. A 2006 Recreation Needs Assessment Survey showed there to be a gap in recreation center service for central Denver.
We struggled to find a large enough site that could be purchased, that had proximity to a park for outdoor recreation, that offered opportunities for partnerships with other private or public entities, and that was accessible especially to those who have no other recreational alternatives. I, for one, was determined to present a choice to Central Denver residents. Fortunately and unfortunately, proposed private development on the “Church in the City” site became unfeasible after the economic downturn at the end of 2008. By the end of this summer, the City’s real estate department had done a remarkable job of securing an option to purchase the property.
Public Response
As soon as that happened, we were ready to present two alternatives to Central Denver residents - a covered pool and first phase center in Congress Park or purchase of the land and design for a center at Colfax and Josephine. An overwhelming majority of those who attended the September public meeting at the Botanic Gardens favored the Colfax site. I want to thank each and every person that attended the public meetings, called, or wrote a letter or email expressing their thoughts on the location and I want you to know that I took them into great consideration during my decision making.
Next Steps
So imagine a great rec center! Although we don’t currently have enough money to build a recreation center, we have plenty of time and creative talent to help us plan a great place. We could partner in small or large ways with Denver Public Schools/East High School. We could work with St. Charles Town Company, who currently owns the gas station on the corner, to create a mixed-use development and town center. We will look for non-profit partners to help us provide recreational services. This opportunity will be worth the wait and worth the time spent in planning. A central Denver recreation center offers a new paradigm for recreation centers in our city.
Editor’s Note: The Gove Middle School site at 13th and Colorado was one of the possible locations for the new recreation center referenced in this article. For more information about the process and sites considered, visit www.denvergov.org parksandrecreaation and type in Central Denver Recreation Center site in the search box in the upper right corner of the page.
