Community Ministry of Southwest Denver
Mission
To meet the basic needs of individuals who are experiencing economic hardship and related problems.
Vision
We envision a community in which every individual can become self-sufficient
Values
- Dignity of every individual
- Compassion toward everyone
- Service to our community
History
The seeds for what has become Community Ministry were planted in 1966 when women from Brentwood United Methodist Church attended a conference on Affluence and Poverty. The study disclosed that one of the poverty pockets in Denver at that time was in Southwest Denver in the College View neighborhood.
Brentwood UM decided that they wanted to be an agent of change in the area. Partnering with other churches in the area, CollegeView Ministry was incorporated in 1968. The name was later changed to Community Ministry of Southwest Denver in 1971 to better reflect the community that was being served.
Strategic Plan
In May 2023, Community Ministry's Strategic Planning Committee and board members gathered for a retreat to create a new strategic plan to guide the organization's future. The plan was developed based on valuable feedback gathered from surveys of clients, community members, church partners, staff, and volunteers. The process identified six key strategic themes for the organization's future: Communications/Visibility, Facilities, Outside Support/Partnerships, Volunteer Management, Right Sizing Staff, and Fundraising/Donor Base. These themes will direct our efforts to strengthen our services and expand our reach in the coming years.
Goals
Meet the emergency and complex needs of families through innovative and responsive programming, ensuring the availability of healthy food options, supportive programs and collaborative linkages to reduce hunger and homelessness primarily in southwest Denver, and programming to help families move toward self-sufficiency.
Manage Community Ministry’s efforts in a cost-effective manner through in-kind donations of food, volunteer help, and innovative collaborations, thus reducing the need to purchase additional resources for the ever-increasing numbers and needs of families.
