Helping Relieve Hunger

LIGHTSHADE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PILLAR 2

In this day and age, no person should go hungry. Lightshade is committed to helping individuals and families in Colorado find nutritious and filling meals so they can put their best foot forward each and every day. Our staff regularly volunteers at the Gathering Place; cooking meals, cleaning the kitchen, and picking up the bill. Everyone deserves to eat well regardless of financial position and if we have anything to do with it, no person in Colorado will go hungry.

Organizations We Are Working With

The Gathering Place

Founded in 1986, The Gathering Place is the only daytime drop-in center in metropolitan Denver that serves women, their children, and transgender individuals who are experiencing poverty, many of whom are also experiencing homelessness. While we refer to those we serve as “members,” no fees are ever charged for programs or services.

We believe deeply in the power of our community and continually work to make it stronger. Our key values include recognizing individual strengths, building respect and trust, and offering unconditional acceptance.

Grant Street Reach

Grant Street Reach (“Street Reach”), formerly known as Grant Avenue Street Reach, has been serving the Denver community for over 25 years. Operating primarily as a Soup Kitchen, Street Reach provides over 800 hot meals every Monday to its clients. In 2015 alone, Street Reach served approximately 50,000 meals to its patrons. Aside from food service, Street Reach provides food (canned goods, fresh vegetables, and fruit), clothing, blankets, toiletries, diapers, and baby formula to its clients.

Food Bank of the Rockies

Hunger can be found everywhere – often where you least expect it. The homeless population represents only about 10% of our food recipients. The rest? Everyday people like low-wage workers, children, seniors on fixed incomes and individuals with health issues.

We help families thrive by efficiently procuring and distributing food and essentials to the hungry through our programs and partner agencies.

Senior Support Services

Senior Support Services is Denver’s only day center for hungry and homeless seniors. The day center is a safe place to spend time, socialize with others, and participate in activities. SSS:

  • provides meals, food and clothing banks, computer and internet access, transportation
  • helps clients get housing, benefits, rent and utility payments, financial counseling
  • provides access to medical care, health screenings, mental health care

Denver Urban Gardens

DUG knows that in order to make lasting change, community needs to drive it. That’s why every one of our urban gardens and farms have been started and led by local residents. We currently have over 170 gardens in six counties in the Metro Denver Area.

DUG gardeners grow food, but more than that, they grow community. We put down deep roots, providing resources, training, and support needed to establish enduring gardens and farms that become valuable assets to neighborhoods. We do all of this with respect for all people and the environment.

Aurora Warms the Night

Aurora Warms the Night (AWTN) shelters those experiencing homelessness in the winter when temperatures reach 20 degrees or colder. Year round services include meals, warm clothing, hygiene items, transportation to shelter, laundry vouchers, bus passes, partner agency referrals, and advocacy. We operate these services in order to ensure families and individuals meet their most basic needs, learn new skills, and access resources to transition out of homelessness.