At Denver Rescue Mission, we fight hunger to change lives.
Daily, millions of people in America lack the resources to provide substantial or consistent meals for themselves and their families. Hunger has a deep impact and an even further reach, burdening individuals and families who struggle to make ends meet.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one in 11 Coloradans go to bed hungry on a consistent basis.*
Many of our neighbors experiencing homelessness and poverty continually wonder where their next meal will come from. Hunger forces individuals into difficult situations where they have to choose between paying for food and paying their bills.
Hunger changes people’s health, hope and opportunities—it changes their lives. Denver Rescue Mission is also committed to changing lives. While hunger leaves people without hope, the Mission fights to provide strength and comfort.
During Hunger Awareness Month, and every month, the Mission continues to fight against hunger. Through this fight, we provide an average of 1,727 meals a day for those experiencing homelessness. Because of support from our community, we were able to provide 773,717 meals in 2019. Staff, volunteers, and generous donations ensure that our guests are receiving nutritious meals, providing fuel for them to face the day.
Experiencing hunger can be disheartening and unpredictable, just like the current state of our world. Despite the uncertainty of this season, the Mission has continued to serve three meals a day, seven days a week, both at the Lawrence Street Community Center and the National Western Complex, a temporary auxiliary shelter for men that opened in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When it comes to changing lives, a meal is only the beginning. As people created in the image of God, our souls long for more than food. We are created for relationship and purpose.
Denver Rescue Mission desires to meet people at both their physical and spiritual points of need. When guests come to the Lawrence Street Community Center for meals, they learn about our services and long-term programs that can help them take steps out of homelessness.
We fight hunger to provide resources, mentorship, encouragement, and stability. We fight hunger with the goal of returning people to society as productive, self-sufficient citizens. We fight hunger to change lives.
*U.S. Department of Agriculture, Household Food Security in the United States in 2018, June 2020
Written by: Emily Ostdiek, Content and Photography Intern
