The Barton Institute Board recently approved a strategic plan focusing its work on safe community spaces and helping to increase access to and opportunity for wealth, health, and mental health in the communities where we work.

No one should have to live in their vehicle, but for those who must, providing a safe, legal place to sleep provides stability on the path toward more permanent housing.

The Colorado Safe Parking Initiative is a citizen-led organization working to encourage and allow safe, legal parking locations for individuals and families experiencing homelessness who are living in vehicles in Colorado.

In the second half of March, Lydia Prado’s phone started ringing. Denver had closed down most businesses and ordered residents to “shelter in place” to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. Westwood residents reached out to Lydia, sharing stories of lost jobs and bare pantries.

With initial funding and administrative support from the Barton Institute, soon augmented by gifts from other donors, the Lifespan Local team began immediately collecting and distributing food, diapers, cleaning supplies, and other resources to people who needed it.

As the year began, the Barton Institute for Community Action took a big step – moving out of the University of Denver to become a separate organization. At the same time, we began a deep collaboration with Lifespan Local, an organization cultivating healthy communities in Southwest Denver.

Little did we know what 2020 would bring…and how important this partnership would become in the context of a global pandemic and its impact here at home.