Mission Statement: Utilizing the strengths of an inclusive interfaith and ecumenical community, Metro CareRing works with families and individuals to create solutions to hunger, poverty and other difficulties through advocacy, listening and advising, and meeting basic needs.

Who We Are:

Metro CareRing is a non-profit emergency food pantry providing individuals and families with food, bus tokens, and toiletries and funds for utility assistance, work tools, and identification documentation.  Utilizing over 150 volunteers and six paid staff, Metro CareRing serves approximately 30,000 people each year - including 15,000 children. Metro CareRing strives to create a "ring of care" around the people in the community needing emergency assistance.

Who We Serve:

About one third of the households receiving services at Metro CareRing are considered “working poor”: they are working, but do not earn enough to meet their basic needs.  Over one third is on fixed incomes, and while their incomes never change, the cost of living in Denver continues to rise.  Other clients have experienced a financial setback, such as unemployment, loss of a family member, or medical emergency. Many have physical or mental disabilities and cannot work. Most have little or no money for food, clothing, child or health care, or transportation.

What We Do:

• Provide bags of food, toiletries and work-related resources to meet immediate needs.
• Provide a listening ear and short-term solutions to current situations.
• Educate and mobilize the community to affect long-term solutions to hunger, poverty and homelessness.

Where We Come From:

The year was 1974.  In downtown Denver, five ministers representing five churches (Trinity United Methodist, Central Presbyterian, St. Paul’s Lutheran, First Baptist of Denver, and St. Paul’s United Methodist) and four denominations met regularly for breakfast.  Each of these men had experienced a sense of helplessness and overwhelm due to the increasing numbers of people seeking help from the church because their basic needs were not being met.  Out of the pastors’ conversations and shared experiences, the idea surfaced that, by working together, the downtown churches could offer emergency assistance to people in need.  From these humble beginnings, Central Denver Community Service was formed.

The newly formed organization originally operated in the basement of Central Presbyterian Church, corner of 17th and Sherman Streets in Denver, Colorado. During the first ten years of the organization, Central Denver Community Service, served approximately 47,600 household and 128,500 individuals; providing more than 300,000 hours of counseling, 470,000 bus tokens, and 500,000 tons of food. For the first 20 years, the organization was supported by 22 local congregations and experienced a change in the population of people requesting services: single mothers, people dealing with mental health issues and the first wave of people with HIV/AIDS.

 

In 1993, the organization changed the name to Metro CareRing and set the goal of providing a “ring of” care to those in need in metro Denver.  Metro CareRing began serving 30,000 people/households each year and provided food, help with utility bills, prescriptions assistance, identification documents, transportation, infant needs, toiletries, household linens and kitchen items, referrals, and advocacy support from over 100 community organizations, utilizing four full-time staff members and 120 volunteers.

In 1999, Metro CareRing acquired its current location at 18th and Downing and extended the services offered to the Capitol Hill and Uptown neighborhoods of Denver.  Centrally located, the new location was more accessible (5 major bus lines stop nearby) and the ability to increase services offered.

Annual Report to the Community:

Click here to view our 2006-2007 Annual Report