"Because Community makes all the difference we will work to serve and strengthen ours"

Organization Background

The Denver Inner City Parish (DICP) was established in 1960.  Although begun under the aegis of several Protestant churches, the Parish is a non-denominational, human service nonprofit organization.  The Parish has many programs that focus on improving the quality of life for low-income, primarily Latino/Latina residents of the Denver Metro Area.  DICP encourages community members to shape the agency’s mission. 

Our programs originally served La Alma, Lincoln Park and Baker neighborhoods.  With the gentrification of this area, however, many low income Latino families now live in other parts of the Denver Metro Area.  Program participants travel from neighborhoods such as Commerce City, Aurora, and Lakewood.  Many participants express that they still feel this neighborhood is their home and that DICP provides a sense of community.  Many of our employees and volunteers were once participants at the Parish, several of our students at the school had parents who attended many years before, and some of our Seniors have children and grandchildren who attend Parish programs. 

While we celebrate 50 years of service to our community, there is always a need for our programs. Over the past five decades the programs have occasionally changed faces, but have always been focused on the purpose of improving the quality of life for youth, Seniors, and families.

Goals

The Denver Inner City Parish’s goals are:

• To cultivate a resident-driven, spiritual, social and educational center for all ages in Denver’s low income communies.
• To strengthen families and individuals, from children to seniors, so that they achieve more stable and self-sufficient social and economic lives.
• To develop community leadership, so that our often disenfranchised community attains collective empowerment.
• To foster hope through education, so that community members of all ages create a larger vision for their lives while becoming role models for the community and the generations to follow.

More About DICP

The Denver Inner City Parish serves primarily low income Latino/a families in the Denver Metro Area.  Ninety percent of Parish participants are living below poverty level.  The Latino elderly of our community, most of whom live on a fixed income, struggle with issues including meeting their nutritional needs, limited access to transportation and social isolation from their peers.  Many households are multigenerational families - single parents lead most of them.  The graduation rate at our neighboring West High School is 63% (2002, CO Dept. of Education).  On an annual basis, we serve over 11,000 (unduplicated) people with programs that address education, hunger, supportive services, job placement and building community. 

While there are other nonprofits serving Denver’s low income community, the Parish is unique in that we focus on wrap-around services for every client in each of our programs.  Clients of one program have the opportunity to take advantage of other program components.  For example, the students at La Academia receive additional support through our Project ReNew program.  We have seen parents of La Academia students graduate from the Night school only days before their own son or daughter graduates.  Project ReNew Adult started as a component of our Worship Community and has now grown into a free standing supported program. 

It is the focus of the Parish to support each individual and family in our community.  This uniqueness separates us from the other organizations serving Denver’s low income community.  Through collaborations we ensure that there is little duplication of services while continuing to support all members of our community.