ARVADA, Colorado (May 9, 2023) – Today Community First Foundation, the community foundation serving Jefferson County (Jeffco) and the organization that runs ColoradoGives.org and Colorado Gives Day, announced the launch of its new name, Colorado Gives Foundation and brand positioning, along with an initiative to bring affordable workforce housing to Jefferson County.
“We believe community is built by connection, and now as Colorado Gives Foundation, we are building on the brand recognition of Colorado Gives with an invitation for community members to join us in making good happen,” said Kelly Dunkin, president and CEO of Colorado Gives Foundation. “We’re excited to launch our new brand and highlight the critical issue of affordable workforce housing in Jeffco while we work together with community partners to bring forward solutions.”
At the heart of our community lies the importance of housing, which provides a sense of safety, security, and well-being. Unfortunately, many hard-working people in Jefferson County cannot afford to live near their place of employment. Estimates suggest that nearly 14,000 new units are needed to meet housing needs in Jefferson County. To help bridge this gap, Colorado Gives Foundation is seeding $15 million to create a housing fund called Bring it Home to help build or preserve affordable workforce housing to Jeffco.
“Colorado Gives Foundation listens emphatically to the needs of those we serve, with a firm commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion,” added Dunkin. “And what we have heard is there is no direct funding to get those in the missing middle, the people earning good incomes but not enough to live near where they work. This is where we can work together with our community to help Bring It Home,” added Dunkin.
Donors, whether individuals or organizations, can join the effort by donating to the Bring it Home Fund, knowing every dollar makes a difference. All donations are pooled to invest and support Jeffco workforce housing for greater impact. “Maintaining and building affordable housing takes time. It’s a big problem that no one person or organization can tackle alone. But together, we can change this and make good happen because housing is good for everyone,” said Dunkin.
The Bring it Home Fund at Colorado Gives Foundation has already made its first investment to the Colorado Housing Accelerator Initiative which seeks to fill a critical shortage of financing for affordable housing through the acquisition, preservation and development of affordable workforce housing. Bring it Home Fund will continue supporting investments in housing by providing low-cost capital to create and maintain affordable workforce housing in Jefferson County.
For more information on how you can support the Bring It Home Fund, visit ColoradoGives.org/SupportHousing.
About Colorado Gives Foundation
Colorado Gives Foundation (formerly Community First Foundation) connects donors and Colorado nonprofits to make good happen. Through Colorado Gives 365, we make it easy for people to donate to the causes they care about, enabling meaningful change to help our neighbors thrive. We achieve this by connecting people, ideas, and nonprofits, helping donors with philanthropic planning, and supporting nonprofits with grants and resources. Together, we strive to build resilient, connected and thriving communities. Our work is rooted in attentive listening and a firm commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. Colorado Gives Foundation is where donors find and discover the community impact that matters most to them, which is good for everyone.
