For people navigating the aftermath of a crime or traumatic experience, finding help can mean visiting a courthouse, hospital, counseling office and legal services provider—all while facing difficult decisions and an unfamiliar system. PorchLight, A Family Justice Center, brings those resources together in one welcoming location, helping guests in Jefferson and Gilpin counties connect with the support they need.
Opened in Lakewood in 2021, PorchLight is one of only a few Family Justice Centers in Colorado. The Center houses 22 partner agencies, including nonprofit, government and law enforcement organizations. It also works with an additional network of 50 off-site partners. Guests can walk in without an appointment and receive services at no cost.
PorchLight navigators serve as the first point of contact. They listen to each guest’s concerns, identify barriers and build an individualized plan that may include counseling, legal assistance, childcare, housing support, benefits navigation or medical services. By bringing partners together, PorchLight replaces a confusing series of referrals with direct, personal connections.
PorchLight also offers a safer way for guests involved in certain court proceedings to participate. Through a partnership with the local justice system, guests can attend initial hearings virtually from PorchLight, meet with the district attorney and a victim witness specialist, and then connect with other on-site resources if they choose.
Since opening, PorchLight has welcomed more than 21,000 visits. In 2026, the Center had recorded approximately 3,100 visits by early October, an average of about 17 guests each day. Word of mouth remains the most common way people learn about PorchLight, underscoring the importance of community partners sharing information about the Center.
Lutheran Hospital social workers are an important part of that connection. PorchLight leaders have presented to the hospital’s social work team, so caregivers can better understand the Center’s services and refer people who may benefit. The organizations continue to explore additional ways to collaborate and make support easier to access.
Lutheran also helps monetarily, including a recent $25,000 Community Health Improvement Grant and ongoing collaboration with the hospital’s social work team. Together, the organizations are helping community members move more quickly from a moment of crisis to coordinated care, practical resources and a path forward.
“The partnership reflects a shared belief that community health extends beyond the walls of a hospital,” said Brandon Bowles, PorchLight Development & Communications director. “The grant helps PorchLight sustain its coordinated model at a time when federal funding for victim services has declined, and Lutheran’s support signals that this work is essential to a healthier, safer community.”
For people like Vanessa, PorchLight services were a godsend. She had been experiencing an increasing level of violence from her boyfriend and when his verbal abuse escalated to physical assault, Vanessa felt trapped and terrified. After a failed attempt to get him to leave, his behavior became more erratic and violent. He damaged their home, made numerous threats against Vanessa and her family, and held her at knifepoint.
She called the National Domestic Violence Hotline, which gave Vanessa the information for PorchLight. Vanessa was able to walk into the Center and sit down with a PorchLight navigator. Together, they came up with a plan to support Vanessa’s safety which included filing a police report. The police officer met with Vanessa and the navigator at PorchLight. During their conversation, the officer was able to gather enough information to issue a warrant for her boyfriend’s arrest. Understanding that he was likely to be arrested, the navigator was also able to help Vanessa identify a safe place to stay, apply for crime victims’ compensation, and explore the other services and supports that she could be connected with at PorchLight, such as legal assistance, therapy and ongoing advocacy.
He was arrested, and a case was filed with the 1st Judicial District Attorney’s Office. After some time to consider options for her path forward, Vanessa contacted her navigator at PorchLight and asked for assistance to get connected with several other partner agencies including Family Tree, The Blue Bench, and Zero Tolerance for Domestic Abuse. She expressed gratitude for being able to get all the support through PorchLight instead of having to travel from agency to agency or call a list of numbers wondering who could provide the support she needed.
“PorchLight helps people find support when they’re facing incredibly difficult circumstances, and this partnership helps make those resources easier to reach,” said Chuck Ault, Intermountain Health Community Health program manager. “That’s exactly the kind of connection we want to strengthen in the communities we serve.”
“Anytime that we have support from such a large entity or a well-respected organization like Lutheran, the financial support is always so appreciated,” said Brandon. “But I think, more than that, it’s motivating. It gives our staff a sense that the work they do matters and that other people care about it and want to support it.”
Finding yourself or a loved one experiencing something traumatic can be overwhelming and often it’s difficult to know where to start. PorchLight Navigation services are here to help. Our Navigation Program supports our guests through trained advocates that connect survivors to the most appropriate resources and supports among our extensive community partners, and to help each guest navigate their experience.
PorchLight’s Navigators can be reached by calling 720-853-8850. For more information, visit https://www.porchlightfjc.org/.
