For nearly 60 years, the Action Center has been a place where community members can turn when they need help taking the next step toward stability. Located in Lakewood and serving residents across the larger Denver metro area, the nonprofit family resource center provides support through cost-free grocery and clothing markets, along with one-on-one supportive programs that help people navigate challenges related to housing, employment, finances, family needs, and more.
Lutheran Hospital has supported the Action Center for more than 10 years, including $75,000 for its Eviction Mitigation Program. While the hospital’s Care Management team does not make formal referrals, the Action Center is consistently included among food and community resources shared with patients who need additional support beyond the hospital walls.
That partnership reflects a shared understanding that health is shaped by much more than medical care alone. Food access, safe housing, clothing, transportation, child care, employment and financial stability all influence a person’s ability to get and stay well.
“Homelessness is a growing challenge in Jefferson County, and we direct our financial support to their rent support/eviction mitigation efforts with the intent of influencing upstream conditions that can lead to an individual or family becoming homeless,” said Chuck Ault, Intermountain Health Community Health program manager. “By getting in front of the problem, we believe we are contributing to the overall health of the community. The Action Center’s wraparound services are consistent with our belief that keeping a person healthy requires more than hospitals, doctors, and nurses.”
“At the Action Center, those wraparound services begin with meeting people exactly where they are,” said Lauren Sagendorph of the Action Center. “Anyone who walks through our doors can receive food, and monthly grocery appointments are designed around family size, so households receive support that matches their needs. Emergency food bags are available for those who need immediate help. The clothing market, set up like a thrift store, allows individuals and families to shop for clothing at no cost through a point-based system.”
The organization’s supportive programs add another layer of care. Resource navigators meet privately with clients to understand what brought them in and what kind of support would be most helpful. Sometimes that means helping someone create a budget after a job loss. Other times, it means connecting someone to housing, legal, mental health, domestic violence, child care or employment resources. The goal is not only to provide immediate relief, but to help people identify a path forward.
“Sometimes you’re just scared and you don’t know where to start,” said Lauren. “The Action Center is that starting spot. We can be your liaison for whatever support you need.”
The scale of that support is significant. Last year alone, the Action Center welcomed more than 60,000 visits, distributed more than 2,000,000 pounds of food and 300,000 pounds of clothing, and provided more than $1 million in rent and energy assistance. The work is carried out by about 40 full-time staff members and more than 2,000 volunteers each year, many of whom help collect, sort and distribute food and clothing or support clients directly in the grocery and clothing markets.
For Sharon Morrison, that support has made a meaningful difference for her family. As a grandmother to 17 grandchildren, she often steps in when her loved ones need help with essentials like food, clothing or holiday gifts. When she found the Action Center, she found more than a place to receive assistance. She found a community that treated her and her family with care.
Through the Action Center’s Holiday Gift Program, Sharon has been able to provide each of her grandchildren with a small but meaningful gift. She said the experience has left her feeling not just thankful, but grateful — a deeper feeling rooted in knowing that someone cares.
She also remembers the dignity built into the experience. The clothing market, she said, is organized and thoughtful, with staff and volunteers taking pride in the way items are presented. One moment that stayed with her was finding a coat her daughter loves at no cost.
Stories like Sharon’s show why the Action Center’s work matters, and why community partnerships are essential. A bag of groceries can help a family stretch its budget. A coat can help someone feel prepared for the season ahead. A conversation with a resource navigator can help someone plan when life feels uncertain. Rent or energy assistance can help prevent a crisis from becoming homelessness.
The Action Center is leading the launch of a new community campus in early 2027. By repurposing a former school in Jefferson County, the organization will bring multiple community partners under one roof, making it easier for individuals and families to access the resources and support they need in one connected space.
For Lutheran Hospital, investing in the Action Center is one way to care for the community beyond clinical settings. It is a recognition that preventing homelessness, improving access to food and clothing, and connecting people to trusted resources can all contribute to better health.
For Sharon and many others, that support is deeply personal. It is the feeling of being seen, respected and reminded that help is available and that no one has to navigate hardship alone.
For more information, visit https://www.theactioncenter.org/.
