Standing Strong Together: Rose Community Foundation’s Enduring Partnership with Denver Health

In moments when the future feels uncertain, some partnerships quietly show their strength. For nearly three decades, Rose Community Foundation has been a steady and trusted ally to Denver Health.

The partnership has grown alongside the city itself. Founded with proceeds from the sale of Rose Medical Center in the 1990s, Rose Community Foundation has long carried forward the values of health equity, access, and community-centered care. That shared vision has anchored its support for Denver Health in times of both progress and strain. Together, the two organizations have navigated shifting landscapes and invested in care for those who might otherwise be left behind.

Meeting the moment

Whether responding to public health emergencies or addressing health needs in historically underserved communities, Rose Community Foundation has worked alongside Denver Health Foundation to bring care to those who need it most. It has helped expand culturally responsive health services, sustain safety-net programs, and reinforce care systems under pressure.

That commitment has remained vital as Denver Health continues to care for a growing patient population with a wide range of health needs. Rose Community Foundation has engaged with efforts to provide care that is welcoming, respectful, and responsive — with services that reflect the varied backgrounds and experiences of the people Denver Health serves. Its investments have made it possible to offer mental health care, screenings, dental services, and care coordination to patients who may otherwise struggle to get the support they need.

In doing so, Rose Community Foundation has reinforced the concept that health care must be responsive to the whole person, including their lived experiences.

Advancing access and long-term stability

Rose Community Foundation has long supported health care services that prioritize dignity, quality, and access, especially in times of uncertainty and amid shifting landscapes. By championing systems that offer respectful, high-quality care to all, regardless of income, background, or insurance status, Rose Community Foundation continues to act on its core belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to make informed decisions about their health and future.

In 2024, as Denver Health continued to address long-term sustainability challenges in a rapidly growing city, Rose Community Foundation again stepped forward. As one of the earliest backers of Ballot Measure 2Q, a local initiative to secure long-term funding for Denver’s safety-net health system, Rose Community Foundation underscored the importance of shared responsibility. At a time when uncompensated care costs were rising and public resources remained limited, its leadership helped rally public support around a simple idea: that access to care should be a civic priority, not a luxury.

The power of trust and shared purpose

This kind of deep partnership is rooted in trust, not just between institutions, but between people committed to a shared mission. Over the years, Rose Community Foundation and Denver Health have built that trust through aligned values, transparency, and a common goal of improving life in Denver for all who call it home. That trust has enabled both organizations to act quickly in moments of urgency and to adapt to new challenges as they arise.

Importantly, Rose Community Foundation’s commitment goes beyond any single program or moment. Its wide-ranging assistance — including health education, care coordination, and services for patients with complex needs and backgrounds — reflects a broad understanding of what it takes to foster healthier lives. It has helped make it possible for Denver Health to meet patients where they are, with care that considers the many factors that shape a person’s health and well-being.

As Denver continues to change, Rose Community Foundation’s focus remains clear: build a future where access to care is not determined by circumstance and all residents have the resources they need to live healthy, stable lives. By investing in Denver Health’s mission, it is building upon a firm commitment to ensuring that the city’s safety-net health system can continue to serve with excellence, compassion, and resilience, no matter the headwinds.

The moments that test a partnership often reveal its true depth. In standing shoulder to shoulder with Denver Health through seasons of both strain and growth, Rose Community Foundation has shown that philanthropy can be both responsive and enduring. In times when the path forward is unclear, its actions speak with clarity: Commitment matters, especially when the stakes are high.

If you’d like to make a gift today, visit Denver Health Foundation’s donation page. Together, we can build a healthier Denver for all.

Rose Community Foundation has long supported health care services that prioritize dignity, quality, and access, especially in times of uncertainty and amid shifting landscapes.

Rose Community Foundation

Standing Strong Together: Rose Community Foundation’s Enduring Partnership with Denver Health

In this Story:

Meeting the moment

Advancing access and long-term stability

The power of trust and shared purpose

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