After 38 years of serving the Denver community, Adventist Community Services Community L.I.F.T. closed its operation on August 17 due to lack of funding. The closure was announced on August 2 by action of the Executive Committee of the Rocky Mountain Conference.
The Executive Committee voted “to reluctantly recognize the need to close ACS Community L.I.F.T. at this time due to lack of funding and support from constituent churches,” the action stated.
ACS Community L.I.F.T. served thousands of children and adults with its food bank and medical clinic. Since 1979, Denver’s Barnum neighborhood was a fixture on First Avenue east of Sheridan, and in April 2016 received a much-needed lift of its own, managers said, when volunteers with the nonprofit group Rebuilding Together Metro Denver were assisted by Lowes volunteers in giving the ACS Community L.I.F.T. building an update.
Stephanie Denning, chair of the ACS Community L.I.F.T. Board of Trustees, presented ACS’s current financial position and outlined two options: an increase of funding and support from the conference and constituent churches, or closing the facility.
Over the years, donations and financial support from RMC made the operation possible but repeatedly was short of the necessary funding to continue the service.
According to George Crumley, RMC vice president for finance, after selling the building and assets, and after debts have been paid, any funds remaining will be held as potential seed money for future operations.
“It is the hope to see a new partnership develop between the conference, churches and Adventist hospitals to continue this much-needed ministry in the Denver metro community,” Crumley says.
