About Us
Who we are
In short, we focus on being outstanding neighbors who share common life together. We are a Denver, CO based community development organization. We live and gather in West Colfax and unite around the simple yet extreme idea of 'Love Your Neighbor As Yourself' with the hope of creating a flourishing and thriving community. We start intentional neighborhood relationships with a long-term focus. We value those unique God given differences, histories and talents that exist within each of us and look for ways we can lock arms around common vision. We take special attention to advocate for the ignored and voiceless in order to ascribe dignity and value to ALL of our neighbors. We work to create balanced solutions to break the chains of inequality, unwind the cycles of oppression, and rethink how we live and leverage resources. We are determined to be known as a people and place of light in hopes of reflecting overwhelming love for others.
Who we serve
West Colfax is one of Denver’s historic inner-city neighborhoods and includes a significant number of public-housing projects and high-density apartments serving low-income and at-risk families. Colfax Avenue sits as the center-piece thoroughfare and is central to the densely populated single-room occupancy hotels and short-term rentals or shelters serving the transient population of families and individuals that are homeless or on the brink of homelessness. Enrollment at the local elementary school includes 90%+ free and reduced lunch, 90%+ minority demographics, and 37% english language acquisition learners. We are involved and engaged across the socioeconomic, racial, and language spectrum.
Our Story
The Mulliniks Family
Chad and Shantelle have lived in Denver for 20+ years. In 2012, they found themselves making big changes in their once tidy, predictable life: downsizing on housing, starting foster care training, and taking their family of 4 (at the time) to Uganda to volunteer with friends at a local NGO. In 2013, they moved into the West Colfax neighborhood with the heart to love their neighbors really well. They have been filling their home with foster children, as well as individuals and families experiencing turmoil, as they seek to lock arms through long-term relationships with the economically and racially diverse. A longing for rich community led to the building of 9-unit affordable townhomes with the purpose of inviting and living in intentional community where a diverse collection of individuals and families now gather their unique and powerful talents to serve and love all parts of the local neighborhood. In 2020 they broke ground on an affordable / attainable 20-unit apartment building, as they launch their non-profit West Colfax Lampstand, a relational programmatic approach for families at-risk of displacement and seeking sustainable long-term equity opportunities. Shantelle regularly leads and volunteers with organizations serving those experiencing homelessness and at-risk children and you're likely to find her sharing meals at the dinner table and preparing a place for friends and strangers alike to lay their head. Chad, an accountant by trade, is a visionary that creatively goes to unorthodox depths to stand with others. They have four bio kids- Nigel (17), Penelope (15), Jonesy (9), and Roscoe (6), that all share in this craziness of life and bring their unique giftings to the table. All that sums up to a life of meaningful chaos that has expanded their hearts and minds in the pursuit to better love their neighbors. The Mulliniks family is passionate about leveraging their voices and resources in an attempt to generate dignity and love for the whole community.