Mercy Housing Art Donations

Towards the end of February, Africa Direct asked for art donations for Mercy Housing, a brand-new affordable housing complex in Denver, Colorado. It didn't take long for the paintings, baskets, statues, lamps, and decor items to start piling up in our office. On the morning of February 22nd, we loaded two cars full of items and brought them to The Rose Mercy Housing complex. We hope these pieces will bring warmth and joy to these beautiful new homes. Thank you to everyone who made a contribution!

      

Mercy Housing, Inc., is a leading national affordable housing nonprofit headquartered in Denver that serves tens of thousands of people across the U.S. with low incomes daily, Mile High United Way and Mile High Early Learning announced the grand opening of the Rose on Colfax affordable housing community with a co-located childcare center on the corner of East Colfax and Valentia Street in the East Colfax neighborhood. This new, mixed-use development has 82 affordable homes, and the Mile High United Way Early Childhood Education Center, operated by Mile High Early Learning, has space to serve the learning needs of 48 babies, toddlers, and preschoolers.

 

Recognizing that residents in the neighborhood were becoming increasingly vulnerable due to a significant lack of affordable housing and childcare in addition to increasing gentrification in the area, the City and County of Denver, Mercy Housing Mountain Plains, Mile High United Way, Mile High Early Learning, the Colorado Division of Housing and a variety of private foundations invested in the Rose on Colfax development. The City of Denver purchased the site and then awarded it to Mercy Housing Mountain Plains in 2019 through a competitive RFP process for re-development into affordable housing.

 

“The new Rose on Colfax is a great example of a public and private partnership that will help make Denver more affordable to residents, including making sure hardworking families who need access to childcare can get access right on site,” Mayor Mike Johnston said. “These are the kinds of projects we want more of to reach our goal of 3,000 units of permanently affordable housing each year.”