Denver Rescue Mission to Cut 71 Positions as Shelter Management Ends
As it prepares to withdraw from running a northern Denver shelter, the Denver Rescue Mission intends to eliminate 71 jobs when the year concludes. According to a notice filed with the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment on Oct. 30, the upcoming job cuts take effect on Dec. 31 following the termination of the nonprofit’s city contract to operate the 48th Avenue Center.
Dennis Van Kampen, the nonprofit’s chief executive officer, stated that the organization chose not to bid on a new contract as part of a shift to programs that are designed to prevent homelessness. The facility at 4600 E. 48th Ave., located off Interstate 70 and Colorado Boulevard, houses 538 men and provides three daily meals, bathrooms, and other services.
Shifting Resources Toward Upstream Prevention
When the city expanded provisions for unhoused individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Denver Rescue Mission assumed responsibility for running the facility under a five-year agreement with the nonprofit. Julia Marvin, a spokeswoman for Denver’s Department of Housing Stability, explained via email that the city opened bidding for new contracts to manage shelters in 2027 and confirmed that the Denver Rescue Mission did not apply to continue operations at the 48th Avenue Center.
Denver Rescue Mission to lay off 71 employees after termination of city contract to run 48th Avenue Center https://t.co/mKscBd2PJ5
The department plans to discuss 2027 shelter-service provider contracts at a committee meeting on Tuesday. Marvin noted that there will be no interruption to services.
Rather than continuing shelter operations at the 48th Avenue location, the nonprofit is redirecting its focus to a school-based initiative. In September 2025, the organization rolled out a school-focused pilot initiative across Jeffco Public Schools and the Poudre School District aimed at assisting student households facing housing insecurity. Van Kampen noted that over half of the adults the organization works with first experienced homelessness as a child, driving the organization to focus on early intervention.
“We know that over half of the adults we work with first experienced homelessness as a child. We feel the need to get upstream and prevent homelessness from the start.” — Dennis Van Kampen, chief executive officer, Denver Rescue Mission
In its first year, the prevention program kept 106 families, encompassing 211 children, in their houses and apartments. The program expanded to Clayton Early Learning Center in Denver this school year, with plans for annual growth.
Scope of the Upcoming Layoffs and Remaining Operations
The impending staff reductions at the 48th Avenue Center impact custodians, chefs, community coordinators, intake specialists, and case managers, according to state filings. Van Kampen indicated that the organization is already coordinating with the 48th Avenue Center’s new manager and envisions that the nonprofit will hire the center’s current employees.
Other facilities and programs operated by the Denver Rescue Mission remain open. These include the downtown campus featuring the 200-bed Lawrence Street Shelter and an adjacent community center for meals and service registration. The organization also maintains the Smith Road complex known as The Crossing, which includes 30 emergency and family-shelter units, transitional housing, and a men’s residential recovery program.
Additional operational sites unaffected by the shift include the Ministry Outreach Center at 5725 E. 39th Ave., which functions as a distribution warehouse for food and furniture, and the adjacent Holly Center offering 200 beds as a year-round overflow center. The mission’s shelter in Fort Collins and farm in Wellington also continue to operate.
