Dear Friends of the Community,
2008 seemed like two different years—the time before the financial crisis came to a head in September, and the time after that…when the stock market plummeted, layoffs sky­rocketed, and the lines at food pantries lengthened.

Here at The Denver Foundation, we stand at the crossroads of the community, and that position calls us to an even higher level of service in these challenging times. As a community foundation, we are uniquely positioned to connect people who have the resources to give with non­profits on the front lines, serving food and finding homes, helping with job training or assisting working families with energy bills.

In reflection of the role we play, we decided to call the 2008 annual report Connecting Community, Piece by Piece. This idea—that people in our community can connect, through differences, across genera­tions, and over time to help one another—is powerful. It is an idea that can sustain us as we face the challenges of our times. We feel gratitude as we think of the men and women from past generations who gave to help meet current needs. We take heart as we see people coming together to address an issue like rising hunger in our community.

There is another way that this report is a reflection of our times—you will notice that it is smaller in size than in past years. To save both environmental resources and dollars, the Foundation has decided to put the majority of our report online at a special website, 2008report.denverfoundation.org. There, in addition to the content you see here, you will find the lists of those incredible women and men who supported the Foundation in 2008, those who created funds in the past, and the nonprofits that their gifts are supporting. If you would like printed copies of these materials, please contact us and we will be glad to provide them.

As you read the report, both here and online, we hope you will think about how The Denver Foundation can help you connect with the community in a way that will sustain you and make a difference for those in need.

Sincerely,