By Whitney Holman
In 2021, Jason Janz and the CrossPurpose team launched a five-year plan, “The City Beautiful: Reimagined.” This plan was inspired by Robert Speer, mayor of Denver, CO more than 100 years ago, who launched his “The City Beautiful” campaign in an effort to promote the beautiful architecture in Denver that all residents could enjoy. Jason, however, had a deeper vision, a vision that would not only help residents in Denver who are in poverty, but help them to get out of poverty. The five-year plan was for CrossPurpose to quadruple their impact by expanding to four different locations in the Denver Metro area. CrossPurpose met that goal September 23, with the grand opening of its fourth location in Aurora, CO.
The campus in Aurora, named Los Altos, is unique to the other locations in NE Denver, Arvada, and Englewood. Los Altos is a 5-acre, mixed-use development that combines affordable housing, workforce training, and community life while also providing walkability to local public schools, grocery stores, outdoor recreational space, walking trails, and public transportation via bus and rail line. This development is a partnership between Columbia Ventures, a housing development firm building 137 affordable housing units for families earning 30%–70% of the Area Median Income (AMI); CrossPurpose; and Living Hope Community Church. The location of Aurora was chosen because of the housing needs, economic needs, and the need for jobs. This campus is designed to foster economic growth, fellowship, and community pride, supporting both families and individuals holistically.
Stephanie Hewitt, Director of Community Partnerships for CrossPurpose, spearheaded the grand opening celebration of the new campus. “CrossPurpose is excited to welcome our neighbors to our brand new Los Altos location and join the amazing Community Partners already at work building a thriving Aurora,” Stephanie expressed, while referring to the grand opening as a “celebration of the beautiful connections that have made it a reality.” With more than 400 people in attendance, the sold-out event full of our employer, community, and church partners, certainly met the goal Stephanie and her team set while planning.
While the grand opening celebration was successful, now the work begins to impact the lives of our Aurora neighbors, and Rynn Sango, Site Director of the Los Altos campus is excited to begin the work. While highlighting the diversity of Aurora, with residents from more than 130 countries speaking more than 160 languages, she recognized that the opportunity for impact has no limits. The biggest excitement for Rynn is the opportunity to build strong partnerships. “We’ve already begun working closely with Altura Elementary, which has deep, trusted relationships with families in the area. Earlier this year, we joined together for the “Feeding of the 500” event, which brought together Los Altos Apartments, Altura Elementary (during their registration day), A Precious Child, and CrossPurpose. Together, we served over 400 families and individuals, it was a great representation of the power of collaboration and community,” Rynn revealed.
By quadrupling its presence in the Denver Metro area, CrossPurpose has not only met an ambitious five-year goal but has also laid the foundation for a new chapter of community impact. The launch of the Los Altos campus in Aurora represents a significant step forward, combining essential services like affordable housing and workforce training with a strong focus on building deep-rooted community connections. As the team at Los Altos begins the important work of serving its neighbors, their collaborative efforts with local partners are poised to create lasting change, fulfilling a vision of “The City Beautiful: Reimagined” that is truly built for everyone.