Colorado
Jewish Family Service of Colorado marks 153 years of providing food aid and housing support
Jewish Family Service of Colorado is rarely quiet these days. In the two-story brick building at the corner of Eastman Avenue and Tamarac Drive, people rush up the stairs toward reception, passing others who step into the food pantry to select groceries.
Nearby, visitors pause, flipping through pamphlets and reading signs plastered across the wall, taking in the full scope of the nonprofit’s work.
For Linda Foster, president and CEO of JFS, the steady stream of people seeking help is both a sign of unprecedented need and a reminder of why the nonprofit exists in the first place.
“We are an organization that has Jewish values, but we serve everybody. We don’t discriminate in any way,” Foster said.
Today, the nonprofit serves more than 26,000 people annually through over 30 programs and services, including food security, housing stability, mental health counseling, aging care, employment support, refugee resettlement, chaplaincy and Jewish life, disability services and aeroponic farming.
JFS, which receives funding from The Denver Post Community Foundation’s Season to Share program, is now in its 153rd year and has grown far beyond its origins as the Hebrew Ladies Benevolent Society.
As Colorado faces a housing crisis, rising food prices and growing community vulnerability, Foster said JFS continues to adapt while staying true to its mission of improving the lives of individuals and families in need across the state.
At the center of that response is a staff driven by purpose, Foster said. JFS has nearly 200 employees and over 700 volunteers of all types of backgrounds, and is what drew Foster to take on the role.
“Every day I’m doing something that makes a difference, and I have the most incredible staff who care about each other, but also care about our community and our clients. So, I wanted to be part of that,” Foster said.
The nonprofit is expanding its food pantry support, community partnerships and focusing efforts on preventing homelessness through its Emergency Housing Assistance program and Rapid Rehousing program.
More recently, JFS has worked to fill the gaps left by SNAP cuts that occurred during the government shutdown by increasing the amount of produce and protein it offers and ordering thousands of dollars’ worth of gift cards.
While the pantry can only provide so much, these gift cards allow families to purchase additional essentials that JFS can’t supply. However, even though the nonprofit has the flexibility to adapt to problems the community faces, it can sometimes add up.
“The support of the community around those are just so critical,” she said as the nonprofit receives hundreds of calls every day from people who need assistance.
“We’re really dependent on a committed community of donors — we wouldn’t be able to survive if we didn’t get that kind of support. We’re a nonprofit, so we have to find ways to be sustainable, and that’s when we depend on grants and we depend on donors.”
Foster sat at a big table in the middle of her office on a Tuesday afternoon, hands clasped together, staring off at the wall as she recalled meeting a client.
“Oftentimes I’ll go down just to hear someone’s story,” she said. “It reminds me why I’m here and what I’m doing.”
“I care so much about our organization and the people we serve, and there’s so much good we’re doing,” Foster said.
She said she wants to make sure this organization can continue in a good place, though it’s a challenge that requires raising more money and diversifying its funding sources. Yet, Foster said the nonprofit is exploring new strategies and remains optimistic as they strive to make the world a better place.
Jewish Family Service of Colorado
Address: 3201 S. Tamarac Dr., Denver, CO 80231
In operation since: 1872
Number of employees: 191
Number of volunteers: over 700
Annual budget: $22 million
Number of clients served: over 26,000 unique clients annually
How to register to vote in Colorado
There are three ways to register to vote in Colorado: online, by mail or in person.
The Colorado primary election is June 30.
The primary election will determine party nominees for the November election, and multiple seats with ties to Larimer County have contested races on the Democratic ballot or Republican ballot.
The Coloradoan has conducted candidate questionairres in the four contested races specific to voters in Larimer County.
Find links to our coverage below. This story will be updated as additional content is published.
Larimer County treasurer and public trustee
Two candidates are running for the Democratic Party nomination for Larimer County treasurer and public trustee: Conor Duffy, a finance professional and Poudre School District school board member, and Joann Ginal, a former state senator who represented Fort Collins in the Colorado legislature.
The winner of the primary will face Republican Steve Olson, a former Loveland City Council member.
Colorado House District 51
Two candidates are running for the Republican Party nomination to represent House District 51 in Loveland: Amy Parks, a communications professional who temporarily served as district representative in 2022, and Nancy Rumfelt, a financial professional and Thompson School District board member.
The winner of the primary will face Jacki Marsh, a Democrat and the former Loveland mayor.
Use this tool to find out if you live in House District 51.
U.S. House Congressional District 2
Two candidates are running for the Republican Party nomination to represent the 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives: Christina Blunt (Ducommun), a business owner and single mom, and Kelley Anne Dennison, a massage therapist.
The winner of the primary will face Rep. Joe Neguse, the Democrat who currently represents the district.
See what congressional district you live in by searching your address using this tool.
U.S. House Congressional District 4
Two candidates are running for the Democratic Party nomination to represent the 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives: Eileen Laubacher, a Navy veteran and National Security Council official, and Jenna Preston, a clinical psychologist. Preston is running as a write-in candidate, which means anyone who wants to vote for her will have to write her name in on the blank space provided on the ballot.
The winner of the primary will face Rep. Lauren Boebert, the Republican who has represented the district since early 2025. Prior to that, Boebert was the 3rd Congressional District representative.
See what congressional district you live in by searching your address using this tool.
What about other races on 2026 Colorado primary ballots?
Every other non-statewide race on the Democratic and Republican ballots is uncontested in the primary.
Who can return ballots in the 2026 Colorado primary election?
Remember that anyone who is registered as a Republican or Democrat can return only their party’s ballot.
Unaffiliated voters may choose which of those ballots to return, but only one can be returned. If both are returned, neither will be counted.
Two other parties are holding primary elections, with the Libertarian ballot including just candidates for secretary of state and the Unity ballot including just candidates for governor. Those ballots can only be returned by party members.
Voters registered for a party without a primary will not receive a ballot.
Other Colorado primary election content to check out
When is the Colorado primary election?
The primary election is June 30, 2026. Bookmark this story so you can find our latest content as you get ready to turn in your ballot.
The Colorado Buffaloes have a revamped roster and coaching staff under coach Deion Sanders, but the expectations for the team are rather low.
Betting odds for Colorado’s win total are set at 4.5, per FanDuel Sportsbook, and they are tied with the worst odds of winning the Big 12 championship.
Colorado Buffaloes May Be Underrated
ESPN’s Bill Connelly revealed his Big 12 preview, and he explained an interesting caveat around Colorado’s ranking in the SP+, a predictive system that ranks teams based on their efficiency while adjusting for opponents. The Buffaloes are ranked No. 65 overall by the SP+, and only West Virginia is behind Colorado at No. 66.
With a new roster, Colorado is more difficult to predict, though.
“We saw last year that Colorado still has an awfully low floor, but if Lewis indeed comes into his own at QB, the ceiling could be just as high: There’s more proven production on this roster than even the nine-win 2024 team had. It has to jell, and massive makeovers always come with risks,” writes Connelly. “But I like this team’s potential a lot more than SP+ does. And when have I ever been wrong?”
If Colorado can string together some wins, the Buffaloes will be one of the more surprising teams in the country. However, some of the new transfers joining the program have already been drawing attention.
Out of Connelly’s top 10 transfers in the Big 12, two of Colorado’s newcomers made the cut: linebacker Gideon Lampron and wide receiver Kam Perry, while receiver Danny Scudero received a mention as well.
The Buffs’ schedule features two Power 4 teams in the non-conference slate with Georgia Tech and Northwestern, and then Colorado faces Big 12 play with matchups against Texas Tech, Utah, and Oklahoma State.
Colorado’s Chances in 2026
The bottom of the Big 12 is rather close together by the SP+ with seven teams, nearly half of the conference, ranked between No. 50 and No. 66 overall.
Not only does this give Colorado room to climb if the combination of quarterback Julian Lewis with his new wide receivers and a new offensive coordinator in Brennan Marion can click. The Buffaloes brought in Danny Scudero, Kam Perry, and DeAndre Moore to replenish the wide receiver room, but defensive coordinator Chris Marve will also have to do his part with a new group of defensive transfers.
Colorado was among the worst teams in the country in 2025 when it came to stopping the run, and a group of new Buffs will be tasked with turning around the unit. Some new names like defensive lineman Ezra Christensen, linebacker Liona Lefau, and defensive back Boo Carter.
Still, if Colorado is able to string together some wins, it will likely come from outscoring opponents on the offensive side of the ball with the arrival of Marion and the return of Lewis. The Buffaloes lost four one-score games in 2025, surrendering an average of 20 points in those losses.
Winning six games and making a bowl game would be beating expectations for Colorado, although the Buffaloes seem to have the potential to build some momentum and string together some wins in 2026.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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