Denver Rescue Mission

The Denver Rescue Mission is the oldest, full-service Christian charity in the Rocky Mountain region. Thriving today as non-denominational organization, no one is denied services because of gender, race, color, creed, national origin, religion, age, handicap, political affiliation, sex, sexual orientation, or marital, parental or military status. The Denver Rescue Mission is changing lives in the name of Christ by meeting people at their physical and spiritual points of need, with the goal of returning them to society as productive, self-sufficient citizens. In its first incarnation, the Denver Rescue Mission began as a “Rescue Home” for women. This home, founded in 1892 by Rev. Joshua Gravett of the Galilee Baptist Church, was located near 31st and Lawrence Street. Later that year, the Rescue Home merged with the Florence Crittendon Mission and Home for Women. Reverend Gravett and his parish also had a vision for a men’s shelter, and opened the Living Waters Mission at 1822 Larimer Street as a faith ministry. Approximately 20 years later, under the leadership of Jim Goodheart, a former Living Waters client, the Mission’s name was changed to the Sunshine Rescue Mission and expanded to three buildings and two lots from 1820 to 1824 Larimer Street. A dormitory for transients called “Sunshine House” was also opened at 1640 Market Street at this time. The Sunshine Rescue Mission was then sold to Goodheart in 1927, and following his hospitalization, was closed and sold to pay debts in 1930.  Soon after the closing of the Sunshine Mission, Rev. Gravett and a dedicated group of volunteers founded the Denver Rescue Mission, located on 1120 Eighteenth Street. The Mission continued to expand following the purchase of a one-story building on 1818 Larimer Street in 1940, as well as the construction of a new building 19 years later. The following year, the Mission opened its first medical and dental clinics. In 1970, the Denver Rescue Mission sold its Larimer Street facility in order to purchase our current facility, the Lawrence Street Shelter.