Celebrating Healthier Minds Across Colorado: Meet Our 2026 Tribute Impact Award Recipients
Mental Health Colorado is proud to announce the recipients of our 2026 Impact Awards, to be presented at the 43rd Annual Tribute Fundraising Gala on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at The Ritz-Carlton, Denver.
Under this year’s theme, Healthier Minds Across Colorado, we will celebrate organizations demonstrating what it means to advance health and well-being in communities across our state. From strengthening children and families and supporting older adults to reducing harm and shifting systems from punishment toward care, this year’s honorees are creating meaningful change for Coloradans.
Children & Families Impact Award
Aurora Public Schools A.W.A.R.E. Team
The Aurora Public Schools A.W.A.R.E. Team—Aurora’s Wellness and Resilience in Education—is building a comprehensive, trauma-informed system of mental health support for students across one of Colorado’s most diverse school districts.
The team develops district-wide practices that help school staff respond consistently and compassionately to suicide risk, trauma, abuse, behavioral health concerns, and other challenges affecting student well-being. Its work includes structured suicide risk assessment and safety-planning protocols, strengthened behavioral health referral processes, consultation and crisis-response support, and systems designed to protect student identity, privacy, and belonging.
Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, AgWell Initiative
Rocky Mountain Farmers Union is expanding behavioral health support for farmers, ranchers, agricultural workers, and their families through its AgWell initiative.
Agricultural communities face distinct pressures, including financial uncertainty, isolation, demanding work schedules, severe weather, and limited access to behavioral health care. AgWell responds with education, stress-management resources, community partnerships, and support designed specifically for the realities of agricultural life. The initiative also works to reduce discrimination and encourage open conversations about mental health within rural communities.
Wellness in Aging Impact Award
Nourish Meals on Wheels
Nourish Meals on Wheels supports older adults and homebound neighbors through an age-friendly model centered on nutrition, connection, safety, and independence.
The organization delivers chef-prepared, dietitian-reviewed meals directly to clients’ homes while providing regular human connection and wellness checks. Volunteers offer a trusted visit, notice when something may be wrong, and help reduce the isolation many older adults experience. Nourish also provides grocery support, pet assistance, holiday programs, and meal accommodations for medical, dietary, cultural, and religious needs.
Decriminalizing Health Conditions Award
Bridges of Colorado
Bridges of Colorado helps people with complex behavioral health needs navigate the pretrial justice system while connecting them with treatment, housing, transportation, employment assistance, benefits, and other community-based services.
Rather than allowing unmet health and social needs to result in deeper justice involvement, Bridges provides participant-centered care coordination and individualized recommendations to courts and attorneys. Its wraparound approach supports people both in and out of custody, including individuals involved in competency proceedings, and helps identify alternatives to detention when community-based care is appropriate.
Harm Reduction Impact Award
Building Hope Summit
Building Hope Summit is advancing harm reduction, mental health access, suicide prevention, and community connection throughout Summit County.
Through its Booze Less Summit campaign, Building Hope encourages residents to “booze a little less, do a lot more.” The campaign offers a practical alternative to abstinence-only messaging by promoting moderation, mindful alcohol use, safer socializing, and alcohol-free options.
Building Hope also offers therapy scholarships, behavioral health navigation, free mental health and suicide prevention training, youth and family events, adult connectedness activities, bilingual programming, and support for people affected by suicide loss.
Honorable Mention
Montbello 2020 & Beyond
Mental Health Colorado is also proud to recognize Montbello 2020 & Beyond with an Honorable Mention for its longstanding commitment to improving the health and well-being of older adults and families in one of Denver’s historically underserved communities.
Thank You to Our 2026 Nominees
This year, we received nominations recognizing an incredible range of organizations, programs, teams, and community leaders working every day to improve health and well-being across Colorado.
We extend our sincere gratitude to every nominee, as well as everyone who took the time to lift up work deserving of recognition. Each nomination reflects the many ways communities across our state are advancing healthier minds.
2026 Tribute Impact Award Nominees
New Directions for Families • YANAM2M • Crazy Good Life Project • A.W.A.R.E. Team – Mental Health & Counseling, Aurora Public Schools • Rocky Mountain Farmers Union • Centennial Area Health Education Center (CAHEC) • Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, Children’s Behavioral Health Team • Advocates for Recovery • The Ascent Team at Aurora Mental Health & Recovery • Sobriety House, Inc. • Morning Mimosas Podcast • Recovery Friendly Leader • Caring for Denver Foundation • Nourish Meals on Wheels • Mindful Connections Mental Health • Odie B’s • 5280 Recovery High School • Denver County Court’s Competency Support Docket Team • Music to Grow By, Inc. • Freedom Recovery CO PLLC • AllHealth Network • Building Hope Summit County • The Secure Attachment Initiative • Montbello 2020 & Beyond • Building Hope Summit • Colie’s Closet • Colorado Co-Responder Alliance (COCRA) • Early Learning Ventures • Maria Droste Counseling Center • Homies Unidos Denver • CommonSpirit • Spark the Change Colorado • The Golden Age Foundation • Addiction Research and Treatment Services • Denver Children’s Advocacy Center • Bridges of Colorado • Beacon Primary Care • Mile High Behavioral Health of Frisco • Partners in Housing
To all of our nominees: thank you for the work you do to strengthen communities and advance healthier minds across Colorado.
Celebrate With Us at Tribute
Join us as we recognize this year’s Impact Award recipients and celebrate the people and partnerships advancing Healthier Minds Across Colorado at Mental Health Colorado’s 43rd Annual Tribute Fundraising Gala.
Saturday, October 24, 2026 | The Ritz-Carlton, Denver
Together, we’ll celebrate progress while raising critical funds to support Mental Health Colorado’s work to pass laws, change practices, and build a movement for healthier minds across the lifespan for all Coloradans.