MISSION STATEMENT

Our Mission is to empower people,
improve the quality of their lives,
​and advance human rights by tackling
​difficult community issues at little or no costs to clients.

HISTORY
QUICK FACTS
CODE OF CONDUCT
BOARD MEMBERS & STAFF
​NOTICE OF NEUTRALITY 

HISTORY OF SWIC

In 1987, residents of Westwood, led in part by current SWIC Executive Director Jan Marie Belle, formed a grassroots organization dedicated to serving the people of southwest Denver. Calling themselves the SouthWest Improvement Council (SWIC), these early pioneers cleaned up yards and alleys, painted over graffiti, and reached out to homebound elders. By 1992, SWIC had expanded its services and needed more space. They began operating out of the Westwood Community Center at 1000 S. Lowell Blvd.
In 1995, SWIC staff and Board of Directors created more affordable housing in southwest Denver by forming the Southwest Neighborhood Housing Corporation. The SWNHC currently provides rental units at below-market rates for qualified families and individuals.
In January 2008, southwest Denver neighbors saw the completion of a full remodel of the Westwood Community Center, also known as the Southwest Denver Community Center. To read more about the history of the Southwest Improvement Council, check out this section from Sharon Catlett’s book, Farmlands, Forts, and Country Life: The Story of Southwest Denver.
SWIC is a proudly affiliated with UnidosUS.   

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CODE OF CONDUCT

“There’s Room for Everyone in SWIC”

Please click here to read our complete
Code of Conduct, Ethics, and Conflict of Interest Policy  

​If you feel you have a Conflict of Interest please contact the Board President, a Board Member, or the Executive Director by clicking here.

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QUICK FACTS

SWIC & WESTWOOD COMMUNITY CENTER
FOUNDED 1987

• 85,400: Annual number of visits to the Westwood Community Center
• 668: Number of clients directly served by SWIC in 2018
• 18,994: Annual number of services to individuals received from SWIC programs

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• Health, Housing and Human Services for populations of greatest need, primarily over 60 years of age, Hispanic and Native American.
• Improving conditions for neighborhoods and residents through provision of essential health, housing and human services for people living with low incomes in challenging circumstances.
• Operating the Westwood Community Center saving the Denver taxpayers $2.4 million since 1987.

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• 46% Hispanic / Latino
• 14% Native American
• 32% White

• 3% Asian
• 4% African American
• 0% Mixed / Declined

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• 10% 0-18 years
• 54% 19-59 years
• 36% 60 and over

• 62% Female
• 38% Male

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BOARD MEMBERS
​& STAFF

PLEASE CLICK HERE

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PUBLIC NOTICE OF NEUTRALITY

Public Notice of Neutrality
SWIC and this facility serve everyone in this community, regardless of race, creed, political inclination (including no political inclination), skin color, ethnic heritage, national origin, age, disability, physical or mental handicap, body size, gender, gender orientation, sexual orientation, perceived sexual orientation, faith tradition (including no faith tradition), marital status, family status, military status, and parental status. “There’s Room for Everyone in SWIC!”

SWIC – The SouthWest Improvement Council, SouthWest Denver Community Center, is a non-sectarian, non-partisan, non-political public charity. SWIC is Neutral in all matters of politics and faith. SWIC does not endorse any particular viewpoint, faith tradition, political party, or political candidate.

Organizations and individuals may rent space from SWIC to express their own political and faith Opinions. Their Opinions are not the Opinions of SWIC. SWIC has NO political or faith opinions.

If you feel pressured or are treated unfairly, Please immediately report the incident to: denverswic@gmail.com

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