Spirit and service

By Amy Blasing, Saint Joseph Hospital President

‍One of the reasons I came to Saint Joseph Hospital is because of my connection with the mission and the legacy of this anchor institution in Colorado. As we know, our hospital was founded more than 150 years ago by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth and although there is no longer the physical presence of the Sisters in our halls, their spirit and guidance to care for the poor and vulnerable remains.

What that looks like today is demonstrated through the work we do with our community partners and service organizations.

One example is our work with Benefits in Action, an organization that helps individuals enroll in health insurance. Through this partnership, we are helping improve access to care with nearly 1,300 individuals being served in the last year, and more than 900 of them enrolled in a health plan.

Another example of Saint Joseph Hospital’s goal of addressing community health challenges is by promoting economic stability with support of Cross Purpose, an organization committed to abolishing poverty through career and community development.

Through grant support in the last year, 712 individuals have received job training with Cross Purpose. Of those individuals, 446 have been employed and 20 of those securing employment now work at Intermountain Health. Our contacts at Cross Purpose shared that, before entering the program, participants have annual incomes of approximately $4,000 and, after completing the program, they are making $50,000-$60,000 per year. This work is life changing, and I am grateful for the investments Intermountain is making in addressing community needs.

Additionally, we started a new initiative whereby leaders can sign up for community service days to help put our mission into action. Recent opportunities included serving meals to individuals at Senior Support Services, which is Denver’s only day shelter for those 60 and older, and volunteering at Metro Caring, a leading anti-hunger organization in Colorado.  

If you would like to learn more about Saint Joseph Hospital’s community health improvement strategies or join us for our service days, please contact Caitlin Pride, VP of Mission Integration.

You can also attend an upcoming public meeting to hear more about our community health priorities by registering here: Caring for Our Communities 2026. 

I am proud of the work we do outside the walls of the hospital to serve our community and to continue to fulfill our mission.

With gratitude,

Amy