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Mile High United Way Raises Over $500,000 at 27th Annual Women United Luncheon

Guest Contributor — Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:40:04 +0000

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Fri., April 17, 2025

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Lea Deveraux

lea.devereaux@unitedwaydenver.org

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Mile High United Way Raises Over $500,000 at 27th Annual Women United Luncheon

Over 1,000 Attendees Gather to Celebrate the Power of Women & Girls

DENVER, COLO. – Mile High United Way raised more than $500,000 at its 27th Annual Women United Luncheon, held at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center. Proceeds from the event will support critical programs that empower women and girls across Metro Denver, including access to stable housing, career pathways and high-quality child care.

Over 1,000 attendees joined Mile High United Way President and CEO Christine Benero and Academy Award-winning actress and guest speaker Mary Steenburgen for an inspiring afternoon focused on advancing opportunity and equity for women and girls. Over the past 27 years, the luncheon has raised more than $5 million in support of the organization’s Women United initiative.

“Today is not just about supporting Mile High United Way. It’s also a day when we, as community leaders, show united, unwavering support for Colorado’s women and girls and all of our community,” said Christine Benero, president and CEO of Mile High United Way. “When we step forward to support women and girls, we create a ripple of change.”

This year’s theme, Timeless, highlighted the enduring values of kindness, courage, integrity, and humility – principles that continue to guide the Women United community and its impact.

“For nearly three decades, this event has celebrated not only the strength of women, but the collective impact we can have when we lead with purpose,” Benero added. “ The compassion and encouragement we offer today becomes the strength they will carry forward for generations to come.”

The event also honored Arlene Hirschfeld with the 2026 Frances Wisebart Jacobs Award, recognizing her lifetime of leadership, philanthropy, and advocacy on behalf of women, children, education, and the arts. Named after one of Colorado’s most influential philanthropic leaders, the award pays tribute to Frances Wisebart Jacobs, whose legacy includes founding Mile High United Way, Jewish Family Service of Colorado, and National Jewish Health.

Hirschfeld’s decades of service include leadership roles with the Junior League of Denver, Rose Community Foundation, JEWISHcolorado, the Denver Art Museum, the Women’s Foundation of Colorado, and Girl Scouts of Colorado. She was inducted into the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame in 2006.

“Each of us has one key thing in common: we care about others, and we show up for our community. Women United gives us such a powerful way to channel that passion – bringing together people who don’t only want to write a check, but who also want to roll up their sleeves and truly make a difference in the lives of others,” said Arlene Hirschfeld.

Attendees also heard from featured speaker Mary Steenburgen, an Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning actress whose decades-long career has been marked by iconic performances across film and television, as well as a deep commitment to philanthropy.

Mile High United Way early learning instructor and former program participant Dulce Pugh also spoke to attendees.

“Each person who has invested in Mile High United Way has become part of my story. The positive impact on families – parents and children helped here today – is timeless. Together, we are creating a new path for families,” said Dulce Pugh.

Click here for photos from the event. B-roll is available upon request.

The Women United Luncheon was presented by HCA HealthONE. The Speaker Sponsor was BOK Financial. The Frances Wisebart Jacobs Sponsor was ENT Financial. The Meet & Greet Sponsor was Southwest Airlines. The Giving Sponsor was Bank of Colorado. The VIP Reception Sponsor was the Morgridge Family Foundation. The Broadcast Sponsor was CBS Colorado, and the Print Sponsor was 5280 Magazine. Confident Sponsors were CoBank, Davis Graham, Molson Coors Beverage Company, PCL, and Suncor. Determined Sponsors were Congruex, Deloitte, Delta Dental of Colorado, EY, FirstBank, IMA Financial Group & Syntrinsic, Karen Kennedy, KeyBank, Northern Trust, Richmond American Foundation, Sullivan Financial Planning, and Xcel Energy.

About Mile High United Way

Working side-by-side with the community, Mile High United Way takes on critical human services issues facing our seven-county footprint, including the Metro Denver, Boulder, and Broomfield communities. Our united approach changes the odds for all children, families, and individuals in our community, so that all have the opportunity to succeed. Learn more at unitedwaydenver.org and follow us on social media @UnitedWayDenver.

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New Exhibits at the Firehouse in May and a New Mural

Associate Editor — Thu, 28 Apr 2022 20:45:55 +0000

April 25, 2022, Longmont, CO–

“LINE AND WEIGHT” FEATURING THE WORK OF CLARK VALENTINE AND COURTNEY GIBLIN

OPENING RECEPTION: FRIDAY, MAY 13, 6-9PM

ARTIST TALK: THURSDAY MAY 5, 6PM

DAY OF MOVING MEDITATION AND MUSIC IN THE GALLERY: APRIL 29, 10:30AM-1PM- YOGA AND KIRTAN WITH ELIZA SWAIN AND PATTY FABIAN

Antoine de Saint-Exupery wrote: “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”

Distilling the act of creation into its most fundamental elements is an interest of both artists featured in the exhibit “Line & Weight.” By focusing exclusively on their respective processes and media, we are rewarded as viewers with works that draw us into their meditative results.

Courtney Giblin writes about her work that it “explores how everything is made of the same energetic matter. Further, how all interactions are simply exchanges of said energy. The work asks how outside factors shape our energetic experiences, how our energetic experiences shape who we are as people, and how we shape the world around us.” The result is a series of compositions balancing form with gesture: black holes that contain multitudes and an intuitive, pointed use of color.

Clark Valentine explores the phenomenological experience of mark making. He writes: “In my drawings, each mark becomes a unique repetition of the mark before it. Over time, the disruptions of the hand change the marks and the drawing takes itself in new directions. These variations of the marks become key compositional features. The process of drawing then becomes a balance between an active meditation of the mind and a passive response of the hand. In the making process, I seek to find moments of stillness where it feels as though my hand is moving on its own, responding to the needs of the drawing.”

SOUTH GALLERY and STUDIO 64

“WE’RE PEOPLE TOO: NO JOKE” STUDIO PROJECT TEENS WITH ARTIST IN RESIDENCE MAX COLEMAN

OPENING RECEPTION: FRIDAY, MAY 13, 6-9PM

Animal cruelty and neglect takes many forms, from animals near extinction, to rats just looking for respect. Teen artists in the Studio Project Program respond to the issue through printmaking, and other art forms.

Studio Project is a program that provides purposeful engagement for high school aged youth. This program is targeted to serve youth with opportunities to create dialogue about art, art making, and social issues as they affect young people. Participants create art with local artists, partner with nonprofits active in the local community, and plan fun and engaging events to share the artwork they created during the program. Studio Project is an in-depth and meaningful experience for each of the teen participants, and the program cultivates the next generation of artists and art appreciators, some of whom go on to study at institutions such as the Pratt Institute, the Art Institute of Chicago, and more.

Studio Project is generously supported by the Georgie Fund, Anita Sayed, Luff Family Foundation, Studio B Architects, FirstBank, Catherine Allegra & James Tanner, Laurie & Reid Klion, Karen & Jeffrey Moore, Shears Giving Fund, Chris & Thomas Stanko, and Art Parts Creative Reuse Center.

STUDIO 64:DAVID AND CHRISSY HARTMAN PRESENT PAIN MANAGEMENT THROUGH ART

MAY 13- JUNE 5

ART: AN ALTERNATIVE TO OPIODS: May 29- Gala Event 12pm-5pm

Presentations by artists and professionals on creating art as an alternative to opiods for managing pain
Live music by the Impersonators

Join us in Studio 64 for works created by artist duo David and Chrissy Hartman. David Hartman manages chronic pain through art and through this art therapy created the works displayed. Hartman suffers from debilitating pain due to osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease. The pain caused him to leave his 30-year career as a machinist and also led to a severe narcotics addiction.

“I quit cold turkey, ended up in ICU for a week. The withdrawal almost killed me but I weaned off of it. I still had the pain, though, and I needed to look for a way to control pain and I found art,” Hartman said. “This exhibit is a way to share how art has helped me deal with pain naturally.”

The post New Exhibits at the Firehouse in May and a New Mural appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.