Winter Break – Resources and Support

The ACC Dean of Students Office and Care Team knows that winter break can be wonderful, but sometimes stressful. We hope that everyone can spend time relaxing and enjoy the conclusion to the semester and the calendar year. Please know ACC is here for you to support you both inside and outside of the classroom. Below you will find a list of resources with information, support, direction, and reassurance that there is always help for those who choose to seek it.

Stress? Depressed? Anxious?

Mental Health Resources

Self-care is essential to your everyday success and taking care of your mental health can make an enormous difference. Here are some national and local resources for mental health.

  • Crisis Text Line: 741-741 
    Crisis Text Line serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support and information via text. Simply text 741-741 from anywhere in the USA, anytime, about any type of crisis. A live, trained Crisis Counselor receives the text and responds quickly, helping you "move from a hot moment to a cool moment." 
  • Colorado Crisis Services: 1.844.493.TALK (8255)
    This is a local Colorado resource for mental health support. Talk to a training crisis counselor 1.844.493.8255 or text “TALK” to 38255. Check out their website for online chat options and 24/7 walk-in centers near you.

Holiday Resources and Support

Holiday Meals and Food Boxes

  • Afterhours Denver - 1449 Lincoln St - Denver County
    • Contact: 303.884.1249
    • Eligibility: Individuals and families living at or below the poverty line
    • Area Served: Statewide
    • Hours: December 25, 2021, Saturday, 8am - 1:30pm
    • Provides the following: sleeping bags, coats, backpacks, hygiene kits, underwear, socks, and other cold-weather clothing
  • Denver Rescue Mission - 2222 Lawrence St - Denver County
    • Contact: 303.313.2456 (Holiday Hotline)
    • Eligibility: No restrictions applied
    • Area Served: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Gilpin, and more
    • Serves a hot holiday meal at the Lawrence Street Community Center
  • Colfax Community Network - 1585 Kingston St, Aurora, CO
    • Contact: 303.360.0627
    • Eligibility: Arapahoe and Adams County residents
    • Area Served: Arapahoe, Adams Counties
    • Offers a Christmas meal and an opportunity for parents to "shop" for children's Christmas gifts and wrap those gifts
  • Salvation Army - Colorado Springs Corps - 5745 Southmoor Dr - El Paso County
    • Contact: 719.632.1822 
    • Eligibility: No restrictions
    • Area Served: El Paso County
  • Volunteers of America Colorado - 2877 Lawrence St.- Denver County
    • Contact: 303.297.0408
    • Eligibility: No restrictions applied
    • Area Served: Statewide - Provides Christmas Dinner vouchers for Christmas meal
  • Evergreen Christian Outreach - 27888 Meadow Dr - Jefferson County
    • Contact: 303.670.1796
    • Eligibility: Applicants must reside in the service area
    • Area Served: Cities of Evergreen, Kittredge, Idledale, Genesee, and Conifer

Holiday Family Support for Gifts / Toys

  • Salvation Army Denver - 4505 W Alameda Ave, Denver, CO    
    • Contact: 303.295.3366 (Call Center)
    • Eligibility: Families with children aged 12 or younger
    • Area Served: Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas Country, and more
  • Denver Inner City Parish -1212 Mariposa Street, Denver, CO    
    • Contact: 303.629.0636
    • Eligibility: No restrictions applied
    • Area Served: Statewide Offers waitlist to the public for holiday gifts and toys
  • Toys for Tots
    • Area Served: Arapahoe, Douglas, and Denver counties

Basic Needs Support

Cold? Hungry? In need of Shelter or housing and basic needs assistance? Here are some resources designed to help those in need have a warm place to stay, access to essential services.

  • Food Bank of the Rockies provides a comprehensive list of local food pantries on their website including mobile food pantries.
  • Need additional or continued support and resources Child Care, Health Services, Basic Needs or Employment assistance.
    • Call or visit the Colorado 211 line! 2-1-1 Colorado streamlines services and provides one central location where people can get connected to the resources they need.
    • Check out Integrated Family Services. IFCS provides basic human services and enrichment programs to low-income people, using community resources including a food pantry and bill payment assistance. They provide comprehensive support for residents of western Arapahoe and southwest Denver neighborhoods.
    • The Life Center of Littleton has a food pantry and additional wrap-around services for people in the Littleton area needing support with basic needs and housing insecurity.
    • The Help and Hope Center services Douglas and Elbert Counties with basic needs support. They have a team of client advocates to support individuals with a variety of services.

Entertainment, Stress Relief, or Some Fun Distraction

Feeling festive but want to save money? Check out the various holiday activities for free throughout Colorado and check out these links for some fun and mindful distraction and activities.

  • Sporcle: Various Interactive Trivia games and quizzes you are able to play by yourself or with others. A great way to learn and keep your mind full of new facts.
  • Insight Timer: Insight Timer is an app and website designed to help make meditation and yoga convenient, easy, and pleasant to do.
  • Scream Into the Void: A website where you type your thoughts out and then at the click of a button those thoughts turn into an anonymous scream into the void. You should click it for fun 12
  • Find the Invisible Cow: What a way to spend time! Find the inviable cow by following the audio cues. The Invisible Cow website is worth checking out and getting a good giggle or distraction.

Happy Holidays! Remember we are here for you!

The Dean of Students Office assists you, our students, with a variety of concerns by working directly with you and connecting you to appropriate resources on or off-campus. We are also a resource for faculty, staff, parents, families, and friends, working together to serve our students. The Dean of Students Office also coordinates counseling services for any student. Please let us know how we can support you!

acc [dot] dos [at] arapahoe [dot] edu (acc[dot]dos[at]arapahoe[dot]edu)
303.797.5730

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