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We caught up with Kate Osmundson, Vice President of Communications at WellPower, for a thoughtful conversation about the organization’s mission, culture, and approach to Social Wellness Month. As a nationally recognized leader in innovative community behavioral health care, WellPower is deeply rooted in promoting recovery, resilience, and well-being. In this exclusive Q&A, Kate offers insight into how WellPower cultivates connection and care—not just as a service, but as a way of being.
Why is social wellness an important part of mental health care?
At WellPower, we know that our mental health doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Our food, physical activity and social lives (to name a few) are all factors that impact how we think and feel.
These different aspects of where and how we live, learn, work and play are called the Social Determinants of Health. Our organization operates knowing that the people we serve need to have access to basics like housing, healthy food options, clothing and social connection to lead fulfilling lives.
How does WellPower incorporate social connection and community-building into the services you offer?
Building connections is the core of what we do at WellPower. There aren’t many other places where you can get your physical, mental and emotional needs met like you can at our sites like Dahlia Campus for Health & Well-Being, the Adult Recovery Center, NextChapter
and the Resource Center. We know that the foundations of good mental well-being are built on having nourished bodies, connection with others, a safe place to call home and so much more.
WellPower provides spaces for our community to meet, share activities and conversation and access resources that improve lives with dignity.
DID YOU KNOW: Our supportive housing projects, Sanderson Apartments and Sheridan on 10th, both incorporate trauma-informed architecture and community spaces to foster connection.
Can you share an example of how strong social support has positively impacted a client or community you’ve served?
Our annual Fish Fry event, held at WellPower’s Dahlia Campus for Health & Well-Being, provides fresh fish from our aquaponic greenhouse and food cooked and catered by our NextChapter program to our Denver community. Events like this bring awareness to the good work we’re doing to both help our community with their mental well-being, as well as showing up to provide fresh, healthy foods for their physical health.
“It is a very human thing to feed people that can’t afford food, especially at times when they need something in their stomach,” said Jerry Alexander, a community member and Fish Fry 2025 attendee. “That’s what WellPower does at Dahlia Campus. WellPower is looking out for our fellow human beings. This beautiful place – these gardens and the farm – it’s a place for our community to be together.”
In what ways does WellPower address barriers to social wellness—such as isolation, stigma, or access to care—in the Denver community?
For over 30 years, WellPower has worked to end the stigma against mental health care by advocating for well-being for all. We work diligently to meet people where they are, whether that’s showing up in nearly 200 locations across Denver, providing services via telehealth, helping people find community at NextChapter or the Resource Center or simply connecting individuals to resources they didn’t know existed.
We find creative and innovative ways to bring behavioral health care and social well-being to people in the ways that work best for them.
DID YOU KNOW: WellPower has its own Minecraft program where we provide services to kids and teens ages 7 to 17!
How does WellPower support the social wellness of its staff and internal community?
WellPower’s staff care deeply about fostering an environment that supports employee well-being. With committees like the Well-Being Committee that plan activities, events and learning sessions for staff, Well-Being Activity Groups (WAGs) that connect staff across shared interests and incentives for improving overall health, like our Wellness Challenge, WellPower works hard to give staff a plethora of opportunities for social wellness.
DID YOU KNOW: Staff members who successfully complete the Wellness Challenge receive a $200 bonus!
What advice would you give to someone who’s struggling to find meaningful connection or community support?
Here are three ways to find meaningful connection and community support:
- Lean into your interests. Do you love soccer? Look for rec centers or community leagues that have open spots. Are you a bookworm? Check your local library for events about your favorite genre. Do you prefer to play video games? Hop onto online forums and connect with people who share your love of gaming. When you find communities around the passions you already hold, you can find people with shared interests and begin to develop connections.
- Get out of the house. Meaningful connections and community take time and effort to build, and that means finding the spaces where work has already begun. WellPower’s Dahlia Campus for Health & Well-Being is a community hub where there are regular events, open spaces, opportunities for volunteering and more!
- Ask for help. Reaching out to organizations like WellPower to ask for help when you’re feeling isolated or alone is a sign of strength and growth. Give us a call at (303) 504-7900
and ask about what kinds of services might be available for you. We’re here to help!
What upcoming initiatives or partnerships are you most excited about that relate to building social wellness in Denver?
One of WellPower’s most effective ways to build social wellness in Denver is through our Clinical & Community groups. We have a wealth of options for people across the lifespan, in-person and online, for people we serve and community members not yet in services with us.
Our programs for teens and young adults, such as Emerson St
and Voz y Corazón, have especially robust options. These inclusive, welcoming spaces offer a variety of activities and services that support young people in enhancing their mental health and overall well-being.
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