02-08-2025
Struggle of Love Foundation brings hope to Aurora community as city eyes Colfax revitalization
As Aurora pushes forward with a plan to transform one of the city's most underserved areas, a local nonprofit is already leading the way.
Last month, council members voted to move forward with a plan to create a Downtown Development Authority (DDA) to revitalize the Colfax Corridor. That will now go to voters in November.
But long before ballots are cast, community members are taking action.
On Friday, the Struggle of Love Foundation hosted its "Peace Sweep" event on East Colfax. The goal is to meet neighbors where they are with free haircuts, hot meals, youth activities, addiction counseling, and more, all aimed at uplifting a community often overlooked.
Despite living in an area where violence and poverty often steal headlines, Friday showed a different reality: families having fun, young people finding confidence and organizations leading with compassion.
Struggle of Love co-founder Joel Hodge says their mission has always been personal and powered by passion, not paychecks.
"We were doing this with no funding," said Hodge. "We worked two full-time jobs, and with all the extra funds we had, we saved and did events for our community."
Federal and state budget cuts have made nonprofit survival more difficult than ever. But Hodge credits consistency, faith and support from the community for helping them open two permanent centers.
In 2023, the organization opened its East Colfax location. Now, they've expanded into a larger facility in Montbello, located directly across from the District 5 police station.
"It's always been a dream," said Hodge. "And now to see this dream come to life, it shows that hard work and dedication and consistency do pay off."
The new center, located at 12105 E. 45th Avenue, will offer indoor space for their food bank, creative programming for youth and a haven for mental wellness.
"They'll finally have their own space where they can come and be themselves," said Hodge. "They're not forced to play football or basketball. Some kids like to draw, sing, sew. We want to open the door to all of that."
As city officials aim to revitalize Colfax through infrastructure, Struggle of Love is working to rebuild something just as critical: trust.
"Bringing love back into our community is our mission, and trust again, and belief that we still have a community," said Hodge. "Even when people treat you wrong, you still treat them with love."
