Denver Health Federico F. Peña Family Health Center

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. One morning, a delivery driver pulled up to the clinic and asked the receptionist, ‘Do you know why they call it “Federico”?’ The receptionist thought for a moment and replied, 'I heard it's named after some famous doctor.' The delivery driver shook his head with a smile and said, 'No, no—because when they were building it, someone kept calling out, "Hey, Federico, bring more coffee!"' Everyone in the waiting room burst into laughter.

2. In the waiting room one afternoon, a small dog patiently followed every movement of an elderly woman as she shuffled through her purse. Suddenly, she pulled out something that made the dog freeze in place—an old-fashioned hearing aid, its size larger than most modern ones. The dog stared wide-eyed for a moment before wagging its tail and sniffing curiously at the strange object. The woman smiled softly, pressing the hearing aid back into her ear. ‘Don’t worry,’ she whispered gently to the dog, ‘I won’t bite.’ And indeed, neither did the dog—or the awkward silence between them.

3. Late one night, a security guard patrolling the parking lot heard an odd humming sound coming from inside the clinic's basement. Curious but cautious, he approached the door only to discover nothing more than a lone lamp flickering in the dark. As he peered closer, the guard noticed that the light was moving—a small bug had crawled onto the bulb and was dancing merrily under its own little disco ball. Shaking his head with a smile, he quietly left, deciding it was just another late-night Denver oddity.

4. Late one night, a security guard patrolling the parking lot noticed a faint whiff of freshly baked cookies drifting from inside the clinic. Curious, he peered through the window and saw an elderly volunteer, Mrs. Garcia, busily stirring something on the counter. She smiled warmly and said, 'Just making some extra treats for our patients—nothing too special.' The guard shook his head with a smile, thinking it was probably just another Denver oddity.