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| What We Do: Adult Self Sufficiency: Success Stories |
| Goal: Individuals and low income families reach self sufficiency, providing for basic needs and moving toward building assets. |
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Sweet Success
Calling For Help
Hope For Homeless Families
Joe, New Digs, New-Found Hope
Xochitl, MHUW Savings Program Strengthens Family Business
Mercedes, L:earn-ing to Succeed
Juanita, Showing the Importance of Higher Education
Jamie, My Road Home
Special Edition: Brooke, From Victim to Victorious
Lauren, Working With Initiative
Anna, United Way’s 2-1-1 helps families make ends meet with the Earned Income Tax Credit
Rita, Reaching Out For A Better Life
James, Focusing on DisABILITY
Wayne, Homeless to Hopeful
Tony, Succeeding Without a Safety Net
Brooke, Getting Help and Giving Back
Gina, Taking Pride in a Self Sufficient Life
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Sweet Success
“Sometimes I think I’m wonder woman,” says Marjorie Silva.
A mother of two and an immigrant to the United States from Peru, Silva has a lot of sweet treats on her plate.
She is the owner and operator of Azucar Sweet Shop and Bakery in Englewood.
“I always had the dream of opening my own business creating specialty cakes and traditional Peruvian treats,” says Silva.
It all started back in her native Peru. She wanted to have a special cake for her son’s birthday party, but no one in her small village was up to the task. So, Silva decided to bake and decorate it herself.
“Guests at the party loved my cake and started asking me to make cakes for them,” she says. Soon, she was taking cake orders and launched her own home-based business.
Then came the opportunity to join the rest of her family in the United States. Silva packed up her baking supplies and her family and moved to Colorado.
Once settled, Silva started working on her plan to get baking in her new home. This time, she dreamed of her own bake shop. Through her research, Silva found small business help from programs offered by the City of Englewood and Mi Casa Resource Center for Women, a Mile High United Way supported agency.
At Mi Casa, she took business classes and heard about Mile High United Way’s Individual Development Accounts (IDA) program. A vital part of Mile High United Way’s Adult Self Sufficiency Initiative, IDAs are matched savings accounts for hard-working individuals and families to help them save for college, a down payment on a home or to start a small business.
“I applied for the program and was accepted,” says Silva. “That’s when the real work started.”
Mile High United Way’s IDA program provides a four-to-one match for each dollar saved. But, in order to realize the benefits, IDA participants like Silva must complete required financial education and basic business related classes.
“It was hard work, but it was worth it,” says Silva. “In the end, I saved one thousand dollars and Mile High United Way matched that with four thousand for a total of five thousand dollars I could use toward my business!”
Silva used the money to buy refrigerated display cases for her sweet treats so she could keep more inventory for her customers, especially during the holidays. She also bought a lighted sign and invested in targeted marketing. Most importantly, Silva says the money she saved through the IDA program actually saved her business from going under during the recent economic challenges.
“If it hadn’t been for Mile High United Way and the IDA program, I may have had to close my business and give up on my dream,” she says.
Now, Silva is focused on the future. Along with growing her business she says she would like to open her own baking school. She is already taking on baking interns, young people with an interest in the trade. She says it’s her way of honing her skills and sharing her experience. But, most of all, Silva says it’s her opportunity to spread her message of inspiration.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for help or to help others,” she says. “Don’t give up on your dreams.”
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Calling For Help
“It’s okay to ask for help,” says Robert Paiz of Denver. “Don’t be embarrassed. Everyone needs a hand up sometimes and 2-1-1 is a good place to look for help.” 
Robert, the father of four, is speaking from experience. He recently called Mile High United Way’s 2-1-1 looking for help with paying his utility bill.
“They were set to shut off our power the day I called 2-1-1,” he says, “but, thanks to the referrals I received we got the help we needed right away.”
Without that help, Robert and his family may well have joined the ranks of countless Colorado families who, as a result of their inability to pay for their energy costs, find themselves dangerously close to becoming homeless. In fact, a University of Colorado Health Sciences Center study says the inability to pay for home energy ranks as the second leading cause of homelessness in Colorado.
Thankfully, Paiz has been able to maintain his home. But, as a result of the downturn in the economy and like so many others in our community, he is unemployed and feverishly searching for work. When cash started to run low, he didn’t know what he would do. That’s when he heard about United Way’s 2-1-1 and decided to give it a try.
“I was apprehensive at first, but the Referral Specialist was very welcoming and patient,” says Paiz. “She listened to me and was very helpful.”
United Way’s 2-1-1 is a free service for the community. It boasts the most robust list of community agencies and services available and is a vital part of Mile High United Way’s Adult Self Sufficiency Initiative which supports programs and services that provide individuals and families the opportunity to move toward economic self-sufficiency. With one phone call (just dial 2-1-1) or on-line search, those who need help are referred to agencies offering services to meet their needs. People can also give back to the community through 2-1-1.
Check out 2-1-1 call statistics and learn more about the most pressing needs in our community.
Paiz says he knows, first hand, the value that Mile High United Way brings to the community. In fact, at his previous job he supported United Way through payroll deduction in his workplace campaign. He says that once he and his family are back on their feet, he is determined to give back, again.
Until then, he says he is grateful for the help he is receiving through Mile High United Way and United Way’s 2-1-1. And, for those finding themselves facing similar challenges, Paiz offers this bit of advice.
“You have to maintain a positive attitude,” he says. “A sense of hopelessness is not helpful. Wait for the rainbow. It’s cloudy today, but it might be sunny tomorrow.”
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| Hope For Homeless Families
“I just want to get my baby situated,” says Burning Sky, a new mom and one of the many people who attended the first-ever Family Project Homeless Connect. 
Burning Sky, and so many others, came to the Pepsi Center on October 9, 2009 to get information about housing.
In partnership with Denver’s Road Home, the Pepsi Center and Kroenke Sports Enterprises, your support helped us serve nearly 1,200 men, women and children who are experiencing homelessness or on the verge of becoming homeless.
This was the eighth Project Homeless Connect, but the first that focused on families. At each Project Homeless Connect, individuals and families have access to Denver-area service organizations in a one-stop shop. Services include basic medical care, food stamp benefits, veteran’s services, resumé assistance, legal advice, haircuts and basic hygiene products, among others.
Mercedes came to the event with her two children, ages 3 and 11 months.
“I just got a job, but I want to maintain the stability I have,” Mercedes says. “I am here to get medical services for myself and legal advice.”
She also planned to take her older child to get a haircut.
More than 400 volunteers, including members from Mile High United Way’s Board of Trustees, were on-hand and were paired individually with each family or individual to walk them through the services.
Damien, a homeless advocate who was formerly homeless himself, was helping a client apply for a job.
“I know first-hand that this will go beyond providing services, it will bring about solutions for these folks.” .”
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New Digs, New-Found Hope
 Larry “Joe” Robinson proudly offers a tour of his new home in downtown Denver.
“I ended up with a small view of the mountains,” says Robinson. “It’s nothing special to paint a picture about, but it’s mine.”
The cozy, efficiency apartment is the first real home he has had since moving to Colorado almost two-years ago from his home state of Oklahoma.
“When I moved to Colorado I was ready to give up on myself,” says Robinson.
Without a job, a support system of friends and family and no place to live, Joe found himself living in shelters and often times on the street. He was depressed and lonely. He knew he needed help. His first step was counseling.
“Once they got in my business they didn’t stay out of it,” he says.
The next step was finding a stable home. After a brief time in short-term housing, Joe applied for a spot in the new Aromor Apartments project in Downtown Denver. The transformational housing project is a collaborative between Mile High United Way, Denver’s Road Home and Mercy Housing through United Way’s Adult Self Sufficiency Initiative which provides opportunities for hardworking individuals and families to become financially stable and provide a better future for themselves.
The Aromor offers 66 rental apartments for men and women who have experienced homelessness and are looking for a place to call home. Those living there are required to pay rent that is equivalent to 30-percent of their monthly income. The building is unique and historic. Once a high-end hotel for Colorado lawmakers in the early part of the 20th century, it fell into disrepair in the past decade. Now refurbished and restored, the building is serving to give those in need, like Joe, a chance at a new life.
“When I was encouraged to apply,” says Joe,” I said, you bet! It sounded nice.”
Aromor offers more than a physical home. On-site staff work one-on-one to support residents and help them connect to community resources like education and employment, addiction treatment services and more.
Joe expects to soon begin this new chapter of his life by going back to school. He says the Aromor and Mile High United Way have put him back on the path of life.
“When I walked in the door,” says Joe, “I felt like I was home.”
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MHUW Savings Program Strengthens Family Business
Life is a party for Xochitl (SO-SHE) Hernandez-Alvarez! Well, more like a party store.
Four-years-ago, she opened her own party supplies store in Denver called ‘La Piñata Loca’. Her niche? Custom piñatas. Those colorful paper maché sculptures you often see at children’s birthday parties filled with candy.
Business was good right off the bat.
“I remember that my first piñata order was for a five-foot horse and then the second year a major order of 100 piñatas for the Mexican Consulate,” recalls Xochitl. “I even was asked to find Shamrock piñatas for the Irish Festival!”
Not long after that Hernandez-Alvarez says business tapered off to a trickle. She was worried that she would lose her store. Then one day, she heard about a small business owners’ event in her neighborhood and figured she had nothing to lose by attending.
It was at that event that she met Margarita Ruiz from Mile High United Way and where she learned about the Individual Development Account or IDA program. These matched savings accounts enable hardworking Coloradans to save money for post-secondary education, a down payment on a home or starting a small business.
IDAs provide $4 for every $1 saved, and savers must complete basic financial education courses as well as additional classes related to their savings goal.
With Margarita’s encouragement, Xochitl applied immediately.
“My husband was my biggest hurdle in the process,” she says. “He was suspicious. He thought it was too good to be true. But, I saw it as the way to save the business.”
Over the next few months, Xochitl saved what she could. She attended the business and financial education classes. She even developed a business plan. Then the day came for her first withdrawal from the account.
"I couldn’t believe it,” says Hernandez-Alvarez. “I remember opening the check over and over again!”
“There was a time when I thought I couldn’t do it,” she says. “But now, I know that I can and it really does work. Now, every penny that comes in is a penny that can be saved.”
Today, the party store/piñata business is thriving despite the economy. And, last year, ‘La Piñata Loca’ won a Westword Best of Award as, “The Best Place In Denver To Buy A Piñata And To Get A Divorce”.
Turns out, Xochitl found a unique way to diversify her business. She is also qualified to assist couples with the paperwork needed to file for divorce.
"You file for divorce, you get a free piñata,” Xochitl says.
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L:earn-ing to Succeed
It’s been a long road for Mercedes Vasquez and an inspiring ride for her entire family.
“I got my GED in 1995 and, now, in 2009, I’m earning my Bachelor’s degree,” says Mercedes. “I am so grateful to Mile High United Way for helping me reach my goal.”
The mother of three, Vasquez has a passion for teaching children to reach their potential. It’s that passion that guided her toward a career in early childhood development.
She dropped out of high school at a young age, married, had kids and then started working part time as a teaching assistant at an early education center.
“I have always loved watching children develop, progress,” says Vasquez. But, without a formal education of her own she knew that she wouldn’t progress much farther at work. So, she went back to school for her GED and then started taking night classes at a community college.
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“I took one class here, two classes there. But I never made much progress,” she says. “Plus, school is so expensive and I had a family to help support.” Then Mercedes heard about Mile High United Way’s L:earn project.
L:earn ( Educational Assistance and Retraining Network) is a project within Mile High United Way’s Adult Self Sufficiency Initiative. L:earn provides scholarships and workforce development for low-income, working individuals, just like Mercedes, in: developmental education, GED’s, licensure, certification, apprenticeships, Associate and Bachelor’s Degrees in sectors such as health care, energy, construction and skilled trades, early care and education.
“L:earn provided me with the tools I needed to make my educational dreams a reality,” says Vasquez. “The L:earn scholarship not only paid for tuition and books, but it provided me with a laptop computer. All I had to do was give my time and be committed to my studies.”
Now, just months away from graduation from Metro State, Mercedes works full-time at Rocky Mountain Ser’s Northside Headstart in Denver.
”I really love what I do,” she says, “and, I know that I am blessed.”
Mercedes’ children caught the education bug from their mom and are committed to higher education. In fact, one of her sons recently received a scholarship to Regis University.
She says she has no big plans for graduation, but there will be a celebration, none the less; if not for her, for her family.
“They have been so supportive through the years,” says Vasquez. “This was my goal and they helped me reach it.”
Mercedes graduates in the summer with a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and a minor in Early Childhood Education. Congratulations!
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Showing the Importance of Higher Education
To get the job I wanted, I needed more education. The problem was, I didn’t have enough money.
Attaining higher education is a quest I have been on for decades. I grew up in Wyoming and moved to Colorado in junior high. My boyfriend and I wanted to get married in high school, so I dropped out and became a stay at home mom. At the time it didn’t seem like a big deal since he was earning a decent wage.
Of course I shouldn’t have dropped out, but I was young and naive. I didn’t have people in my life telling me how important education was. I had no idea what kind of impact it would have in my life.
I earned my GED eight years after dropping out and started working at Head Start, a preschool program for economically disadvantaged children. With the help of an associate’s degree from a community college, I moved up in the ranks from teacher’s assistant to preschool teacher.
I loved being a teacher. I have a genuine passion for kids, to see them learn and grow. Over the years I’ve been a part of thousands of disadvantaged children’s lives. It’s incredibly rewarding and I feel like I’ve made a difference.
After teaching for 20 years, I wanted more. I knew I could contribute to Head Start in a different way. In 2004 I applied for the supervising teacher position, which I held for 5 years. In 2008 an education manager position opened up, a great job that oversees the entire education area. They gave me the job, but I had to get my bachelor’s degree to keep it.
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I was excited for the incredible opportunity, but I had a lot to figure out, including how to pay for school.
It was at that time that I came into contact with Mile High United Way’s L:earn scholarship. This scholarship has made all the difference in my life. Not only did it cover tuition, but also books, fees and a laptop to use during the duration of my studies. It takes care of everything so you can focus on your education.
Head Start reimburses its employees for tuition, but only one class at a time. If it weren’t for the L:earn scholarship, it would have taken me five years to obtain my degree. Instead, it will take me two years.
I’ve been working incredibly hard for this dream. I go to school Monday through Thursday in addition to my full-time job and role as mother to three grown children. I’m divorced now, so I’m also supporting myself.
My sons are all married and have children of their own. They’re very supportive. They know school takes up most of my time. When I have to cut visits with my grandkids short to do homework, they understand. Sometimes my oldest son and I do homework together.
My children call me their role model. They are always asking about my progress and my grades.
I know I’m sending them a big message by going back to school. My children and grandchildren see how important education is, they don’t just hear about it. I talk to my young grandchildren about how important college is; I want that idea to be in their heads early on in life. I wish someone had done that for me.
I like to think that I’m changing my family’s path for generations to come. I’m not just telling them education is important, I’m showing them.
I’ve wanted this for so long. It’s time away from my family, so it’s very valuable to me.
It’s important for me to get this degree, not just so I can fulfill the promise I made to my employer, but for a promise I made myself. I’ve overcome so many hurdles to get here.
The knowledge I’ve attained through my education is something I apply every day in making sure Head Start is one of the best early childhood programs out there. So, my continuing education trickles back into the community to the kids who need it most.
I’ll graduate from Metro State in May of 2009 with a major in human development and minor in early childhood education.
The bottom line is that if you don’t have the money, you can’t go to school. I’ve wanted to better myself and my mind and it’s taken so long because of the lack of money. Without this scholarship, I couldn’t have done it.
When you invest in Mile High United Way’s L:earn scholarship, you are changing the course of someone’s life.
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My Road Home
All I ever wanted was a place to call home. When I was a kid, my parents got divorced, and I was tossed around between countless family members in metro Denver. I changed schools a lot, but I still graduated on time from high school.
After school, I got a job delivering for a bakery. I really enjoyed it, but the grueling hours and constant lifting were hard on my body. I started losing weight and my energy level kept decreasing. I tried my hardest to keep working, telling myself the long hours would be hard for anyone, but I had a deep fear that something was going terribly wrong in my body. Eventually, I had to quit my job. I didn’t want to, but I was beyond exhausted. I was getting weaker every day and my body simply couldn’t handle it anymore.
I thought my world was going to end when I found out I had cancer at the age of 19 and no health insurance. I had to take the bus to my chemotherapy appointments for six months. My family didn’t want to go with me, my friends couldn’t handle it. I spent my birthday and Christmas alone in the hospital. As I went through cancer as a teenager, I didn’t think life could get much worse.
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Then, the hospital bills started arriving. How on earth could I pay the astronomical amount that they wanted? Through a series of complications, I became homeless. I remember sleeping under bridges in Denver in January when there was no room at the shelters. I was scared and just felt lost.
At age 22, I finally had a stroke of good luck when I reconnected with some friends and started living with them. During that time I met a wonderful man who is now my fiancé. I was doing really well; I was happy. But, somehow life just crashed down around me again. I unexpectedly got pregnant and I could no longer live with my friends. So, I was homeless again and now pregnant. My fiancé worked hard at a fast food restaurant to save money for our family. We got vouchers for motel rooms, but were uprooted every day.
During my fourth month of pregnancy, the cancer came back. I broke down, I needed help. That’s when I came in contact with the Mental Health Center of Denver, a program supported by Denver’s Road Home and Mile High United Way. They saved my life. They found me safe housing, gave me much needed support, and even drove me to my prenatal and oncology appointments.
I delivered a beautiful baby boy. He and my fiancé are my life. I finished my last round of chemo, and I finally have a place to call home.
I met a lot of people out there like me while I was homeless. People who have slipped through the cracks because they lost their job or their medical bills are too high or are just down on their luck. Thanks to Denver’s Road Home and Mile High United Way, I’m back on my feet, and I can give back to my community. Can you help, too?
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Special Edition: From Victim to Victorious
Brooke was featured as a Mile High United Way success story two years ago. At that point in time, she had just overcome the odds by conquering her drug addiction, escaping from domestic abuse and winning back her children. To read her full story, please click here.
Today, Brooke is self sufficient, financially stable, and most important - she’s happy.
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Brooke’s Story:
I recently started my career at the Center of Financial Education at Young Americans Bank. It’s a bank for kids, so I get to use my financial background and teach them everything from how to balance a checkbook to good savings habits. I went through the IDA (individual development account) program at Mile High United Way where I learned valuable financial education skills. I saved enough with my IDA account to put a down payment on my first home in Lakewood. So, at my job, I get to pass on those lessons to the kiddos at the bank. I get to watch them save up for something and then make the asset purchase. It’s awesome to give back to the community.
I come from a good family and grew up in this community where I graduated with honors from Cherry Creek High School. I wouldn’t have believed you if you told me I would grow up to be a drug addict dealing with domestic violence.
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Conversely, when I was an addict and getting abused, I would have never believed you if you told me I’d be self sufficient and happy one day. I think the important lesson is that this can happen to anyone. People make mistakes, but if we reach out and take the help that is given to us, we can recover, heal and be happy again.
My sons are amazing kiddos. Orion is 3, Casey is 8 and Will is 10. I would say that with everything we’ve been through that I’m their rock. My two older boys walked through my addiction with me and they know how hard I’ve worked to provide a good life for them. The stability I’ve been able to give them has increased ten-fold over the last two years.
We are really focused on staying in routine. Things can get really crazy raising three kids as a single parent. All of my boys attend an amazing children’s center nearby. Orion is there all day; Casey and Will attend after school while I’m at work. It’s a high quality child care development program. And it turns out the program is partially funded by Mile High United Way, so things have really come full circle.
Our family loves the outdoors and I now have the opportunity to expand their horizons. We play in Wyoming, go fishing and hiking. It’s great to be able to take them.
I’ve now provided them an environment where they can thrive. My hope is that they grow up to be good boys and that they’ll raise healthy families of their own.
I feel great. I wake up in a home that’s mine. I go to a job I love. I also get to contribute to the greater good. On top of everything, I get to come home to my kids.
I’ve worked really hard to get to where I am. I work six days a week but I have everything I could have ever asked for. When I was six months pregnant with my third son we were homeless. Now, I just bought a new truck this week. I’m thankful. Life is good.
Mile High United Way’s Adult Self Sufficiency initiative focuses the collective generosity of businesses, government, nonprofit agencies and donors to help low-income people build skills and assets to achieve a self sufficient life. We empower individuals and families to achieve financial stability through transitional housing, career training, educational scholarships, and IDAs. Building financial assets allows people to live with dignity and respect and saves our community thousands of dollars each year in emergency medical and social services costs.
“Mile High United Way collaborates with financial institutions, community-based organizations and government entities to create financial opportunity”, said Barclay Jones, vice president, Assets for Family Success. “By offering IDAs to hard-working community members, Mile High United Way serves as a catalyst for improving the metro Denver community. For Brooke and hundreds of other families, we are working to empower IDA savers to make wise financial decisions that allow them to improve the quality of their lives.”
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Lauren, Working With Initiative
I went through a painful divorce in 2003. As a single mother of two young boys, I knew that earning $14 an hour wasn’t going to give them the life I wanted for them. It was a nightmare. I worked more than 50 hours a week, and I took care of my two sons by myself. Every week my paycheck was the same amount. After more than two years at the same job with no raise or advancement, it occurred to me that I absolutely needed more education.
When I got back on my feet after the divorce, I started looking at schools, and the Community College of Aurora was the best fit. I researched tons of grants and scholarships and discovered Mile High United Way’s L:earn scholarship.
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The two L:earn scholarships I received paid for my entire pre-pharmacy degree at Community College of Aurora (CCA). I’m so grateful; I know I couldn’t have done it without United Way support. At CCA I met others that had to drop out because they couldn’t afford school. This motivated me to give back someday when I have time and resources I’m going to donate to United Way, so others have the same opportunity that I had.
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It was tough. I worked overnight shifts and took care of my kids while I was at CCA. At the same time, I was also applying to the School of Pharmacy at the University of Colorado Denver. I went through a four-month application marathon of form after form, intense interviews and testing. In my interview with the School of Pharmacy, I told them about my life experience. If you can work, go to school and raise two boys on your own, you can do anything.
The School of Pharmacy had 1,800 applicants, and I was one of 130 accepted. I just completed my first year of the four-year program. I love the diversity of positions you can hold in pharmacy from research to clinical and retail the possibilities are endless. I’m looking forward to a rewarding career.
I work 20 hours a week when I’m in school and 50 hours per week in the summer. It’s exhausting, but I’m motivated. The time away from my sons is very hard, but I know I’m building a better life for all of us.
Through this whole process, I’ve learned that you alone have to make it for yourself, especially if you have children depending on you. I went from two incomes to one, and I had to make a change. Life is not always fair, it’s not always fun, but if you put the work into it, you’ll see the return.
In May of 2011, I will be Dr. Lauren Johnson. I’ll get to spend more time with my kids and be able to give them the life they deserve. I’ll have time and resources to give back to Mile High United Way. That’s what keeps me motivated.
L:earn (Educational Assistance and Retraining Network) is a project within Mile High United Way’s Adult Self Sufficiency initiative. L:earn provides scholarships and workforce development for low-income, working individuals in: developmental education, GEDs, licensure, certification, apprenticeships, Associate and Bachelor’s Degrees in sectors such as health care, energy, construction and skilled trades, early care and education.
“L:earn is not just a scholarship; it’s a whole safety net of services that provide individuals like Lauren childcare, books, materials and one-on-one support from their school in addition to tuition assistance,” said Gaile Weisbly, senior director of community building. “Unfortunately, the odds are against these individuals when they go back to school and don’t have extra supports, especially childcare. The L:earn project is a holistic approach to educating and retraining those most vulnerable in our community.”
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United Way’s 2-1-1 helps families make ends meet with the Earned Income Tax Credit
Anna Davis is a single mother of six kids and a graduate student earning $17,000 a year. Even with child care assistance from the state and family support, it is a struggle to make ends meet every month. Her struggle was made easier this year when she reclaimed more than a quarter of her annual income through the Earned Income Tax Credit.
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“I qualified for $4,300 in Earned Income Tax Credit refunds from my taxes this year. The money is going to student loans, credit card bills and school supplies,” she said. “I rely on this money to make it every year. It’s so important that I’ve lobbied on behalf of organizations like the 9to5, National Association of Working Women to educate legislators on how this refund has been critical to my survival.”
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Mile High United Way’s 2-1-1 connects thousands of families like Anna’s with resources to help them take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Davis isn’t alone in her financial struggle. Half of all single mothers in Colorado don’t earn enough to make ends meet, according to the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute. VisionKEI, the new self-sufficiency calculator unveiled by the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute in March 2008, shows that Davis would need to earn $71,557 every year in order to pay for her family’s basic needs without any public or private assistance.
Overall, one in five households in Colorado does not earn enough income to be self-sufficient and financially stable.
These alarming statistics are why Mile High United Way created its Adult Self Sufficiency Initiative to help families achieve the education and the financial assets they need to become financially stable. As part of this initiative, Mile High United Way’s 2-1-1 partners with The Piton Foundation to raise awareness of the Earned Income Tax Credit and help low-income, working families understand that they may qualify for a substantial tax refund.
The Piton Foundation also provides free tax preparation. Families can call Mile High United Way’s 2-1-1 and receive referrals to visit a free tax preparation site that is near their home or work. This service is especially valuable to low-wage workers, who would otherwise pay high fees to have their taxes prepared by a commercial service. Mile High United Way’s 2-1-1 service provided more than 2,000 families with referrals to free tax preparation sites last year.
“Knowledge is power. The more people who know about programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit, the better off we are as a society. Families are able to receive some extra help, which keeps them from going further into debt,” said Alicia Jiron, Mile High United Way’s 2-1-1 Director.
Davis is a survivor. Pregnant as a teenager and the victim of two abusive husbands, she is turning her life around. In May, she will graduate with a Masters in Public Administration with a focus on Domestic Violence. Her dream is to open a residential treatment facility for those convicted of domestic violence. She believes in education and wants to change the system.
“Those who commit domestic violence need treatment. I had to flee an abusive husband and move to a different state to keep my kids safe,” she said. “It’s time to put offenders in treatment to break the cycle of violence.”
More importantly, Davis’ six children, age 5 to 17, have a strong role model in their mother to show them how important education is to achieving self sufficiency. The children are safe and enrolled in a charter school in southwest Littleton. They are involved in the neighborhood where they live, have friends and are succeeding in school and in life.
To learn more about the Earned Income Tax Credit in the metro Denver and Boulder area, dial United Way’s 2-1-1.
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Rita, Reaching Out For A Better Life
Rita was living under a bridge in downtown Denver, having walked away from a dangerously abusive relationship four months earlier, when she walked in the doors of INVESCO Field for Project Homeless Connect last October.
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The enormous range of services available to help her and other homeless people live life off the streets was eye-opening for Rita. She had never fully realized the level of community support that is available to help her change her life.
While she was living under the bridge, she frequently visited The Gathering Place, a day shelter that provided her with a safe place to rest and escape from the stress of being alone on the streets. The Gathering Place also offers services to help women find housing and jobs, but Rita hadn’t yet found the will inside her to take the initiative to change her life.
“I’ve been pretty independent for most of my life, but after this abusive relationship, I found myself floundering,” Rita said. For single women, especially, living on the streets is dangerous, and Rita says the extreme stress it causes is draining and demoralizing.
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“You feel lost, and then you get discouraged, and then you get depressed,” she said. She was spending her time in the company of other homeless people who were content with their situation, with the help drugs and alcohol to numb their senses.
During the warm nights of the summer Rita, too, had been somewhat comfortable with her living situation, but she soon learned that living on the streets exposed her to all sorts of dangers. She was attacked several times, and with winter approaching, she began to think about the need to change.
The energy and optimism she felt in the room at Project Homeless Connect that sunny October day, together with the supportive community at The Gathering Place, created the spark that inspired her to reach out for a better life.
Rita set up a meeting with a case manager at The Gathering Place, who realized that she qualified for the Housing Stabilization Program of Denver’s Road Home. The program provides people like Rita with the first month’s rent and deposit for an apartment, along with furniture and other supplies they need to get started on their own.
In November of 2007, she moved into her apartment. It was the first time in 59-year-old Rita’s life that she had her very own place to call home.
Through the Housing Stabilization program, along with the community of support she has found at The Gathering Place, she has discovered the energy and the drive within herself to achieve and sustain a self-sufficient life.
Rita is just one of the thousands of homeless people who have been assisted in their journey toward self sufficiency. Just two years into Denver’s Road Home, the 10-year plan to end homelessness, Mile High United Way and the City and County of Denver report an 11 percent reduction in overall homelessness and a 36 percent decrease in chronic homelessness.
Mile High United Way is the financial steward for Denver’s Road Home. That entails raising funding in the community and using its 120 years of experience in human services to allocate resources to programs, like the Housing Stabilization Program, that create lasting changes for people who are homeless.
Denver’s Road Home is part of Mile High United Way’s Adult Self Sufficiency Initiative, which focuses on helping people attain the education and the assets they need to live a financially stable life. The initiative supports programs that provide a safety net of services such as helping individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness or in danger of becoming homeless as well as programs to help people build savings, attain job training or post-secondary education to increase their long-term earning power.
Rita continues to visit The Gathering Place for an occasional meal and to spend time with her network of friends. Rita’s picture has been added to the “Wall of Success” that every woman sees when they enter the building, and she has become a mentor for many of the women who come to The Gathering Place.
“I had nothing, and I had to finally decide to follow through,” Rita said about finding the initiative to change her life. She now encourages the other women at The Gathering Place to take the next step to live life off the streets and work toward self sufficiency.
Rita is holding down two jobs, working hard to pay the rent every month. She says life isn’t always easy, but she now she has all the energy and motivation she needs to continue on her path toward self sufficiency.
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James, Focusing on DisABILITY
A random act of violence left James in a wheelchair in 2001. “I was in the wrong place at the wrong time and as a result, I am now paralyzed from the waist down,” he said.
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Before his accident, James was a prominent business owner in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood. His company, Pro Painting Contractor Company, held large contracts with the city, state and RTD. His future looked very bright; his biggest contract was power washing and painting the exterior of INVESCO Field in 1998.
Thirty days after James’ accident, he was asked to leave the hospital because there were no open beds available for therapy and rehab. He moved home and quickly realized he still had to work. He tried to maintain his position as owner of Pro Painting Contractor Company and even worked from the back of an ATV with one of his employees driving him around. Unfortunately, he bruised himself by riding on the back of the ATV and was bedridden for six months. His 25-year business plan was slowly disappearing and he was absolutely devastated, but still happy to be alive.
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Things went from bad to worse. In the months following his accident, James lost everything that mattered to him: his business, home, marriage - he almost lost his children.
“Things got really bad, but I never lost hope. I had to accept my disability and still needed to make a living so I could support my children. What I didn’t realize is that it’s incredibly tough to make a living as a disabled person in the construction business. There are obstacles I didn’t even think about before my accident. I eventually had to swallow my pride and seek TANF assistance and food stamps. But, it was the best choice for my family and I don’t have any regrets.”
James attempted to start another business with a friend in 2003. They opened Pro Painting and Construction Services retail shop on 26th and Welton in Denver. Not long after it was established, it was broken into, looted and set on fire.
At this point, James wanted to make a living doing something he could be in control of. He remembered a button machine he previously purchased for one of his children. “I wanted to start my own button making business - do all the labor myself from home and not have to worry about anyone trying to take advantage of my disability.”
James needed seed money to get started, so he went to his bank for a small business loan. “I had been a customer at this bank for years and years and they treated me like an unwanted stepchild when I went through the loan process. I had a business plan, was professional and had vision. I was treated like a non-credible, inexperienced person.”
Through good fortune, James discovered Mile High United Way’s Individual Development Account program. The program is part of Mile High United Way’s Adult Self Sufficiency initiative, which helps struggling individuals and families build assets and attain the skills they need to live a financially stable life. The IDA program provides financial literacy training, asset building, and a 4:1 match savings account.
James was inspired. He applied to the program and presented a 3-year business plan for his button making business that focused on specialized merchandising and referrals.
Today, he is well on his way to a path of a financially self-sufficient parent and is affectionately known in the community as “The Button Man.”
James said Mile High United Way didn’t just help him start his own business, but also taught him the importance of saving money. He’s adjusted his spending habits significantly and puts the money he saves into CollegeInvest for his 16-year-old daughter, and a youth IDA account for his 12-year-old son. James leads by example and continuously educates his children on the importance of good savings habits.
“When things happen we aren’t in control of, we have to be strong and continue to move forward. At Mile High United Way, they treated me as an equal and really wanted to help me do this. I’m just ecstatic that I was given another chance in life to make a living on my own.”
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Wayne, Homeless to Hopeful
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Wayne had it rough from a young age. He grew up in Denver’s Arapahoe projects and was raised by his caring mother and grandmother. His family worked hard to save for a home of their own, but their dream was tragically snatched away when his stepfather died the day before they were to move from the projects into a new home.
Money was tight, but Wayne has always been a hard worker. He got his first paper route at the age of 10 and also worked as a busboy through high school. Wayne grew up without a male role model. “I didn’t have a father figure around to tell me how important it was to put part of every paycheck away. No one taught me the importance of saving money,” he said.
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When Wayne graduated from high school, things started to look up. He was recruited by the National Guard Band to play trumpet. In addition, Wayne expanded his musical talent and taught himself how to play the electric bass. “As most 18-year-olds do, I bought an amplifier, so my band and I could play shows in public. One day during band practice, a policeman asked where I got the amp. I told him I bought it from a man on the street, but the police told me it had been stolen; I had no idea. I gave it back but they still discharged me from the National Guard Band,” he said. This didn’t stop the Army from drafting Wayne. He spent 19 months in the Army, including 13 months in Vietnam, and was honorably discharged with a bronze star.
After Vietnam, Wayne went through a slew of jobs but found steady work as a baker and handyman for his apartment complex. Through pure misfortune, he quit his job as a baker and came home to find that his apartment building had been sold the same day. So, he was out of luck, two jobs and a home.
Wayne became depressed and was homeless for 15 months.
“Homelessness is an awful experience. No one has anything and everyone wants something. It’s completely disheartening to be surrounded by discouraged people all the time. You get sucked into the static energy. Most of the people I met were good people, some wonderful people, but were just down and out. It’s not fun not having any money. You always have to watch your back; you never really feel safe. People are always asking for spare change or a smoke. On top of everything, you feel like the whole world is looking down on you, judging you for being homeless. What I saw disturbed me greatly and motivated me to overcome it.”
After hitting rock bottom in his life, Wayne’s luck began to change. He qualified for Mile High United Way’s pioneer transformational housing project, Brunetti Lofts in downtown Denver. Wayne’s apartment is much more than four walls and a key. The project incorporates support programs that empower residents to become self sufficient in addition to housing. Recipients are not only dedicated to creating change in their lives, but also complete an extensive application and interview process. The end result is that residents are able to save enough at the end of their five-year stay for a down payment on a house.
Wayne has found fulfillment at last. He gives back and receives in his career as a program coordinator for the Handyman Program at Volunteers of America. His main role is to patiently listen to low-income seniors when they call for minor repairs or safety modifications to their homes, and does what he can to provide assistance. “Many of the seniors we serve are just grateful to have someone who will even return their calls and listen to them. They may feel alienated from society and think that no one cares. I can completely relate to that and am happy to help in whatever way I can,” Wayne stated.
“I will always feel a bond with the disadvantaged. When I was homeless, I actually spent many nights at Mile High United Way when the building doubled as an overnight shelter. I really appreciate non-profit organizations like United Way and Volunteers of America giving me shelter and employment. You know, it’s taken me 60 years to learn the lessons of my life, but I’m older, wiser and consider myself very blessed. Brunetti Lofts has changed my life and I’m able to give back every day through my work. Everyone deserves a second chance at life. Just remember that when you see a homeless individual. Everyone deserves respect.”
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Tony, Succeeding Without a Safety Net
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At the age of 21, Tony is wise beyond his years. He has learned life’s lessons the hard way, but he doesn’t seem to mind.
He had a difficult start in life with drug-addicted parents and older brothers who were constantly in and out of jail. He was removed from his home and placed in the foster care system.
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He initially found his foster home to be a welcome relief. It was certainly more stable and safe than his previous home environment. As time went on, however, the relationship between Tony and his foster mom began to suffer. “My foster mom made huge demands of me, especially around the house.” said Tony, “It was almost like I was incarcerated. She even accused me of stealing things from her, which is so wrong, because I didn’t. I thought my foster home was supposed to be supportive, but it was just the opposite experience for me.” Tony was later placed in a dozen more foster and group homes for the duration of his adolescence.
Despite his difficult home life, Tony was on the honor roll at Aurora Central High School, played football and participated in the TV production club. He graduated early at the age of 17 in 2003.
Then, at the age of 18, he “aged out” of the foster care system and the full responsibilities of an adult were thrust upon him - securing housing, food, transportation and health care are hard for any young adult, let alone someone without any family support.
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The Bridging the Gap project at Mile High United Way came alongside Tony, providing him with community support and specific tools like financial literacy training and an Individual Development Account to help him achieve self sufficiency.
Bridging the Gap, funded by the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative and CFED is an important part of Mile High United Way’s Adult Self Sufficiency Initiative. The initiative focuses the collective generosity of businesses, government, nonprofit agencies and donors to help low-income people build skills and assets to achieve a more self sufficient and financially stable life.
“Bridging the Gap helped me focus my income with their IDA program. I got financial support and guidance from them, and I plan on doing the same for my little brother who is in foster care right now."
Today, Tony is, in fact, making it on his own. He first purchased a desktop computer with his IDA savings and recently bought a bike for his commute to work. Tony plans on attending college to become a counselor for future foster youth. He rents an apartment in Denver and is also employed at a movie theater.
What this former foster child doesn’t know is that he is a survivor. Studies show that after exiting the foster care system at 18 years of age, 25% end up homeless and only one in five are completely self supporting. With some assistance from Mile High United Way’s Adult Self Sufficiency Initiative, Tony has defied these odds and has already succeeded in life in more ways than one.
“It was necessary for me to go through everything I went through in my life. I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I think sorrow helps us become stronger people. I didn’t overcome any obstacles, I just lived my life and I continue to have a positive outlook on my future.”
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Brooke, Getting Help and Giving Back
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Brooke has three young sons who she fondly refers to as “my little tribe.” As a single mother, she constantly juggles her family and career responsibilities, while volunteering in her community and putting her dreams for the future in place. In these ways Brooke is not unlike millions of other women. But the story of how she survived a serious drug addiction, domestic abuse, and the temporary loss of her children, sets her apart in a very singular way. It’s not just the strength of her spirit that you notice when she speaks, but her courage in taking responsibility for even the most painful aspects of her personal story.
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A Denver native who grew up in an affluent suburb, Brooke graduated with honors from Cherry Creek High School. Though her parents wanted her to go directly to college, Brooke took off to travel the country and follow several different rock bands. During the next decade, her mild use of marijuana escalated into the abuse of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. “My older boys have kind of walked with me through my addiction,” she explains. “There was a point where we had meth labs in our house and people were coming and going—a pretty scary situation.”
Three years ago, social services became involved and placed Brooke’s children in the temporary custody of their respective fathers. She’s quick to point out that it wasn’t an ideal situation for her children, and she knew that to bring her family back together, she would have to “get clean.” She successfully completed and graduated from a residential treatment program--but her troubles were far from over. During her treatment, Brooke met a man who would become the father of her youngest son, now a year old. While living together and four months pregnant, the man violently abused her, beating her to the ground and turning his aggression on her older sons.
In the emergency room, Brooke remembers thinking that to save herself and her children she would need to do something different. “What I had done in the past wasn’t working.” With hard-earned clarity, she articulates her turning point: “I really practiced humility and reached out and asked for help—something I hadn’t done before. And that came in the form of applying to Warren Village for housing.” After four months, she was accepted into the program and credits that event with changing her life forever.
Warren Village, Inc. is a Mile High United Way-funded agency whose mission is to promote personal and economic self-sufficiency for single-parent families, offering support services, affordable housing, and quality childcare. The comprehensive two-year program helps parents become productive individuals and successful parents. Having a safe place to live, affordable rent, and an excellent Early Learning Center for her children all make Brooke’s life manageable—not to mention a tight community of friends, mentors, and volunteers. These days, she works full time at Whole Foods as part of their customer service team and serves on a task force that promotes environmentally friendly ethics in the workplace. She has also assumed leadership roles in the Warren Village community and serves on the parent/teacher advisory team at the Learning Center.
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Brooke smiles triumphantly when she announces, “I celebrated three years clean last February.” Never forgetting her previous circumstances, she continues to be a strong advocate on behalf of women and children of domestic violence and promotes freedom from addiction whenever she has the opportunity. She believes in the power of personal testimony and enjoys speaking to groups and individuals. She notes, “It’s really exciting to hear after the fact that—‘wow, your story really touched me’. And that’s what’s empowering to me—to be able to touch someone else and help someone else. These issues aren’t just my own issues—many women (and men) have gone through many of my same scenarios.”
After all she’s been through in her 29 years, Brooke’s philosophy on life is simple and direct—give help and accept help whenever you can. “It’s amazing, you know—all these resources are at your fingertips and you choose to either accept that and grow from it or not. We’re all still learning—we’re always still learning.”
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Gina, Taking Pride in a Self Sufficient Life
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“My life right now is really nice,” says twenty-one-year-old Gina, taking a moment to wipe her eyes and regain her composure. “I’m crying because sometimes I just take time to realize that--so I’m very thankful and happy.”
But Gina’s life hasn’t always been happy, nor has it ever been easy. As one of six children born to teenage parents, she had an abusive father who so frightened her that she frequently hid under her bed when he came home from work. Her mother “wasn’t too motivated,” she explains, and much of the childcare and domestic responsibilities fell to young Gina, the second oldest of the siblings.
When she was fifteen, the stress in her family escalated to the point that all six children were placed in foster care. “I was the first to go,” Gina explains. Though various plans were developed for her siblings to stay with relatives, it didn’t happen and the children were separated from each other. “I didn’t get to see them,” says Gina, “because the younger two were in Aurora, my brother moved up to a group home in the mountains, and my younger sister was on the run for most of her time in the system.”
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From this point on, the events in Gina’s life accelerated intensely. Already the single mother of a baby, she was tired of changing schools, and the prospect of a second foster care placement would mean a transfer to a fourth high school. So she decided to drop out and pursue her GED. But instead of languishing on the fringes of education, Gina dove in and completed two years of college at Community College of Denver and two years of service in AmeriCorps.
One of Gina’s AmeriCorps jobs was at a drop-in resource center for youth, where she learned about the symptoms and treatments for mental illness. This information served her well when she later developed her own depression and was able to recognize the danger signs. “I had two kids. I hadn’t worked in a while. I had a lot of bills because I had my gall bladder removed. My healthcare hadn’t kicked in and everything was in chaos. I had an $8,000 medical bill from my surgery and emergency visits, and I just didn’t know what to do.”
Realizing that she was potentially suicidal and not completely safe to be around, Gina turned to a counselor who helped her form a temporary emergency plan. Though the thought of it made her anxious, she placed her sons in a two-week foster care situation so that she could find a therapist, begin treatment, and have some time to rest. Mostly, she was concerned about not endangering her children. She stayed in close contact with her sons and their foster mom and the family was reunited once Gina’s depression was stabilized.
Eventually, Gina met Kippi Clausen, the Program Director for Bridging the Gap, which is a partnership with Mile High United Way. Housed inside the Mile High United Way office building, the program serves young people from 14 to 23 who have been in foster care or are transitioning out. Bridging the Gap is dedicated to creating opportunities for youth in transition, including employment, education, community and civic engagement, housing, and physical and mental health.
Through Bridging the Gap, Gina received mentoring services, networking opportunities, and financial support in the form of an Individual Development Account, which is a matched savings account that helps establish a regular pattern of savings and asset building. But most important, Gina was connected to a “door opener”—or someone in the community who can help a young person work toward self sufficiency. In her case, a Mile High United Way donor who owns apartment buildings in metro Denver offered Gina a job as a leasing agent, and an on-site apartment for her family.
Kippi Clausen explains that, “We really believe that through our partnerships with business, with volunteers, and with pre-existing services in the community, there really is enough to go around. So how do we best organize these resources so that young people have access to them, and have the basics that every young person should have?”
After a long and difficult adolescence, Gina reports that she is “very thankful and blessed right now. I have my two boys who are very healthy. This is the first time I’ve ever paid rent without a subsidy, and am not on any kind of state assistance like food stamps. I have a great job that offers health insurance, life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and I get vacation time after a year. I never thought I could do this at age 21.”
As Gina dreams about her future, her plans include finishing college. She is striving for a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship. She wants to stay in her job for at least five years and save for a down payment on her own home. As an immediate goal, Gina is saving to take her boys on a trip to Disneyland, once she is eligible for her first-ever paid vacation.
Eventually, she hopes to start her own business and then fund her own non-profit agency. “My goal,” she says, “is to really change a lot of people’s lives, like mine has been changed by the people who have helped me.”
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