Stories

Tawny grew up in the child welfare system and now dedicates her life to helping foster youth. Read Tawny’s story!

By Maria Way | As a 2-1-1 Resource Specialist, Marisa was used to helping others access critical resources in their community, like food, shelter, and healthcare. But the most memorable person she was able to help in 2-1-1 was her dad.

Each year, Mile High United Way welcomes hundreds of families in our community to come celebrate the season with us. This year, our Children’s Holiday Party brought the spirit of the holidays to over 400 families, children, and volunteers in our community.

2019 was filled with so many memorable moments, but even more than that, there were so many lives changed. We want to share with you 10 ways that you changed lives this year, and how you can change even more. Thank you!

With the support of Mile High United Way’s Bridging the Gap program, Gloria has gone on to become an advocate for youth housing for young adults existing the child welfare system. Gloria recently sat down with her Independent Living Coach, Anna Marie, to share her story.

Globeville and Elyria-Swansea are considered ‘food deserts’, an area where fresh, healthy food isn’t readily available to residents. Learn how we’re helping to support the community through supporting small, local businesses, like El Tepetate.

This year, Women United has selected the ECDC African Community Center as its 2019 Innovation Prize recipient for the launch of their innovative, new Driving Opportunity program for the female refugee and immigrant community in Metro Denver.

Each year, we provide Denver youth exiting the child welfare system professional development training through our Bridging the Gap Career Week.

Project Homeless Connect 2019 provided wrap-around services, support, and resources to 1,600 individuals experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity in Denver. Thank you to our amazing volunteers!

Looking to get involved in our community this Holiday season? Volunteering can be a fun and rewarding experience. We hope you’ll join us in making an impact over the Holidays.

Molly Yost, Mile High United Way’s Director of Early Childhood Initiatives, shares how our United for Families initiative is moving the needle on school readiness in Metro Denver.

“What’s better than preparing your child for what they need to know in this world? We can help pave their futures from an early age. No matter what they want to be when they grow up, we have an opportunity to help them develop character, trust, values and — most of all — we teach […]

It’s summer. It’s time for families to get outside and enjoy the sunshine. Summer is a time for kids to enjoy their school break and fill their days with fun. All kids deserve to have some fun in the sun.   That’s why our Bridging the Gap program decided to take its participants and their […]

  On June 19, girls from Girls Inc. of Metro Denver cut the ribbon to their brand new Strong, Smart & Bold Beans mobile coffee truck.   Bold Beans is a girl-voiced, girl-run, girl-led coffee business, and it gives teen girls an opportunity to explore entrepreneurship, gain tangible life-skills, and it sets them up for […]

Mile High United Way’s Tocqueville Society is an esteemed group of business and philanthropic leaders dedicated to tackling our community’s most pressing challenges.   The Tocqueville Inspiration Award was created to recognize individuals who have been pioneering and steadfast in their work to engage their corporate and personal networks in participating financially, and as ambassadors […]

It was a great Friday! On May, 3, 2019 Mile High United Way partnered with the Denver Broncos and Everfi to host the Character Playbook Experience at the UCHealth Training Center!   Character Playbook is a digital initiative that educates students on how to cultivate and maintain healthy relationships during their critical middle school years. […]

This year’s Women United Community Baby Shower was something to remember.   “Being a mom myself, I can’t imagine the hardship that some of these women go through. It’s just so expensive raising a child,” said Julie Bearup, Chair of Women United’s Community Connections. “That’s why we’re excited that the baby shower has continued to […]

Mayor Michael Hancock said volunteering is all about “what you do when no one else is looking.”   National Volunteer Week kicked off at Mile High United Way on Tuesday, April 9. The week was filled with activities, conversations, and celebrations all around volunteering and uniting as one community in service to our neighbors in […]

Mile High United Way has been fortunate to call Lockton, a global professional services firm that focuses on risk management, employee benefits, and retirement services, a partner for over 20 years. In 2018, our partnership reached new heights. It was during Lockton’s fall 2018 giving campaign that nearly 400 Associates raised $1 million to support […]

Whether its hearing your baby’s first word or their first giggle of discovery, experiencing those firsts as parents is something you never forget. You reflect on those moments your entire life and carry those thoughts with you as you ensure your child has everything they need. We all want the same things for our children: […]

It can be difficult to ask for help. When unexpected circumstances happen, it’s comforting to know that there is a place to turn to, and that you are not alone.   That is the reason John* picked up the phone and called Mile High United Way’s 2-1-1 Help Center when he needed a place to […]

Peter Buffett traveled to Denver, Colorado on Tuesday, March 6th as part of his cross-country tour.   Hosted at the King Center on the Community College of Denver Campus, the room was filled with Mile High United Way supporters and students from campus. Peter Buffett, the youngest son of Warren Buffett, visited Denver and Mile […]

Why do we choose to do the work that we do?   For Christine Benero, President and CEO of Mile High United Way, her why is personal. Growing up surrounded by great teachers and supportive mentors she says, “I had every opportunity succeed, but there are so many children that don’t. We do the work […]

On February 12th, over 50 Coloradans gathered at the Colorado State Capitol for Mile High United Way’s annual Day on the Hill  to learn more about the new state legislature and leaders in the state. Top priorities for the current legislative session were discussed by the Governor’s policy team. Topics included healthcare and early childhood […]

We all want to have a safe place where we feel supported. Sometimes we receive that support from our immediate families, and sometimes we find supportive people and places that become part of our extended family.   In late 2018, Mile High United Way began offering Center for Family Opportunity services at Florence Crittenton High […]

So many individuals and families personally know that one unexpected expense can move a family from self-sufficiency to financial emergency. For many, we know the government shutdown is putting people in unchartered territory with an unexpected change in their employment status, which can cause a sense of fear. Economic stability provides a sense of safety […]

“We live in the same communities that we serve. Colorado is home to all of us, and we’re working to make it great for everyone who lives here.”   Bright and early on a Tuesday morning, Tocqueville Society donors gathered for a breakfast at Mile High United Way to greet the new year and learn […]

“Owning your own business changes everything. It’s not easy when you’re working for a big company because if they don’t need you, they don’t have to keep you. Now, we can treat our people well. We have 1-3 employees and they tell us, ‘no one has treated me like you have; you take care of […]

“No matter where you are, if you need help, you can call 2-1-1.”   Recently a young woman walked into Mile High United Way because she needed help. More than anything she needed a place where she felt safe. This young woman traveled to Colorado from another state with people she met. When she got […]

“This is one of my favorite events because this is where you really see the work come to fruition. This is one event where you’re truly able to form an emotional connection with those you’re serving.”   Each year at the Mile High United Way Children’s Holiday Party, families and children in the Metro Denver […]

How would you feel if you needed to get to an important meeting, but didn’t have the means to get there? This is the barrier that so many of the people we work with face every single day. For Sarah,* this barrier could have put her life on an entirely different trajectory. Sarah was recently […]

“I think it can be easy to take our stations in life for granted and Project Homeless Connect is a reminder to realize that a few events here and there could send anyone’s life in a different direction.”   On Thursday, November 15, 2018, 750 volunteers and 1,400 people living in our community made a […]

Teresa Van De Bogart with her son, Thomas Van De Bogart, and daughter-in-law, Sarah Pallotti, at October’s Tocqueville Society Social Hour at the Dairy Block.  Teresa Van De Bogart is the VP, Global IT Solution Delivery, Molson Coors Brewing Company. She is also the Chair of Mile High United Way’s Women United.   What’s your […]

“I believe everyone has a purpose in this world. No one should be alone in the dark,” says Willie, one of Mile High United Way’s 2-1-1 Resource Navigators. When he was just six years old, Willie was diagnosed with glaucoma and ultimately lost his sight. But he never let that get him down. Willie continued […]

On Thursday afternoon, women gathered in the spirit of sisterhood, womanhood, and comradery. That spirit was so palpable in the Hilton City Center room at the 20th Annual Mile High United Way Women United Luncheon. “I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but you have to start somewhere. As women, we don’t have an option to […]

On a bright and sunny Tuesday morning, 160 Molson Coors employees came out to Sloan’s Lake in Denver ready to mulch, paint, and beautify the landscape.   Molson Coors, in partnership with Mile High United Way, had a companywide Day of Service on September 18, 2018. The headquarters shut down for the day in the […]

It takes a community. When it comes to ensuring that everyone in Metro Denver has education, health, and financial stability, we need to stand united as a community. On September 13, 2018, 100 outstanding organizations were celebrated at Mile High United Way. These organizations went through a rigorous selection process to become the deserving recipients […]

“Zakirah feels like a big girl now.” Lori, a mom of six, shared this sentiment about her youngest at Mile High United Way’s Supplies for Success event. She has been bringing her immediate and extended family to this event for the past three years. “It’s great to get assistance – I have six children from […]

Mile High United Way is proud to award $6 million in the 2018-2020 Strategic Investment Grants to 100 of the highest-performing organizations in Metro Denver. These selected partners are implementing strategies directly aligned with Mile High United Way’s four Community Impact Goals and demonstrate impact with measurable outcomes. Working together, we will be changing the […]

Help first-generation college students prepare as they head to school in Fall 2018! Mile High United Way is working to help students in our community start the school year off right. Denver is home to hundreds of first-generation college students who are hopeful, ambitious, and seeking to become the first in their families to earn […]

Mile High United Way is working to help kids in our community start the school year off right! The average back to school supply list can cost over $100 which isn’t feasible for many families in Metro Denver. Through Supplies for Success, Mile High United Way and our partner agencies make sure that the kids […]

A few years ago Jeff volunteered for one of our signature volunteer events, Project Homeless Connect, and after leaving felt he could have done more. Jeff took it upon himself to do just that. From an event volunteer to a member of the planning committee, Jeff has offered his support in ways we could not […]

Candace, a local Denver resident, felt helpless as bills continued to mount and income became more and more limited. This situation happens all too often, and can even raise the question, “How am I going to feed my family tonight?” Instead of waiting until it was too late, she decided to take action and received […]

Wanda has been a Metro Denver resident for over 50 years and lives modestly on a fixed income in Aurora. Her granddaughter, Amanda, a thirty-year-old mother of three, has experienced homelessness for almost ten years, and rarely sees her children. When Wanda agreed to care for her granddaughter, she didn’t know how she’d be able […]

Meet Angellynne. Finding supportive, safe, and stable housing enabled Angellynne to turn her life around. Before she called Mile High United Way’s 2-1-1 Help Center to find the resources she needed, Angellynne struggled with low self-esteem, addiction, and homelessness. She had bounced around from place to place with no stability in the past, but knew […]

“The hardest thing about being homeless was the internal struggle of having no one that cares about you or your family, and that you are just a number to people,” said Michaela. When she aged out the child welfare system at age 17, Michaela, a Mile High United Way Bridging the Gap (BTG) participant, struggled […]

The increased cost of living in Metro Denver is forcing families to make difficult decisions – diapers or day care? Mortgage or medicine? An unexpected expense of $400 or more can move a hard-working family from self-sufficiency to a financial emergency. When Lisa*, a single mother of three, was unexpectedly forced to move out of […]

Mile High United Way’s Power Lunch program truly changes lives. In Metro Denver, a majority of third grade students are testing below grade level in reading.* This means they are 24% more likely to drop out of high school and 70% more likely to be arrested for a violent crime later in life.** Power Lunch […]

We reached out to Marshall, a Mile High United Way Leadership donor, to see what motivates him to give and volunteer. 1. What has inspired you to be a part of Mile High United Way as a Leadership donor? I first learned about the opportunity because my employer, CoBank, has a very robust community engagement […]

We reached out to Jason, a Mile High United Way Leadership donor, to see what motivates him to give and volunteer. 1. What has inspired you to be a part of Mile High United Way as a Leadership donor? I have seen first-hand the great work the supported nonprofits are doing and could not be […]

We reached out to Chris, a Mile High United Way Leadership donor, to see what motivates him to give and volunteer. 1. What has inspired you to be a part of Mile High United Way as a Leadership donor? I was raised to always give back to the community, whether it is with your time […]

Sue and I have lived in many communities around the country and have repeatedly seen how United Way has played a critical part in these communities by helping those in need obtain the services and assistance they need from organizations, large and small, that United Way has prequalified. As we have moved into each community, […]

Steve and I became involved with the Mile High United Way when we moved to Denver in 2001. Originally, I was approached by Women United and asked if I would join their community council. After a few years as a council member, I had the wonderful opportunity to co-chair this amazing group. My participation in […]

“I have two sons so I try to think about what their lives would be like if, at 18 years old, they no longer had access to any support, resources, or direction from me or another trusted adult. I’m not sure my sons would have made it even with all those advantages. This helps me […]

Vernon Irvin has inspired us with his leadership in the Tocqueville Society. Curious to know more, we reached out to ask him a few questions about what motivates him to give back. What inspires you to give to Mile High United Way? The ability to change lives. I am inspired by changing someone’s life trajectory […]

Michelle Nettles, Chief People and Diversity Officer for Molson Coors Brewing Company, inspired the crowd at the March Tocqueville Society Breakfast. Michelle shared her family’s strong connection to philanthropy and to United Way, and how she uses her whole self to make her company and country a better place. “I give because it’s fundamental to […]

Nina and Ian Currigan are Tocqueville donors who care deeply about an intentional approach to giving. As the inaugural Chair of the Mile High United Way Emerging Leaders Council (ELC) in 2008, Ian was determined to show his colleagues and other ELC members how having a thoughtful approach to giving can have a greater impact […]

Imagine if, on your 18th birthday, you were left to navigate adulthood without a parent or guardian’s support and guidance? For hundreds of youth, like me, exiting foster care in Colorado each year, this is our reality. Growing up my wish was simple: to have a stable family. By the time I turned 18, I […]

Imagine fleeing your country, leaving behind your entire family, to escape ethnic violence and a lack of educational opportunities. Although this was my reality as a teen, I am now a proud and hard-working American citizen. I speak three languages, work two jobs, and attend Red Rocks Community College to reach my full potential as […]

We have been honored to know Torica since she entered Mile High United Way’s Bridging the Gap (BTG) program just over two years ago. In the short time that we have known her, we have seen such incredible growth – both academically and personally. With the financial support of Bridging the Gap’s scholarship, encouragement from […]

“I’m what they call ‘stubborn.’” Gloria flashes a wry smile, but it’s not hard to see that the memories still bother her. “I was constantly being told, ‘Just take your GED. It’s a lot easier for teen moms. It’s what’s convenient.’” But Gloria had wanted to graduate from high school since she was a little […]

Antoinette recalls that she stopped trying in school after 7th grade. She got frustrated that she learned differently than her classmates and started skipping school. Without much support at home to get her back on track, she dropped out in 9th grade. Things deteriorated from there—she began to act out and make risky decisions, which […]

Have you ever felt overlooked, unnoticed, or forgotten? For many of the parents, residents, and community members I work with at Swansea Elementary, this feeling is a reality. People in Globeville, Elyria, and Swansea have experienced this feeling for decades. Although these residents face one of the highest poverty rates in Denver County, they are […]

When your child’s school calls, you answer the phone. If they ask you to come in right away, you go. And if your job gives you the flexibility to care for your family, you’re lucky. Sara’s daughter, Janna, struggled to adapt to three schools in two-and-a-half years after her family moved to Denver from Los […]

When I arrived in the U.S. at age 11, I couldn’t speak or read English. Moving from my familiar home to someplace so different made me feel scared and lost. Suddenly, it seemed like I didn’t know anything. My parents put me in a public school, where I spent an hour with an aide each […]

When Jodi met Gerald*, her Mile High United Way Power Lunch reading buddy, he was the new kid in his class. It wasn’t his first time with that experience: the second grader was already attending his third elementary school. The adult volunteer and the young student quickly found that they had a lot in common, […]

Leticia came to the United States from Mexico when she was in her mid-20s along with her husband and infant daughter. “We moved to America seeking better opportunities and jobs. I wanted to raise my daughter somewhere she could grow up and realize her dreams. That wasn’t possible in Mexico. There were no jobs, limited […]

Jack is a single dad with four teenage children. He came to Mountain Resource Center (MRC), one of Mile High United Way’s Centers for Family Opportunity, because he had no job and was finding it challenging to transfer his military skills to a civilian world. Accessing multiple services in one place through the Center for […]

Sometimes, we feel like our lives have been turned upside down by circumstances beyond our control. When this happened to Emily*, she fought to get her life back on track. Emily and her husband had achieved their dream of owning their own business. Then, after 15 years of running their company together, domestic violence and […]

Sanaa moved with her family to the United States – first to Alabama, then to Denver – from Baghdad, Iraq, when her husband got sick. Sanaa was eager to support her growing family. She had been an Arabic teacher in Iraq, but her early work experience in the US was limited to housekeeping. She wanted […]

Where do you turn when you or your child encounters challenges, or when you simply need a few words of encouragement? Samuel, a first-time father, turned to Mile High United Way’s Center for Family Opportunity. He was relieved to learn that the Center had resources to support his wife, Marie, and their new son. Marie […]

We know there are problems that seem impossible to solve. We experience those problems every day, but we don’t let that stop us. We raise our hand and we fight. We fight for youth formerly in foster care like Alisha*, and take steps to ensure we are moving forward, together. When Alisha thinks about her […]

Think about all the people – parents, teachers, relatives, and friends – who helped prepare you for adulthood. Can you count them on one hand? Or are even two hands not enough? If the 16-year-old GeQwan had counted the supporters in his corner, he would have needed only a single finger. Having experienced a traumatic […]

Canaan is a young man whose hard work and years of continuous support from Mile High United Way have helped him along the path to self-sufficiency – and a life-long dream. In high school, Canaan struggled with mathematics. Despite this hurdle, his continual effort and drive was recognized, prompting his guidance counselor to connect him […]

Mile High United Way and Virgil Green, Denver Broncos tight end, believe all children should enter school prepared, ready to learn, and reading at grade level by the end of third grade. When Virgil Green visits Columbian Elementary School, students notice. It’s not every day that a Denver Bronco reads with them – but it […]

If you’re a parent working outside the home, you know high-quality child care is a necessity. You may also know that in Colorado, there aren’t enough child care slots for every young child. Across our state, many children of working parents spend their days in the homes of family, friends, or neighbors. In homes like […]