Bou Mitchell

Empowering Women Through Employment: Catholic Charities Employment Navigation Program Success

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Across the Front Range, Catholic Charities is making a significant impact on the lives of women experiencing homelessness through our innovative Women’s Employment Navigation Program, housed at Samaritan House in downtown Denver. This program is a part of the comprehensive way that Catholic Charities looks at all our ministries, wrapping basics like safe shelter and … Read more

Old Friends, New Beginnings: Marisol Homes Celebrates Alumni at 4th Annual Easter Brunch

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The Easter season brings with it a sense of renewal and hope—a theme that rings true with Marisol Homes community. On Easter Sunday, Catholic Charities hosted the 4th Annual Marisol Alumni Easter Brunch at the Downtown Aquarium. Marisol Homes hosts this event every year as a celebration of community, resilience and transformation.  Vin Glover, Program … Read more

Prayer for Life: Reflections on the Eucharistic Procession at Marisol Garden

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Special moments unfolded in the Catholic Charities’ Marisol Health Garden on Saturday, March 23rd. An army of more than 250 people of all ages joined hands for one mission: to honor the Eucharist and stand in solidarity against abortion. Led by Fr. Jason Wallace, Archdiocese of Denver Director of Vocations, and assisted by Deacon Wayne … Read more

The Benedict is Moving Forward

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Shovels Up, Hard Hats Down

Catholic Charities Housing proudly announces that the Glenwood Springs City Council has given the green light to our new affordable housing initiative for senior residents – The Benedict, a 34-unit project catering to individuals aged 62 and older.

With 1,925 apartments in 34 locations across Northern Colorado, including three projects in the Roaring Fork Valley, Catholic Charities Housing is dedicated to addressing the housing needs of our communities.

The $23 million project features a four-story building that will be constructed on a half-acre lot at the intersection of Midland and 27th Street, just steps from the 27th street underpass and RFTA Bus Rapid Transit station. The project is expected to be completed in the second half of 2025.

During the January 2024 City Council meeting, Patricia Leonetti, a 93-year-old resident, passionately pleaded for the facility’s construction, emphasizing its necessity in Glenwood Springs. Ellen Dole thanked the Catholic Charities Housing for recognizing the need for senior housing, echoing the sentiment that aging individuals prefer to remain in their familiar communities.

The Benedict addresses affordability with a focus on residents with varying income levels. Community Housing Requirements stipulate that 20% of the units should be resident-occupied with incomes restricted to 100% Area Median Income (AMI). The Benedict, however, goes further, proposing a 40-year restriction on units, limiting incomes between 30% and 80% AMI, resulting in monthly rents ranging from $550 to $1,500.

Justin Raddatz, Executive Director of Catholic Charities Housing, emphasized the project’s importance in serving vulnerable seniors on fixed incomes. “We have a great vision for this project,” said Raddatz. “We believe we’ll be able to serve this community by strengthening the support we all have for our seniors and giving them a comfortable, beautiful and affordable place to live. We’re eager to break ground and get the project underway.”

The Benedict is named after Fritz and Fabi Benedict who were dedicated and generous benefactors in the valley and bequeathed a generous gift to Catholic Charities Housing for a project like this. Mr. Benedict was part of the 10th Mountain Division, established the hut system in the area and was an understudy of Frank Lloyd Wright.

“I can’t think of a better place than the Benedict for seniors to live affordably and within the beauty of the valley.”

Catholic Charities Helps Newcomers Build a Life 

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In response to the ongoing demand for humanitarian aid and legal guidance for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) seekers in Colorado, Catholic Charities of Denver is conducting workshops throughout 2024 to offer crucial support to eligible individuals and families as they navigate the intricate TPS application procedures. 

TPS stands for Temporary Protected Status, and it grants permission to eligible newcomers to live and work in the United States on a temporary basis. This status is not a pathway toward citizenship, a green card or permanent legal status in the U.S. To qualify for TPS consideration, an applicant must hold citizenship in a TPS-eligible country and meet all TPS Eligibility guidelines. 

What to Expect at the Workshops 

Participants receive guidance in completing and submitting their applications, with the goal of supporting applicants as they complete TPS and employment authorization documents. They are then empowered to manage subsequent steps in the process, such as maintaining updated addresses with U.S. immigration authorities and responding to requests for additional evidence. 

Catholic Charities TPS Workshop Coordinator Marcos Castillo is convinced that significant change can continue to be made with the right resources in hand. These workshops rely heavily on generous donations of laptops, time and talent. Many hands will truly make light work in these efforts. 

To participate in the workshops, individuals must undergo the pre-screening process and be scheduled for a specific session. The workshops are staffed by dedicated and trained volunteers who are assigned to families, assisting them in preparing and compiling their TPS applications. Each application is reviewed by an immigration attorney before submission, ensuring the accuracy and completeness of the documentation. 

The workshops kicked off in January and will be held each month through the end of 2024. 

How To Get Involved 

  1. Refer Individuals:

Individuals can refer themselves or others by filling out this pre-screening questionnaire, also linked in the attached flyer. It is essential to verify the eligibility criteria for each country before making a referral, as the workshops are limited to those eligible for TPS. The process is streamlined to ensure efficiency and provide necessary support to the attendees. Because of time constraints, calls and emails about the process will not be returned. 

  1. Volunteer:

Volunteers are an integral part of the workshops, and we are always looking for folks who are willing to help. Both legal professionals and non-legal volunteers are needed, and training is provided. 

“We’ve been looking for a way to get involved to help migrants and this workshop and helping with lunch was a great opportunity for us to live out our missions as Catholics,” shared Most Precious Blood Catholic parish volunteers -Theresa, Mana and Chriss. 

There is no need to be intimidated by the legal or predominantly Spanish-speaking nature of the work. Marcos reiterates, “Whether you are skilled in law, language, communication or other areas, you can absolutely be helpful.” If interested, please be sure to complete the recorded training and visit the following links to register: 

Attorney Volunteer Sign-Up: 

https://lnkd.in/gUUDcPwG 

Non-Attorney Volunteer Sign-Up: 

https://lnkd.in/guXuK88g 

Thank you in advance for your heart of generosity and service! 

Prayer Gives Life

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Saving lives one baby at a time

40 Days for Life is an internationally coordinated 40-day campaign that aims to end abortion locally through prayer and fasting, community outreach and a peaceful all-day vigil in front of abortion businesses.

Along the Front Range, seven communities gather twice a year for 40-day campaigns and some even participate in 40 Days for Life 365. Catholic Charities supports all of the campaigns and, for many years, has focused time and attention on the Denver location at 7158 E. 38th Avenue.

All told, the campaign has reached 1,000 cities in 63 countries and folks who participate believe their prayerful actions have a positive impact. They believe, as so many of us do, that prayer gives life.

Baby Saved in Greeley

40 Days for Life 365 participants were recently praying outside of Planned Parenthood in Greeley when a utility truck driver passed by. He told them that he had been here before. Rolling down his window, he called, “Hey! I just wanted to let you know that our baby just turned a year old because you were standing out here!”

A local Greeley leader’s calculations confirmed that this child’s life was saved during the leader’s first 40 Days for Life vigil in 2022.

If one day of prayer can yield one year of life, imagine what 40 can do. Join thousands of other like-minded people of faith across the world in this year’s powerful 40 Days for Life campaign, underway now through Easter 2024. One prayer from your heart can give life for years to come.

Volunteers Make a Radical Difference

Just as prayer is powerful, so are our volunteers. In just a few short months, four lives were forever changed—and four more were saved—by a group of devoted servants of Christ right here at home in Colorado.

Through the unconditional love spread daily by faithful food bank volunteers, four individual women pivoted toward a choice for life for each of their four children.

All of them chose to carry their soon-to-be babies to full term and birth four little world-changers that the earth simply couldn’t do without. But what made the difference?

For weeks and months, our servant-hearted volunteers shared openness and warmth to the most vulnerable, uncertain and even afraid. And after many heartfelt conversations and much loving acceptance, these women gave themselves a chance to become the brave new moms they were always meant to be.

So a huge hug and sincere congratulations to these four beautiful mothers, who helped make the world 4x better by giving life to their precious gifts from God.

Let this testimony remind us to always keep our eyes, ears and hearts open to those around us whose lives we can change with just a little love.

Nothing Better than a Grandma’s Love

And who gives love better than grandma herself? If asked about the importance of a praying grandmother, most of us could likely attest to her sheer power from direct, very personal experience.

And even at the tender age of less than two weeks old, so can baby Katherine.

Just a few months ago, complications threatened to cause a premature delivery. But that was before prayer and a faith-filled grandma entered the fight.

After weeks of fervent petitions to God from her and her community of prayer warriors, Katherine defied all odds and arrived right on time as a perfectly healthy baby girl.

And the blessing doesn’t stop there! She even brought with her a wholesome 7 pounds and 2 ounces–not at all packing light because she’s here to stay.

To all who’ve prayed for little Katherine, Grandma is sending a life-sized THANK YOU! And to all who continue to partner with us in prayer for life–a great big thanks, God bless and keep going to you, too.