Catholic Charities Early Childhood Education (ECE) Home Based Program Option is all about building trust, walking with families, and giving both parents and children the confidence to thrive.
Erika Echeverria is one of our dedicated Family Educators and is a steady and warm presence in the homes of the families she visits. Each week, she meets with 11 different families across their residences in Denver, offering one-on-one guidance and support tailored to each child’s growth and the family’s personal goals. As she packs her car for the day, she considers what each of the families she is visiting with that day needs according to their development timelines.
During one of her scheduled visits, Erika arrived at the Lakewood home of Esperanza, a first-time mother, on a Monday morning. Esperanza greeted her with warmth, enthusiasm and a visible sense of relief.
“For many families, they have been bottling up their questions and anxieties for the week before I can arrive.”
The Early Head Start and Head Start Home Based Program Options are a free, voluntary program that brings early childhood education and family support directly into the homes of low-income families with children from prenatal to age five. Family Educators like Erika visit each family once a week for 90 minutes, focusing on early learning activities, developmental milestones, parenting strategies and family goal setting. This model allows parents to become their child’s first and most important teacher, all in the comfort of their own home. Catholic Charities currently serves more than 80 families through this program across the Denver metro area.
Erika spread out sensory toys and developmental materials made specially for infants at the four-month mark. She observed and modeled—everything from tummy time to vocal interaction. “We’re building the building blocks,” Erika said. “Jose is learning how to engage, how to explore. And Esperanza is learning how capable she really is.”
The referral pipeline for families getting home-based most comes from word of mouth or from either one of our five ECE centers in Denver, or from one of our other Catholic Charities ministries—such as Marisol Homes or Samaritan House. For Esperanza, that referral came when she was living at Mullen Home, a shelter operated by Catholic Charities while pregnant. She told case workers she felt overwhelmed and unsure about having a child, until she met Rebeca Harcharik, our prenatal family educator. Rebeca guided her through those early emotions, helped her create a prenatal care plan, and started envisioning a future as a mother.
Now, months later, Erika is continuing that care. Together, they set weekly goals—not just for Jose’s growth, but for Esperanza’s personal development, her emotional well-being, and her dreams for her future. “It’s all connected,” Erika said. “When a mother feels supported and seen, she can pour that love into her child.”
It’s clear that Esperanza and Jose are flourishing under that care. As Jose babbled and reached for a toy, Esperanza smiled proudly. “I didn’t think I could do this,” she said, “but I’m doing it.”
And she certainly is. In just one year, Esperanza has earned her Child Development Associate (CDA) credential, received her driving permit, secured her work permit, and has been actively studying English. Most recently, she moved into her own home. Her accomplishments reflect not only her resilience, but the power of community support and compassionate guidance.
She’s grateful she’s not doing it alone. With Catholic Charities ECE Home Based ministry, families like Esperanza’s are being met right where they are—with compassion, tools and faith in their ability to grow.