In Loving Support: Mile Hi Church

Mentee mom Gloria and her teenage son used to be homeless. Now, they have a place of their own and a newfound optimism. For this fresh start, Gloria thanks her mentor team from the Mile Hi Church. She feels their assistance and compassion have changed her life.

When the Family and Senior Homeless Initiative partnered her with the Mile Hi Church, Gloria quickly found that her mentors were serious about helping her.

Their commitment to empowering her to become self-sufficient extended beyond the official meeting time. As the mentors drove around town--to work, to the grocery store--they took note of "For Rent" signs, and passed this information on to Gloria. They also discussed good and bad neighborhoods with her. When Gloria finally found the townhome that was right for her family, the mentors assisted her with the first month's rent and security deposit. They also all pitched in and provided the startup household items she needed including: "beds, dressers, dishes, glasses, cups, silverware, and bedding."

The mentor team also helped Gloria and her son educationally. With their help, Gloria was able to find a free GED certification program. The mentors also suggested an excellent school for Gloria's teenage son. "He used to be in special education classes," she says. "But now he tests really well!" Gloria attributes her son's turnaround to her family's stability, as well as the small classes and wonderful teachers at his new school, and also to her mentors for helping her find the perfect school for him.

"Most people don't want to be trapped in the cycle. They just need help," mentor Barbara says of the struggling families who seek mentorship through the Family and Senior Homeless Initiative. Barbara, along with five other team members from her home congregation Mile Hi Church, mentored Gloria and her son through FSHI--a unique partnership between Denver faith congregations, the City of Denver, and the Denver Rescue Mission. Through the Family and Senior Homeless Initiative, over five hundred families have found permanent housing and a fresh start!

Professionally, Barbara is a Child and Family Investigator, and has been for twenty years. In her work, she's interacted with a lot of families facing severe life challenges. Barbara's work experience helped her to begin mentorship with an open-minded attitude. She knows that each person's story, needs and journey are different. "One of the things I always learn," she says, "is that everyone is a unique individual, and they have a different mindset. And you just need to not do it for them. You're there to teach them to do it for themselves. We have to empower them. What joy do they get if they didn't do it themselves?" She adds, "Each case is going to be very, very unique, and each family is going to respond or react in their own way."

Personally, Barbara knows that though the journey is difficult, self-sufficiency can definitely be achieved. She adds, "My intent is to empower people. I was a single mom for over 20 years, and I know you can bring yourself out of these things. It's my intent to empower them to see they don't have to be a victim of circumstances. I just love the rapport you build with the family and the fact that they do feel supported. They feel there's someone out there that really does care."

When asked what she would say to people considering becoming mentors, Barbara says, "I think [mentorship] is an absolutely marvelous thing to do if you can learn to let them do things [for themselves]. You're there to guide them, not to do things for them. You're there in loving support, to contact, make calls, but to be clear on the boundaries. Mainly, you're there in loving support."

When asked the same question, Gloria says, "I would encourage them to do it. It meant a lot to me to be mentored, to have somebody out there who cares."

Thank you Barbara and the Mile Hi Church mentor team for your willingness to empower a family in need! And congratulations Gloria on all the progress you have made!

By The Numbers