Carla Castillo, a former participant in the Family Tree Parenting Time Program, recently shared her story of experiencing cycles of domestic violence, becoming empowered to make a change and how Family Tree helped her family find stability.

Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week is an annual collaboration across the country to draw attention to the issues of hunger and homelessness, and will be taking place November 16-24, 2019. Family Tree is extending this week to the entire month of November to help educate our community about homelessness in the Denver metro area and how you can help.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and Family Tree wants our community to be aware of not only the prevalence and impacts of domestic violence, but how you can help in our mission to help people overcome domestic violence, child abuse and homelessness.

Emma grew up in a home exposed to domestic violence and substance misuse until Debbie and Ray welcomed their granddaughter into their house. Denver Human Services contacted Debbie and Ray as no other relatives were a good fit to care for young Emma.

As a facilitator for the Family Tree Circle of Parents support group, I know the value of this group as I myself am a mother that benefits from the advice other parents share at these meetings.

After taking in her two young cousins, Diana reached out to Family Tree, where she experienced the interconnected services including Family Tree Kinship Program and Family Tree Legal Advocacy.

Family Tree, Developmental Disabilities Resource Center, Seniors’ Resource Center and Jefferson Center hosted elected officials, legislators, candidates and Jefferson County residents at the 19th Annual Legislative BBQ at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds Auditorium on Tuesday, August 27, 2019 from 5:00pm t

On any given day, there are 5,755 people experiencing homelessness in the Denver metro area, according to the 2019 Point In Time survey. Metro Denver Homeless Initiative conducts the survey on one night in January every year as part of a national effort to collect a comprehensive count of those experiencing homelessness and measure our national and regional progress in addressing homelessness.

“I’m afraid for myself, I’m afraid for my son. We need a safe place to heal.

“My 8-year old son, Ethan, and I broke ties with my husband due to his violence. We found an apartment and were living on our own, until one night when my husband broke in.

“He destroyed our apartment and physically threw me around. It was all such a blur – I couldn’t call for help. Fortunately, the neighbors heard and called the police. They found me on the floor and my husband was gone. Worst of all, Ethan saw the whole thing.