Teen pregnancy rates are declining in Colorado, yet many worry these data points obscure the pressing needs that exist within teen families and how those needs are evolving. For Florence Crittenton Services, a nonprofit that provides services to educate, prepare, and empower teen moms and their children since 1893, this shifting landscape presents a hinge point. It’s a moment to draw on their history of adapting to best fit the needs of the community and look forward to continued evolution.
Florence Crittenton’s evolution over time
For more than 130 years, Florence Crittenton has adapted to meet the needs of Colorado moms and their children. Originally established as a residential home for pregnant women who were not married, Florence Crittenton provided shelter and care at a time when few other options existed. By the 1970s, as societal norms and community needs changed, housing needs for traditional unwed mothers diminished. However, teen moms still needed support that would allow them to stay in school and continue their education.
In 1984, Florence Crittenton partnered with Denver Public Schools, the Junior League of Denver, and the Colorado Department of Human Services to create the Teen Parent Education Network. This program helped teen mothers earn high school diplomas, learn about child development, and build parenting skills—all while raising healthy families.
Today, Florence Crittenton is a full-service campus with its Early Childhood Education (ECE) Center, the Alethia E. Morgan MD Health Center, the Student & Family Support Program (SFSP), and the on-site Florence Crittenton High School, and they are exploring reintroducing affordable housing into the program mix – another evolution – to continue providing stability and opportunity for teen families to build strong communities. Learn more about Florence Crittenton’s history here.
Florence Crittenton’s ability to evolve throughout its history is a testament to its resilience and commitment to empowering young families. This adaptability has created a lasting impact on the lives of those it serves and has also inspired community members to support its mission. An enduring example of this support comes from Helen McLoraine, a philanthropist whose generosity continues to shape the organization’s future.
Enduring support that creates a lasting impact
Born in Chicago in 1918, Helen studied business at the University of Chicago, becoming a trailblazer for women in leadership roles. Later in life, she retired to Denver, where she quietly dedicated herself to philanthropy, supporting causes that aligned with her values, including youth social welfare, higher education, and medical research.
In the 1960s, Helen opened a private foundation, The Pioneer Fund, to share her wealth with charitable causes she cared about. After Helen passed in 2003, the trustees of her foundation worked with The Denver Foundation to transfer funds from her foundation to create several permanent endowments in her name, ensuring that Helen’s generosity would continue to benefit others for generations to come.
“Endowments give us financial security into the future so we can continue to focus on what matters most: helping our families succeed.”
- Desta Taye-Channell, CEO & president of Florence Crittenton.
The endowment designated to Florence Crittenton was initially created to fund the program improvements and operations of the Early Childhood Education Center. In its first year in 2006, the fund allowed Florence Crittenton to hire additional staff, improve the ratio of adults to children, and alleviate administrative burdens so the Learning Center supervisor could focus more on children, mothers, and staff training.
Since then, Helen’s gift has helped to provide quality early childhood care and education to an average of 100 children each year. It has also supported parenting education and resources for an average of 280 students annually. Today, that impact continues to grow, as Helen’s generosity provides the stability needed to adapt and thrive.
“Helen was a very private person, frugal, kind, and smart,” says Lark Birdsong, a family friend and one of the trustees of The Pioneer Fund. “She felt a serious responsibility to the community and wanted the focus to be on the organizations, not the donor.”
The funds from Helen’s endowment allow Florence Crittenton to address the pressing needs of today, and to adapt to emerging needs in the future.
The role of endowments in strengthening community resilience
For more than 130 years, Florence Crittenton has been evolving to meet the needs of its community, and a crucial support for young families. As The Denver Foundation celebrates its centennial, stories like Florence Crittenton and Helen McLoraine remind us of the enduring impact that thoughtful philanthropy can create. Endowments can provide the resources to adapt and innovate, ensuring that support for our communities endures for generations.
For those who believe in creating a meaningful, lasting change, an endowed fund offers the chance to leave a legacy of compassion and impact. To learn more about how you can support the causes you care about through an endowment or other planned giving, contact our team at information@denverfoundation.org or 303.300.1790.
