Professional Services in Littleton

Art from Ashes (AfA) promotes artistic expression among youth in the care of human services and homeless shelters as well as those dealing with abuse and poverty. Working with local organizations, AfA sponsors poetry and theater workshops for youth aged 8–24, prompting them to tap into their imaginations and create art that reflects their inner strength and the issues they have overcome. The organization’s Phoenix Rising poetry-and-spoken-word program uses words to encourage inner development and help young people connect with their communities, and its Casting Shadows theater-and-play program helps youth express their feelings in a healthy way through dramatic performance. These programs are designed to provide ongoing tools for artistic expression and engage youth in the social sphere, encouraging them to facilitate change in their communities.

Big City Mountaineers helps underserved urban youth develop critical life skills through weeklong wilderness expeditions led by adult mentors. More than 1,000 youth per year have participated in the backpacking or canoeing expeditions since founder Jim Kern organized the first hiking trip in Montana more than two decades ago. On the trip, teenagers can develop a trusting, one-on-one relationship with their mentors and learn how to act with integrity, self-confidence, and responsibility. Big City Mountaineers also partners with volunteer climbers from Summit for Someone, who scale challenging North American peaks to raise money for youth in the program.

Since it was founding in 2008, Veterans Green Jobs has supported more than 500 veterans by helping them in their transition from the battlefield to the US labor force. The organization connects veterans with meaningful employment opportunities that help their communities and the environment flourish. Through one-on-one career counseling, job training, and transitional services, it shepherds veterans into the environmentally conscious economic sector, focusing on jobs in areas such as energy conservation, green construction, and sustainable agriculture.

Colorado Puppy Rescue works to save the lives of and find loving, permanent homes for as many puppies as possible. To that end, the organization partners with rural shelters and rescuers that don't have enough funding to adopt the puppies, many of which would otherwise face euthanasia due to overcrowding and lack of necessary resources. Colorado Puppy Rescue receives new puppies each week, and as a shelterless rescue, places them in foster homes and hosts adoption events at a local Petco. All puppies placed for adoption have been examined by a vet technician and are up-to-date on vaccinations.