ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos Foundation's Inspire Change initiative is focused on supporting at-risk and justice-involved youth through services aimed at limiting the negative impact of the juvenile justice system.
Information about each Inspire Change initiative and grant partner is listed below.
Inspire Change Summit
Earlier this season, the Denver Broncos Foundation hosted an Inspire Change Summit to bring together grantees for networking, learning and a shared service project. Hosted at the future location of Café Momentum Denver, partners, players, cheerleaders and alumni packaged 250 teen mental health kits that will be distributed to clients of each organization's program.
Inspire Change Changemaker Award
The NFL Inspire Change Changemaker Award celebrates social justice Changemakers and their work in the community. The Denver Broncos selected Dr. Dedrick Sims, CEO of the Sims-Fayola Foundation, as their nominee. Dedrick founded the Sims-Fayola Foundation in 2014 and his work has impacted over 12,000 young men and boys of color and provided workshops and coaching to over 5,000 youth service professionals.
2024 Inspire Change Grant Partners
Café Momentum will bring its nonprofit restaurant and program for justice-involved youth to Denver. This innovative program empowers participants through a 12-month paid internship, wraparound services, education and mental health support.
The Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC) provides early intervention screening and assessment to identify factors contributing to a youth's justice-involvement. JAC then connects them with relevant, attainable, culturally appropriate and financially accessible services in the community.
Khesed Wellness provides no-cost (pro bono programs) and affordable mental health therapy to ensure individuals have access to the mental health services they need. Its Justice Involved Youth Pro Bono Program provides 12 free therapy sessions for justice involved youth ages 16-24 living in Denver County who are affected by mental health struggles.
Make a Chess Move's Make a Compassion Move is an 8-week program that was developed with youth input and seeks to guide youth who are suspended or on probation in understanding the consequences of their actions, developing empathy, and instilling a sense of responsibility. This program combines academic support for suspended students without access to facilities with community service for justice-engaged youth to foster personal growth and reintegration into their communities.
The Marvin W. Foote Youth Services Center — located one mile down the road from Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit —serves 36 youth from the 18th Judicial District in a multi-bed facility with a continuum of services and programs that supervise juvenile offenders, promote offender accountability to victims and communities and build skills and competencies of youth to become responsible citizens.
Mile High United Way’s Bridging the Gap (BTG) program serves young adults ages 18-24 who are transitioning out of the child welfare system (foster care or juvenile justice system). BTG provides participants with direct-to-client assistance to secure safe, stable housing and connects them to resources to help them achieve goals with workforce readiness and education.
The Sims-Fayola Foundation works to improve the life outcomes and experiences of young men and boys of color through workshops, mentoring and programming. The Sims-Fayola Foundation's Empowerment Zone diversion program focuses on improving life outcomes, reducing engagement with the criminal justice system, widening career exposure and building healthy relationships for young men of color ages 11-25 who are referred by social services, the community or the courts.
**The Urban Farm (TUF)** provides the opportunity for urban youth to engage and participate in local food and agricultural systems by removing the barriers to entry. TUF's Cultivating Change in Youth diversion programming for youth ages 14-18 focuses on supporting justice-involved and at-risk youth with life skills and career pathways services.
Vera Institute of Justice's Restoring Promise initiative seeks to transform prison cultures, climates, and spaces by partnering with correctional leaders to reimagine housing units for young adults ages 18-25 and realign corrections policies and practices with a commitment to human dignity. Colorado is one of five states with Restoring Promise, with its Change Maker Village young adult housing unit at the Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility in Southeast Colorado.
WellPower partners with various entities to fill gaps in government-provided mental health services, including therapy, for justice-involved youth and their families. WellPower's Juvenile Justice Mental Health Services include counseling and case management to build a plan tailored to each individual youth's needs, goals, consequences and harm reduction outlook.
The Broncos' Inspire Change game will be held on Sunday, Dec. 15, against the Indianapolis Colts (2:25 p.m. MT).
