The Need
There is a tremendous need for the services ENWR will provide. Here are a few of the statistics and how ENWR will serve in assisting to meet these needs:
• There were 4,351 Colorado children in Out-of-Home Placements (Foster Care) as of 20231.
How ENWR will help – By providing permanent homes for children who will most likely be unable to return home, the State can utilize the foster homes that they have to care for the children who are in need of short term placement. Foster care was never intended to be used as a long-term solution of caring for children. ENWR can serve as a long-term placement solution providing safe homes, a family and raising the children to adulthood.
• “The list of foster children who legally belong to the state of Colorado has 533 names. Among them is a 15-year-old girl who has lived in 26 places since she went into foster care and became available for adoption at age 10. Another is a 19-year-old man who has spent 226 months – more than 18 years – as a foster kid…"2
How ENWR will help –ENWR will provide permanency for children because once the child is accepted, it is the goal to raise each child to adulthood. The plan is for them to stay until they are ready to launch and then to serve as their family throughout their lives.
• In Colorado in 2022 there were 9,720 children who were confirmed by child protective services as victims of maltreatment.3
How ENWR will help – ENWR will provide safe and loving homes for children who have been abused, neglected and/or abandoned and will provide various types of activities and programs to aid in the healing process from past trauma.
• Each year over 200 youth in Colorado’s foster care system age out of the system, never finding a permanent home. They experience “higher rates of homelessness, incarceration and poverty – and Colorado pays a financial toll that spans decades. According to new research, it costs Colorado $343,453 per kid who ages out of foster care.7
How ENWR will help – ENWR will provide transitional apartments for youth who have lived at ENWR and have graduated from High School, but are not quite ready to launch to the next step of independent living. Houseparents will live on site and provide continual guidance, direction and instruction to help our youth take steps towards independence. ENWR will continue to love, provide emotional support and direction for our youth throughout their lives and will always be there for them. They will always be a part of the ENWR family.
• It is estimated that there are 2,291 homeless children (under 18) in the State of Colorado.4 Children who experience homelessness are more likely to experience homelessness in adulthood. Approximately 1.1 million children had a young parent experiencing homelessness. Therefore, the experience of homelessness potentially impacts both current and future generations. Many of the risk factors for youth and young adult homelessness include mental illness, substance use and abuse, expectant and parenting youth, criminal activity and victimization. Human trafficking is a major vulnerability for homeless youth. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in three teens on the street will be lured into prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home. Youth who are homeless struggle to survive, and trading sex for money, food or a place to sleep can lead to human trafficking.5,6
How ENWR will help – ENWR will work with homeless shelters throughout the State and make them aware that we will accept children/youth who qualify and would like to have a permanent home and a family to call their own.
• Foster kids in Colorado switch schools an average of 3.5 times in four years and less than one third graduate from high school.7,8 Only 1 in 5 youth who were in foster care in Colorado continue and enroll in secondary education.9 Additionally, participation in and persistence to a postsecondary credential can enhance their well-being, help them make more successful transitions to adulthood, and increase their chances for personal fulfillment and economic self-sufficiency. A coordinated effort is necessary to improve the educational outcomes for students in foster care.10
How ENWR will help – ENWR will ensure their children/youth complete their K-12 education and will provide supplemental resources to assist each child as they are needed. In addition, ENWR’s goal is to provide ongoing guidance and support, including financial assistance for those who are interested in continuing their education beyond high school. ENWR will also utilize opportunities provided through a partnership with Big Oak Ranch’s Ascend program, whose goal is to build communities for students by providing spiritual, professional and personal life preparation for the young adults of Big Oak Ranch. And potentially, in the future, for Big Oak partner’s (Planting Oaks) youth as well. And, for those seeking to enter the work force, ENWR will provide guidance and assistance in helping the youth secure jobs by aligning them with others who are need of workers with their areas of giftedness.
• Since 2019, the number of Congregate Care Providers in Colorado have diminished from 134 to 58.1
How ENWR will help – ENWR will serve Colorado children and youth and lessen the burden upon the foster care system and thus the State.
1 Colorado – Who Cares: A National Count of Foster Homes and Families, accessed 15 March 2024,
www.fostercarecapacity.com/states/colorado
2 Jennifer Brown 2021, Colorado Sun, accessed 15 March 2024,
www.coloradosun.com/2021/12/22/foster-children-adoption-list
3 Kids Count Data Center, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, accessed 20 March 2024,
https://datacenter.aecf.org/data/tables/9903-children-who-are-confirmed-by-child-protective-services-asvictims-of-maltreatment?loc=1&loct=2#detailed/2/4,7,18,29,33,45-46,52/false/1095,2048,574,1729/any/19233,19234
4 The Colorado State of Homelessness Report 2023, accessed 20 March 2024,
https://www.coloradocoalition.org/sites/default/files/2024-01/2023%20StateOfHomelessness_CCH_F_0.pdf
5 National Conference of State Legislators: Youth Homelessness Overview Report, accessed 20 March 2024,
https://www.ncsl.org/human-services/youth-homelessness-overview
6 National Sexual Violence Resource Center, Homeless Youth & Sexual Violence Infographic, accessed 28, March 2024,
https://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/publications/2019-02/HomelessYouth_Final%20508.pdf
7 Jennifer Brown 2023, Colorado Sun, accessed 21 March 2024,
https://coloradosun.com/2023/11/15/itcosts-colorado-343453-per-kid-who-ages-out-of-foster-care-according-to-new-research
8 John Farnam, DJ Summers, Cole Anderson, 2023, Common Sense Institute, Untapped Potential:
Economic Costs of Colorado’s Foster Youth, accessed 29 March 2024,
https://commonsenseinstituteco.org/economic-costs-of-colorados-foster-youth
9 Annie E Casey Foundation, 2023 Colorado Profile: Transition-Age Youth in Foster Care, accessed 29 March 2024,
https://assets.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/aecf-fosteringyouth-stateprofile-CO.pdf
10 U.S. Department of Education: Students in Foster Care, accessed 29 March 2024,
https://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/foster-care/index.html
11 Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center, Kinship/Grandfamilies Data, accessed 29 March 2024,
https://www.gksnetwork.org/kinship-data
• There were 4,351 Colorado children in Out-of-Home Placements (Foster Care) as of 20231.
How ENWR will help – By providing permanent homes for children who will most likely be unable to return home, the State can utilize the foster homes that they have to care for the children who are in need of short term placement. Foster care was never intended to be used as a long-term solution of caring for children. ENWR can serve as a long-term placement solution providing safe homes, a family and raising the children to adulthood.
• “The list of foster children who legally belong to the state of Colorado has 533 names. Among them is a 15-year-old girl who has lived in 26 places since she went into foster care and became available for adoption at age 10. Another is a 19-year-old man who has spent 226 months – more than 18 years – as a foster kid…"2
How ENWR will help –ENWR will provide permanency for children because once the child is accepted, it is the goal to raise each child to adulthood. The plan is for them to stay until they are ready to launch and then to serve as their family throughout their lives.
• In Colorado in 2022 there were 9,720 children who were confirmed by child protective services as victims of maltreatment.3
How ENWR will help – ENWR will provide safe and loving homes for children who have been abused, neglected and/or abandoned and will provide various types of activities and programs to aid in the healing process from past trauma.
• Each year over 200 youth in Colorado’s foster care system age out of the system, never finding a permanent home. They experience “higher rates of homelessness, incarceration and poverty – and Colorado pays a financial toll that spans decades. According to new research, it costs Colorado $343,453 per kid who ages out of foster care.7
How ENWR will help – ENWR will provide transitional apartments for youth who have lived at ENWR and have graduated from High School, but are not quite ready to launch to the next step of independent living. Houseparents will live on site and provide continual guidance, direction and instruction to help our youth take steps towards independence. ENWR will continue to love, provide emotional support and direction for our youth throughout their lives and will always be there for them. They will always be a part of the ENWR family.
• It is estimated that there are 2,291 homeless children (under 18) in the State of Colorado.4 Children who experience homelessness are more likely to experience homelessness in adulthood. Approximately 1.1 million children had a young parent experiencing homelessness. Therefore, the experience of homelessness potentially impacts both current and future generations. Many of the risk factors for youth and young adult homelessness include mental illness, substance use and abuse, expectant and parenting youth, criminal activity and victimization. Human trafficking is a major vulnerability for homeless youth. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, one in three teens on the street will be lured into prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home. Youth who are homeless struggle to survive, and trading sex for money, food or a place to sleep can lead to human trafficking.5,6
How ENWR will help – ENWR will work with homeless shelters throughout the State and make them aware that we will accept children/youth who qualify and would like to have a permanent home and a family to call their own.
• Foster kids in Colorado switch schools an average of 3.5 times in four years and less than one third graduate from high school.7,8 Only 1 in 5 youth who were in foster care in Colorado continue and enroll in secondary education.9 Additionally, participation in and persistence to a postsecondary credential can enhance their well-being, help them make more successful transitions to adulthood, and increase their chances for personal fulfillment and economic self-sufficiency. A coordinated effort is necessary to improve the educational outcomes for students in foster care.10
How ENWR will help – ENWR will ensure their children/youth complete their K-12 education and will provide supplemental resources to assist each child as they are needed. In addition, ENWR’s goal is to provide ongoing guidance and support, including financial assistance for those who are interested in continuing their education beyond high school. ENWR will also utilize opportunities provided through a partnership with Big Oak Ranch’s Ascend program, whose goal is to build communities for students by providing spiritual, professional and personal life preparation for the young adults of Big Oak Ranch. And potentially, in the future, for Big Oak partner’s (Planting Oaks) youth as well. And, for those seeking to enter the work force, ENWR will provide guidance and assistance in helping the youth secure jobs by aligning them with others who are need of workers with their areas of giftedness.
• Since 2019, the number of Congregate Care Providers in Colorado have diminished from 134 to 58.1
How ENWR will help – ENWR will serve Colorado children and youth and lessen the burden upon the foster care system and thus the State.
1 Colorado – Who Cares: A National Count of Foster Homes and Families, accessed 15 March 2024,
www.fostercarecapacity.com/states/colorado
2 Jennifer Brown 2021, Colorado Sun, accessed 15 March 2024,
www.coloradosun.com/2021/12/22/foster-children-adoption-list
3 Kids Count Data Center, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, accessed 20 March 2024,
https://datacenter.aecf.org/data/tables/9903-children-who-are-confirmed-by-child-protective-services-asvictims-of-maltreatment?loc=1&loct=2#detailed/2/4,7,18,29,33,45-46,52/false/1095,2048,574,1729/any/19233,19234
4 The Colorado State of Homelessness Report 2023, accessed 20 March 2024,
https://www.coloradocoalition.org/sites/default/files/2024-01/2023%20StateOfHomelessness_CCH_F_0.pdf
5 National Conference of State Legislators: Youth Homelessness Overview Report, accessed 20 March 2024,
https://www.ncsl.org/human-services/youth-homelessness-overview
6 National Sexual Violence Resource Center, Homeless Youth & Sexual Violence Infographic, accessed 28, March 2024,
https://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/publications/2019-02/HomelessYouth_Final%20508.pdf
7 Jennifer Brown 2023, Colorado Sun, accessed 21 March 2024,
https://coloradosun.com/2023/11/15/itcosts-colorado-343453-per-kid-who-ages-out-of-foster-care-according-to-new-research
8 John Farnam, DJ Summers, Cole Anderson, 2023, Common Sense Institute, Untapped Potential:
Economic Costs of Colorado’s Foster Youth, accessed 29 March 2024,
https://commonsenseinstituteco.org/economic-costs-of-colorados-foster-youth
9 Annie E Casey Foundation, 2023 Colorado Profile: Transition-Age Youth in Foster Care, accessed 29 March 2024,
https://assets.aecf.org/m/resourcedoc/aecf-fosteringyouth-stateprofile-CO.pdf
10 U.S. Department of Education: Students in Foster Care, accessed 29 March 2024,
https://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/foster-care/index.html
11 Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center, Kinship/Grandfamilies Data, accessed 29 March 2024,
https://www.gksnetwork.org/kinship-data