Marisol Homes

Tori clutched her son Brock’s small hand as they stepped into Marisol Homes for the first time in early 2020. The weight of homelessness and the shadows of domestic violence seemed to lift when she got the call one winter day from a case manager at Marisol Homes, telling her they could move in right away.

“Marisol Homes opened the doors for me and provided me with the warmth we needed, when it was cold and scary for us to be outside. At the time, Brock and I were sleeping under highways, usually seeking a new one every night.”

In the months that followed, Tori and Brock navigated the COVID pandemic inside the Catholic Charites shelter for pregnant women and mothers with young children with 15 other families. Despite the chaos of the pandemic, Marisol Homes classes for mothers continued and Tori learned and grew. Her connection with her then 2-year-old son grew stronger as she clung to the safety of the transformative place and maintained sobriety with the help of supportive programs. During these months that were especially uncertain, she found herself immersed in the community and actively used the building blocks provided by the Marisol Health team to focus on what would be next for them.

“Marisol Homes put it in place so that I could raise my child. If it wasn’t for that safe space for my son, I would not be able to provide a good life for him. From where we were at before, it really saved both of our lives.”

The classes at Marisol Homes helped Tori’s confidence grow. She discovered a passion for working with animals and, with encouragement from the Marisol Homes staff and other moms, she enrolled in a dog grooming course.

Today, four years after moving out of Marisol Homes, Tori is fully booked, with clients waiting months to get on her calendar. For her, every day is another chance for her to perfect her craft.

“Being with the dogs is really healing for me. We have our own language, and it’s taught me how to be a bit more patient.”

Tori saved enough money to get an apartment in Aurora that is both close to her work and Brock’s daycare. They even have two dogs of their own who get extra attention when mom is grooming them.

Tori loves to look at pictures from their days at Marisol Homes. She laughs as she scrolls through memories of the days of them eating in the Marisol Homes kitchen and playing outside on the playground. She’s forever grateful for the lifeline Marisol Homes provided when they needed it most.

Marisol Homes continues to support Tori and Brock with ongoing parenting classes that she joins virtually that support the ongoing growth of the parents who have called Marisol Homes home.

“I am trying to break that generational curse of yelling and being impatient with my child. I want to give my son everything he deserves, and Marisol Homes has gone above and beyond to made sure I have the tools so that mine and his generations are in better hands.”

Esperanza arrived at Marisol Homes less than two weeks before her due date. With a third child on the way, the weight of nerves seemed heavier than ever, but thankfully, she found an unexpected source of strength in Marisol Homes, a long-term shelter and ministry of Catholic Charities of Denver.

Marisol Homes provides a safe and comfortable haven for single women and their children. The moment she arrived, she was matched with a case worker who helped her map out a birth plan to prepare for this new chapter and bundle of life. She was also given brand-new maternity clothes, including a green dress that she wore to show off her baby bump for her first- ever maternity photo shoot.

Esperanza, originally from Alamosa, made a big life change. After her brother passed away last December, she decided it was time for a change of scenery and left her family and comfort zone. She was understandably nervous about the move from the small town in southwestern Colorado to the Denver metro area. Her first milestone was a successful experience at a rehabilitation facility that specializes in treating pregnant women and then she made her way, thankfully, to Marisol Homes. Esperanza, who plans to name her child after her late brother, was ready to give herself, her children and her new baby a fresh start.

Just weeks before the baby’s arrival, the staff and residents threw Esperanza a baby shower. The common room at Marisol Homes was transformed, filled with decorations of pink streamers and balloons.

“No one ever gave me a baby shower before,” shared Esperanza. “I never had a group of people who I just met care about me so much, that they’d throw me and my baby a party. I got cute outfits, pink blankets and other stuff I need. It was a nice feeling.”

Her hands rest on her growing belly, feeling the love and support from the women at Marisol Homes. Her baby shower was a good reminder that she is not alone, and she feels more prepared than ever to face the challenges that lie ahead. Marisol Homes has given her a sense of stability and a network of strong, supportive women who understand where she’s coming from and, more importantly, where she’s going.

Housing pregnant women experiencing homelessness is critical to maternal and infant health. Research shows that adverse environmental conditions such as being unhoused cause negative impacts to the mother and child. According to a recent study, women experiencing homelessness are more than twice as likely to have a complication that impacts their health during birth. They are also almost twice as likely to have early or threatened labor during pregnancy.

Given that vulnerability, places such as Marisol Homes have stepped up to serve more expectant women than ever. In 2022 alone, Marisol Homes, a longer-term shelter of Catholic Charities of Denver, gave nine women experiencing homelessness a haven during their pregnancies and a place to return post-partum for critical bonding with their newborns.

The line of defense doesn’t just stop at offering a roof over their heads. To reinforce the ongoing safety of both the woman and child, staff at Marisol Homes create birth plans and offer programming specifically targeted to help pregnant women. Programs such as prenatal, postpartum and parenting classes give essential tools to first- time parents, and to women with other children.

“It is vital that we offer stability to support new life,” shared program manager Vin Glover. “We have successfully given more women a protective net this year than ever before. Right now, we have six women in house who are expecting.”

Genevieve is one of the nine women who entered Marisol Homes program with a pregnant belly this year. She has used the tools and space provided to nurture her newborn, Carson.

“The security and safety have given me the courage to take on motherhood,” said Genevieve, who has three other children that aren’t currently in her custody. “To have a place to call home after I left the hospital with my baby was life changing.” Two years ago, the 34-year-old gave birth to a baby girl who was taken into foster care soon after delivery.

Many of the women at Marisol have been exposed to generational trauma and didn’t experience healthy childhoods where they felt safe and loved. While mothers instinctively want a better life for their children, they may not have the tools to foster healthy relationships. The goal at Marisol Homes is to empower mothers to believe they are capable parents through self-reflection, mental health awareness, wellness and a supportive environment.

“There is no such thing as ‘perfect parenting,’” said Lara O’Shaughnessy, LCSW, Marisol Services specialist. “Relieving all mothers of the pressure to be perfect releases some of the shame and guilt they carry from past experiences. At Marisol, we encourage our parents to focus on the present/future relationship with their children, reassuring mothers that it is never too late to strengthen the loving bond with their little ones. We strive to nurture connection between mother and child so that their family unit can thrive.”

Tiffany and Dianna are two of the mothers who safely carried their babies at Marisol Homes until their third trimester.