PROJECT PAVE

Denver

News: With youth violence in Colorado at an all-time high, the services of organizations like Project PAVE are in increased demand.

But this Denver-based nonprofit needs money to continue its school-based programs that reach thousands of teens and their families each year. Thanks to the $80,000 raised at the 28th Transformations Luncheon, initiatives such as Path to Healthy Relationships, True Man, Brave Woman, and Therapy & Advocacy are on stable footing for the coming year.

Executive Director Tara Williams pointed out that now more than ever, Project PAVE’s work is crucial. “Denver has declared a youth mental health crisis, and that youth violence in the state is at an all-time high, with double-digit increases in gun violence, sexual assault, suicide and dating violence.”

Williams described Project PAVE as a “Thread that weaves the community together … an organization of passionate individuals who want to ensure the safety and success of the next generation.”

“Our school-based therapy programs meet kids where they are,” she added, noting that Project PAVE’s impact can be measured by statistics showing success rates in programs such as Path to Healthy Relationships, where 94 percent of the participants left the program with “A strong understanding of consent and how to practice it.” Or in the 450 young people whose mental health improved thanks to the 2,763 therapy and advocacy sessions in which they participated.

Simone Ross, chief executive officer for the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, emceed the May 7 fundraiser in the Denver Art Museum’s Sturm Pavilion.

The luncheon also served as the occasion to present awards to several Project PAVE participants. Transformation Awards went to Danielle Barton, Juniper Cassidy, Arianna Clemons, Jordan Henderson, Jose Maria Montanez, and Leroi Stephens. The George Washington High School cheer team received the 2024 Brave Woman Award, while the True Man awards went to the Thomas Jefferson High Futures Football Team and the North High School Futures Football Team.

Mary Sorrentino, a former Project PAVE participant and now a child protective services caseworker in Adams County, delivered the keynote address. She described how she graduated from Regis University and is now assisting low-income or at-risk families like the one she had grown up in.

About the organization: For over 30 years, Project PAVE has provided school-based innovative, evidence-based, and culturally responsive mental health services and educational programs to youth survivors of violence and their families. Outcomes show that those who have received services from Project PAVE are less likely to continue cycles of violence.

Website: projectpave.org

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