Some of the very first residents of Warren Village attended the nonprofit's 50th anniversary block party Friday.
The nonprofit provides housing for single parents and their children. It also provides resources to help families escape the cycle of poverty, including life skills classes, child care, education and resource navigation.
Warren Village has operated at Gilpin Street and E. 13th Avenue in Denver's Cheesman Park neighborhood for 50 years.
"We moved in in April of 1976, and stayed here for a year," said James Penland.
Penland was 25 years old when he moved into Warren Village with his four and five-year-old sons.
For the Penlands, Warren Village provided a clear path to a bright future. The nonprofit provided childcare so Penland could focus on his studies at then-Metro State College.
"I think it was critical," said James. "I don't think I could have finished school, and who knows how things would have turned out."
Penland went on to graduate. He moved on from Warren Village and eventually received his doctorate.
"Went to work as a scientist with the Department of Agriculture for 30 years," he said.
James's son, Abe, has fond memories of his time at Warren Village.
"I remember being asked to pull up my mat for nap time and sleeping on that," said Abe. "I remember playing with little kids on the playground."
Warren Village plans to open an additional location on Alameda Avenue just west of Interstate 25 in December. Ethan Hemming, president and CEO of Warren Village, said the additional location will provide support to more children and their parents.
The new location includes 89 affordable housing units, mental health care and an early learning center. It will increase the nonprofit's services by about 80 percent, according to Hemming.
"There are people now who need our services who can't get it because we have long waitlists and they can't get in," Hemming said. "So it's gonna make a huge step forward to serve the Denver community."
That's why James plans to donate to the nonprofit. He said the services provided by Warren Village now are just as important as they were 50 years ago. His son, Abe, agrees.
"Warren Village is very important to us," said Abe. "We're very lucky to be here. It came at a time when we needed it as a family, and we've never forgotten it."
Applications are set to open in late summer for the second campus. To learn more, click here.
