Welcome to BIG & BOLD 2026!

As we step into a new year, I want to thank you for all you have done, individually and collectively, for children in foster and kinship care. Cobbled Streets is a small but mighty team, and 2025 gave us so much to celebrate.

Because of you, children in foster and kinship care experienced 'childhood the way it’s supposed to be' in real and tangible ways. We delivered 5,705 experiences in 2025 – an increase of 2,506 from the previous year! Those numbers represent moments that matter: Rae participating in a medical class at Georgetown University; a family celebrating adoption with a magical trip to Disneyland; a young boy and his grandmother traveling together for a school trip; a karate “celebrity” now supported by a major donor; six siblings taking their first hot air balloon ride! These events were extraordinary.

There were also thousands of opportunities less conspicuous – tutoring, swimming lessons, music lessons, camping, birthday parties, and musical theater. Each of these having a significant impact; each of these allowing kids to feel seen, valued, and celebrated.

We strengthened the community around these kids. We served 1,800 children and parents at Night of Wonder at the Denver Zoo, which was our largest event ever and inspired an annual tradition. Our overnight Camp Roots + Wings with Sylvaneers was a “turning point” for some campers, and we welcomed six new foundation partners and several major individual donors who are helping us grow what’s possible.

As the saying goes, ‘They did not know it was impossible, so they did it.’ Looking ahead to 2026 – this is our mantra. It’s about being BIG and BOLD: reaching more kids and families, creating new and unique opportunities, changing lives. We will seek new partners to make experiences uniquely healing and special, expand our next Zoo event to 3,000 kids and families, and create something unforgettable for teens statewide, like a rafting adventure on the Arkansas River or a concert at Red Rocks. Our commitment and our imaginations are limitless.

~Shari

Colorado’s Next Governor 
Should Make Kids in Foster Care a Priority

The next governor of Colorado has the chance to improve the lives of thousands of children in foster care, and we’re not talking about new legislation. It’s a matter of making these invisible kids a priority and having the will power to make the system more transparent and accountable. 

Right now, Colorado’s foster care system is flat-out failing most, if not all, of its young charges. Only 30% will graduate high school, about half the national average. Homelessness is rampant among teens and young adults who age out of the system. Nearly 17% of state and federal prisoners have spent time in foster care. The ugly statistics go on and on. 

Helping children who are suffering through no fault of their own makes for a pretty good political platform. Whatever your political persuasion, kids are not a partisan issue.



Read the full article at Colorado Politics >

Thank You, Crossroads Sponsors!

BEER

Sponsor:

Creating Firsts That

Open Doors

First-time, supported experiences, especially for children with sensory or emotional barriers, can unlock confidence, joy, and growth that families don’t always expect.

Chris is raising his 11-year-old grandson. Recently, Cobbled Streets provided the two with the opportunity to attend their first-ever professional basketball game together. For this child, large crowds had always been overwhelming.

But this experience told a different story.

With the support of Cobbled Streets, the game became a low-pressure introduction to a large crowd—one where the child could engage at his own pace. To Chris's surprise and joy, he didn’t just tolerate the environment, he embraced it. Chris shared:

“Usually, he’s not into crowds. We’ve had to leave Disneyland… SeaWorld… the Fair because he doesn’t like crowds. But at that particular game… he got into roaring with the crowd. It was cool. Not only did he like it, but he got into the roar of the crowd… he got into playing with the crowd.”

What unfolded was more than a fun afternoon. The experience revealed a new side of the child, one marked by curiosity, confidence, and growth beyond past limitations. Chris shared that moments like these become positive “flashbacks”—anchors of joy the child can return to later in life.

Why It Matters: By removing financial barriers, offering supportive first exposures, and creating environments where children feel safe to try something new, Cobbled Streets helps families build memories that last far beyond the day itself. For this kinship family, the experience reinforced trust, pride, and the belief that their child is capable of more than they once imagined.

"Once Upon A Seed": Saturday Event with Be the Source

Saturday, March 28th

9:30 - 11:30 AM

Augustana Lutheran, Denver

Cobbled Streets will provide fun

and enriching activities for children, including visits from Denver Botanical Gardens and Alliance of Therapy Dogs, while caregivers participate in a welcoming support group to connect, share experiences, and build community.

Thank You to Our Supporters!

As we embark on a new year, we want to share a special, heartfelt thank you to two of our most loyal and longstanding champions: the Leo & Yuki Graham Foundation and Nancy Gary. Your significant annual gifts—generously given every year since Cobbled Streets began—have helped build the foundation of this work and made it possible for thousands of children in foster and kinship care to experience 'childhood the way it’s supposed to be.' We are also deeply grateful to all of our sustaining partners who have stood with us from the beginning. Simply put: we wouldn’t be where we are without you.

And to our newest grant partners: Broomfield Community Foundation and Denver Children’s Foundation. Thank you for investing in these kids and in the power of belonging, community, and meaningful experiences. We’re honored to have you with us, and we look forward to a long partnership in this work.