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Some Stories Deserve to Be Repeated
Belonging cannot be explained. It must be felt.
That simple belief inspired Crossroads: The Journey of Rebecoming, and months later, I continue to reflect on what we created together.
For two unforgettable evenings, we invited 400 people to step inside the story of a young person navigating foster care. Guests carried their belongings in black trash bags, faced impossible decisions in a courtroom, and listened to the thoughts of a child whose voice was often lost amid the adults making decisions about his life.
And then, they experienced something different: hope, possibility, and the extraordinary power of belonging.
One audience member shared, “This needs to be a global event! The immersive aspect was the most impactful. I believe bringing the audience [in the story] will make more of a difference for proactive results.”
Another viewer shared, “What a powerful night. Thank you for a creative and emotional way for us to look into the challenges of the foster care system. The system is broken, but your work is making a difference.”
And yet another described the experience as "unforgettable."
Those reactions remind me that Crossroads accomplished something we had only hoped was possible ... it helped them feel, understand, and connect with the children at the heart of our mission.
And now, as Crossroads begins receiving international recognition, we're thinking about what comes next. We're exploring creative ways to bring this powerful story to new audiences, perhaps in entirely different formats, because we believe its impact deserves to extend far beyond those two evenings.
To everyone who helped bring Crossroads to life, and everyone who experienced it alongside us, thank you. You helped create something truly special. And I believe this story is far from over.
With gratitude,
~Shari
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We’re An Anthem Award Finalist! 🏆
We’re thrilled to share that Crossroads: The Journey of Rebecoming has been selected as a finalist for the 6th Annual Anthem Awards in the Belonging & Inclusion category!
Out of more than 2,500 projects entered from around the world, Crossroads is one of the highest-scoring, and we couldn’t be more honored.
When we built Crossroads, we asked a simple question: what does it feel like to truly belong? We didn’t know it would be recognized on a world stage.
The Anthem Awards are the mark of distinction for Social Impact excellence, and being a finalist means this work helped set the standard for good in 2026.
That doesn’t happen without the people who showed up for Crossroads: the attendees, collaborators, supporters, and the community that believed in what we were building before it had a name. This recognition belongs to all of you.
We need one more thing from you.
There’s a Community Voice Award — chosen entirely by public vote — and we’d love your support! Voting takes less than a minute, and every vote matters. To vote, select “Community Engagement” within the “Belonging & Inclusion” category to find Crossroads.
Cast Your Vote Here! (You only need to vote once. Deadline is 10/29.)
Thank you for being part of something worth celebrating. 💙
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The Power of Finding Your People
The Ambassador Project is growing!
We now have 18 Ambassadors leading 18 Ambassador Communities across 16 of Colorado's 23 judicial districts.
The Ambassador Communities bring foster and kinship families together to build friendships, share experiences, and find support from people who truly understand their journeys.
We're especially excited to highlight our Dads' Ambassador Community, led by Ambassador Brady Shafer. Focused on foster and kinship Dads in the Denver metro area, the group creates opportunities for fathers to connect, support one another, and have fun together, including a recent behind-the-scenes tour of Coors Field!
Brady shares:
"Most of us have supportive friends and family, but they are not trained on trauma, they don't know what it feels like to deal with caseworkers, they have never watched bio parents struggle. They have never had to send home a child that they grew an attachment with. That is why this group is so important. It is a space where we can discuss the challenges of foster care with people that understand it and have experienced it."
We hope to expand this special community to other parts of Colorado, because belonging matters for caregivers, too.
Interested in participating in or sponsoring an Ambassador Community?
We'd love to connect! Reach out to us at info@cobbledstreets.org.
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A Birthday Queen
Gets Her Day
Jesse is a teenager in kinship care. Her family had planned to celebrate her 14th birthday, but as the date got closer, it seemed less and less likely to happen.
So Jesse stepped outside of her comfort zone and asked Erica, a trusted adult in her life, for help. Erica wanted to go big and make this day so special for Jesse, but knew it would be a stretch financially. She connected with our El Paso County Ambassador, Tatiana, who immediately put her in touch with Cobbled Streets.
With Cobbled Streets’ support, Jesse was able to create a “memorable birthday experience,” calling it something that “would not have been possible without either stretching a budget or not even possible at all.”
On party day, Jesse’s friends filled Skate City, and her aunt, uncle, and cousins even stopped by. Erica stayed on the sidelines taking it all in. At the party, she saw something different in Jesse and what she saw stuck with her. Erica shared:
“Jesse carries a lot of weight for … her family. That day, she was a little more carefree, which is appropriate for her season of life, you know, like she got to just show up and have fun.”
Then came the sash. Erica had bought Jesse a “birthday queen” sash, and Jesse’s first reaction was a firm no: “I’m not going to wear that … that’s too embarrassing.” But when it was placed on her shoulders, “she just … lights up.” Jesse wore it all night.
Why It Matters: Cobbled Streets exists to give children and families in foster, kinship, and adoptive care the kinds of experiences they might not otherwise have, and to let kids be kids. For Jesse, that meant a day where she was celebrated, surrounded by friends, and free to feel light and like herself. Because Cobbled Streets handled the financial details, the adults around her could simply be present for her.
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What If We Give It a Try?
For a long time, this family wouldn’t consider trying anything like a stadium outing. One of their daughters has autism and developmental delays, and planning a family experience that suits everyone is a challenge. An outing that starts well can quickly turn sour. Tickets for a family their size are also an investment, and they never knew whether their daughter could handle the crowd, the noise, or the heights.
“We’ve been so hesitant to spend the money to buy tickets,” her Mom shared her concern “will she be able to do this?” Cobbled Streets gave them the chance to find out.
At first, the stadium was overwhelming. Their daughter was afraid of the height. “She wouldn’t stand up. She wouldn’t relax,” her Mom said. But the energy of the fans slowly drew her in, and when the stadium started playing
K-pop, one of her favorite kinds of music, she “started feeling the beat and dancing a little bit.” By the end of the game, “she was stomping her feet along with the rest of the fans where she wouldn’t have done that before.”
Something else surprised her Mom, too. For a family whose kids are often left out, the stadium felt different. “There was just this automatic inclusivity just because we were all there sharing the same goal,” she said. Strangers cheered with her daughter and wanted to high-five her.
Her sister found her own spark. Watching the cheerleaders, she turned to her Mom and asked, “Do you think that’s something that I could do one day?”
The sisters, as their Mom put it, “couldn’t be more polar opposite,” yet they now share an experience they can talk about together. And the family has a new sense of what’s possible: “this might be something we can do again in the future.”
Why It Matters: For this family, the barrier to this opportunity wasn’t a lack of interest. It was the financial and emotional risk of trying something new. By removing the financial burden, we gave them room to take a risk and face fears, leading to growth, joy, and new possibilities.
As her Mom said, “The time together that we get as a family, as a unit, is a gift in itself, and you guys really made that possible.”
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Welcome to the Team,
Ashley Sanchez!
We have another new face on our team at Cobbled Streets, and we're excited for you to meet her! We sat down with our intern, Ashley, to learn a little about who she is, what brought her to Cobbled Streets, and what she's dreaming about for the future.
Q: First, tell us a little about yourself!
A: I am in my senior year for my Bachelor's at MSU Denver and ultimately will be pursuing my Master's in Social Work. I am a Mom to four kiddos, and they keep my life (and calendar) full!
Q: What inspired you to pursue your field of study, and what are your hopes
or dreams for the future?
A: I returned to school after 20 years in the workforce with the aspiration to make the second half of my career life meaningful. I have remained open to the process and trust that my path will lead me to where I can best serve others, and ultimately leave others' lives better than when I came into them.
Q: What drew you to Cobbled Streets?
A: Being a Mom of kids who are extremely active in sports (my oldest is a collegiate athlete), I strongly believe in the impact of positive experiences and the meaningful ways they can contribute to children's development. I love that Cobbled Streets is devoted to helping give kids those opportunities that may not exist for them otherwise.
Q: What does your role at Cobbled Streets look like?
A: I am supporting Kiara, our Program Coordinator, and the families Cobbled Streets serves. From gathering information for experiences to follow-up phone calls, coordinating Saturday Events and connecting with outside sources to help families, my days are always different and fill my bucket with knowing that I am helping families.
Q: What's one thing about you that might surprise people?
A: Oh gosh, that is tough. I'm a pretty open book, honestly. But I seem to have a knack for getting bitten by different insects while traveling. Stung by a
scorpion ☑️. Bitten by a Brown Recluse☑️. Infinite bites from Sand Fleas ☑️.
Q: At Cobbled Streets, we talk a lot about the importance of belonging. What does belonging mean to you, and when do you feel like you truly belong?
A: For me belonging is the sense of being in a place where I feel valued, and I feel like I am contributing to the growth, success, and happiness of the community I am surrounded by, and my contribution holds meaning to them.
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Colorado Gives Day
EARLY GIVING starts November 1st!
What does belonging actually look like?
A child discovering a new passion. A caregiver finding people who understand. A family making joyful memories together. A young person realizing they matter.
At Cobbled Streets, belonging isn't just something we talk about. It’s not a buzzword. It's something we ensure children experience every day. And often, the smallest moments make the biggest difference.
This Colorado Gives Day season, we're inviting you to see what belonging looks like through real stories, meaningful connections, and moments of joy from the children and families we serve. We can't wait to share them with you!
Early giving begins Sunday, November 1,
and Colorado Gives Day is December 8.
You don't have to wait until the big day to make a difference. Every gift made through ColoradoGives.org during this period receives a boost from the statewide $1 million+ Incentive Fund. Giving early also helps us build momentum toward our goal. Join us in creating more moments of belonging!
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With Gratitude....
Everything we do at Cobbled Streets is made possible by a generous community of supporters—individual donors, foundations, businesses, volunteers, and partners who believe every child deserves to belong.
We're especially grateful to Weld Community Foundation and Tracy Family Foundation for their recent and generous grant support.
To every person and organization who invests in our mission, whether through time, resources, or financial gifts, thank you for helping create moments of joy and connection for children and families across Colorado.
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