Hope House
“Second chances are where true change starts.”
Hope House is a sacred place. Hope House is a place to belong. A place not just for teen moms, but a place for staff, volunteers, donors, and visitors to all be welcomed, seen, and loved. Hope House is where teen moms are welcomed and treasured. It is a place where whole and healthy futures for moms and their children are formed.
Lisa Steven is the founder & executive director of Hope House, and the author of “A Place to Belong.” As a former teen mom, Lisa has committed her life to the calling of empowering teen moms. Lisa co-founded Hope House Colorado in 2003. In their first year Hope House faithfully served two teen moms; in 2023 they served 265 teen moms.
From Lisa’s experience, teen moms encounter judgment everywhere from the critical glance at the grocery store to the fear at a hospital for of lack of agency. Hope House is a place where teen moms are seen and valued for their tenacity, ability, and identity. At Hope House they hear they were chosen by God to be the mother of their child and they are empowered to thrive.
Hope House operates a resource center and Residential Program for parenting teen moms between the ages of 15-21. Hope House operates the only residential home for teens with a child in the Denver Metro area. The Residential Program has expanded into a Housing Support Program, allowing more teen moms who are experiencing homelessness or unsafe housing to receive housing services. In 2023, a $6 million capital campaign was completed to build an early learning center to provide full-time, licensed childcare to the children of teen moms.
For more than 20 years, Hope House Colorado has empowered parenting teen moms in their courageous work toward personal and economic self-sufficiency. Hope House now has affiliate sites in Greeley, Cañon City, and Orange County, California. They have been awarded the Governor’s Service Award for Outstanding Nonprofit Organization in Colorado in 2015 and were named the Arvada Nonprofit Organization of the Year in 2018.
When asked what makes Hope House a sacred place, Lisa told a story of one teen mom who was living in her car with two children under age 3. She called during a snowstorm concerned for her children’s safety. Lisa shared with joy how through sustained relationships with staff and volunteers of Hope House this teen mom graduated with a degree in applied sciences and now works for Ball Aerospace. It’s a story of belonging, sacrificial giving, and grace. Hope House is a sacred place.
