We litigate. We advocate. We innovate.

2017Annual Report

Dear Friends of the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center,

No matter the fight, every child deserves a champion. We advocate for children, push for systemic reforms, and boldly challenge the status quo so that every child, regardless of circumstances, has the opportunity to thrive.

The Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center is the only nonprofit civil legal services provider in Colorado dedicated to serving the growing population of children who have experienced abuse, neglect and trauma. The work of the Children’s Law Center is grounded in a multidisciplinary approach where attorneys and social workers collaborate internally and with community partners to make a difference in the lives of Colorado’s most vulnerable children.

Thank you for supporting our work for children and families!

With appreciation,

Becky Miller Updike, PhD James Markus, Esq.Executive Director Board Chair

2017 HIGHLIGHTS

We litigate. We advocate. We innovate.

Junior BoardIn 2017 we launched a new Junior Board consisting of young professionals (ages 20-40) to help advance the mission of RMCLC while cultivating leadership skills and networking opportunities.

Boards and Policy CommitteesEight RMCLC staff members served on 33 boards and policy committees in the community, working with other government and non-profit community stakeholders to work toward policy reforms and innovative solutions to treat and protect chil-dren and youth in Colorado.

TrainingRMCLC staff provided training to child-serving professionals and system stakeholders across Colorado and the country.

Children’s Legislative CaucusRMCLC hosted the Children’s Legislative Caucus at the Colorado State Capitol during the 2017 legislative session. RMCLC led four caucus sessions to educate legislators and community stakeholders about important children’s policy issues.

The Colorado Children’s Caucus provides a forum for all members of the Colorado General Assembly to discuss the challenges facing Colorado youth and work together to develop policy recommendations to strengthen families and improve the lives of children.

2017 FINANCIALS

CHILDREN EXPOSED TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

CAREGIVERS OF CHILDREN AT RISK

EDUCATION NEEDS OF CHILDREN AT RISK

YOUTH EMPOWERMENT • PROJECT FOSTER POWER

TRAUMA INFORMED YOGA

THERAPUTIC GARDENING FOR CHILDREN AT RISK

INITIATIVE DEVELOPMENT

SYSTEMIC REFORM

GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE

FUNDRAISING

27%

18%

9%

10%

3%

2%

7%

3%

4%

15%

EXPENSES

$1,846,843.00

EARNED INCOME

FOUNDATIONS

CONTRIBUTIONS

GOVERNMENT GRANTS

EVENTS

OTHER INCOME

IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS

6%

25%

32%

14%

7%

1%

15%

REVENUE

$1,669,690.00

ASSETS $679,663.00

We litigate. We advocate. We innovate.

Our Bloom Yoga Program focuses on the mental and physical benefits of yoga for children and youth, with a focus on relating yoga to address trauma symptoms or other difficult behaviors. Bloom Yoga applies evidence-based, trauma informed approaches to teaching yoga.

$50,000+AnonymousAnonymousColleen Abdoulah and Ruth Ellen WarrenOffice of the State ControllerThe Piton Foundation

$25,000-$49,999Community First FoundationDick MonfortJudith LaSpadaMonfort Family FoundationNoble Energy, Inc.

$10,000-$24,999AnonymousAnschutz FoundationAnthony and Nancy AccettaArapahoe County Aid to AgenciesCharles CannonCity and County of DenverDenver Active 20-30 Children's FoundationEirka and Jack WhitmoreGene & Eleanore Schloss Charitable FundGus BigosJohnson Foundation of the RockiesMorrison & Foerster LLPThe Antero Charitable Foundation, Inc.The Butler Family Fund of The Denver FoundationVirginia W. Hill Charitable Foundation

$5,000-$9,999Bellco Credit UnionAmy WinsorAnonymousAnschutz Family FoundationDrs. Christian and Becky UpdikeEvery Child MattersGR's FoundationJames and Jana HenthornLaura LoveMabel Y. Hughes Charitable TrustMelissa PetersonNatalie EllertsonNicholas HamiltonPolsinelli R. Scott & Kathryn Steinfort Charitable Foundation Rocky Mountain Alliance Children's FoundationSchramm FoundationSteve and Trish Shapiro Family FoundationThomas and Tracy HendersonUnion Pacific FoundationUnitedHealth CareVictim Assistance Fund/Denver District CourtWJD Foundation

$1,000-$4,999A.J. MillerAda LovingAkerman LLPAmber FarnsworthAngler's Alibi

AnonymousArnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLPBrandon BestonBrent and Tracy SmithCarol PollockCasey and Julie KapturChip RimerChris BeattyChris PhillipsCindy BennettCoBiz FinancialColorado Bar AssociationCooper RobertsCory PhillipsDan WoodwardDavis Graham & Stubbs LLPDiane and Charles Gallagher Family FoundationEric UhlbergEvan WatkinsFidelity Charitable Gift FundFran FolinFrank LockridgeFrank LopezGary KringGreat West Life & Annuity Insurance Co.Greenberg Traurig LLPGreg and Jenny Baldwin Charitable FundHal and Lynn NelsonHolly Hall-PerryJackson National Life Insurance CompanyJames and Adoree BlairJane MichaelsJK Development Partners, LLCJoAnn CambruzziJohn and Cheryl FaltinJohn McKinneyJohn P. Ellbogen FoundationJones & Keller, P.C.Karen LangsleyKelli Trudel and Darla ShafferKelly and Lynn CondonKenneth and Wendy JuddKilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLPLonnie PorterLora Johnson DieckMalcolm AylettMargaret EslerMark PattesonMarkus Williams & Young LLCMaryanne FlynnMatt FagaMegan BentMichael and Theresa FordyceMichael HorneMile High United WayNetwork for GoodPhillip and Anna ReinertRaymond PetersenRenee AugustineRider Goodwin Law Offices LLCRobert Belcher Family FoundationRoger and Jeanne Christensen

Ronald and Katherine RizzutoSarah BelcherSchwab Charitable FundSenn Visciano Canges, P.C.Sharkey Howes & Javer Inc.Shellie Rosser and Milton SlepkowShook Hardy & Bacon LLPSnell & Wilmer LLPSupport Center for Child AdvocatesTaylor DenningtonTed and Kathy BrownTim Gilchrist and Ashley Emerson-GilchristTjornehoj & Hack LLCVirginia NeslundWildtracksZach Smith

$500-$999Albert and Ann YatesAlex WilsonAnna MichaelsAnthony and Sakari GravesAshleigh DavenportAshley CalhounAudrey HowesBeth SimmonsCambiar Investors LLCChristopher and Aimee ConfortiDan and Heather PabonDan KellerDaniel Dore and Rachel JuddDouglas and Sally McCainDrew HutchisonEdward and Amy EignerGreg JoramoIvan AnayaJanice JohnsonJeff LeeJeremy Erdley and Alison WheelerJerome GeraghtyJill WilcoxJohn ChaseJohn McCabeJulie HolungaJustin BalserJustin SummersKeith ShapiroLexie WhiteMarc CohenDrs. Marc and Jeanette CornierMark and Nancy MajorMary KapsakMarybeth TylerMelissa CizmorrisMeyer and Geri SaltzmanMichael and Rebecca LawMichael FancherMichelle RoarkMorgan Stanley Smith BarneyNick FendlerShelly HunterStephanie Kanan

Steven CohenThe Colorado Health FoundationTodd Hauer

$250-$499Ali YousafAllison BroasAllison MorrisBetty Petrak-ronBrooke HippCalley McCueCaroline RassenfossCherry Creek Oral SurgeryDavid FrommDavid Gibans David ShawDrs. Jan and Phyllis UpdikeDyani GalliganElisa CampbellElizabeth WeinmannElyse MallingerGreg McallisterGroundFloor Media/Get Grounded FoundationHannah ChristianHelen HandHelen RogersJaclyn Yelich and Greg ThielenJamie JostJoe SchmidKelly FischerKenzie JacobsLena CazeauxLindsay Anne GilchristLisa HackardMadie GustafsonMicah SuchermanMountain Pine Women's ClubPanneer RamaligamRachel LynnRichard Turner and Britta EricksonSandra ClarkStephanie SweatSusan CostelloSusan LangfordTheresa SheltonThomas Pollart & Miller LLCTia Maria ZavarasTy BoggsValerie GonzalezWilliam Betson

THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS

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2017 PLANNING & PIPELINE

We litigate. We advocate. We innovate.

MAJOR PROJECTS UNDER DEVELOPMENT IN 2017 INCLUDED:

Baby Court PilotIn 2017, RMCLC gathered research and participated in training to prepare to launch Colorado’s first Safe Babies Court Team pilot. This pilot project will establish a court model focused specifically on the needs of 0-3 year old babies that have been removed from their homes. The model, which has been extremely successful in helping abused and neglected babies in other parts of the country, is expected to launch in 2018.

Legal Services for Homeless YouthIn 2017, RMCLC finalized planning for the launch of a new program offering legal services for former foster youth and youth experiencing or in danger of experiencing homelessness. The Young Adult Legal Services (YALA) program, set to open in 2018, will provide free civil legal services and guidance to youth age 18-25 to help them overcome a myriad of barriers to a successful transition to adulthood.

Four youth from Project Foster Power accompanied by adult ally RMCLC staffer Betsy Fordyce attended the Foster Youth in Action Conference in Washington, DC in October 2017. The youth got to engage with policy makers, members of Congress, and their peers doing similar work in other states. They also began planning their advocacy for 2018.

Pictured: Viviana, Precious, Betsy, Jayneanne, and David in Washington, DC October 23, 2017

2017 StaffGloria Alaniz, Program Manager, Caregiver Advocacy ProgramKatherine Belcher, Clinical Consultant and Dandelion Project ManagerSarah Crisafi, Clinical Consultant and Bloom Yoga ManagerTommie Evans, Program Manager, Domestic Violence ProgramJennifer Eyl, Staff Attorney and Program Director, Domestic Violence ProgramJayneanne Finch, Lead Organizer, project Foster PowerRandy Fons, Deputy Executive Director and Legal DirectorBetsy Fordyce, Staff Attorney and Program Director, Youth Empowerment ProgramKristen Gentala, Finance DirectorJeremy Jones, Development and Communications ManagerRachel Judd, Staff Attorney and Education Program ManagerSarah Kroll, Staff Attorney, All ProgramsBecky Miller Updike, Executive DirectorKacie Mulhern, Staff Attorney and Caregiver Advocacy Program ManagerLauren Rafter, Staff Attorney All ProgramsShari Shink, Founder, President Emeritus, and Development Consultant Lillie Shobe, Office Manager

2017 Board MembersJames Markus, Board Chairman, Markus Williams Young & Zimmermann LLCAshley E. Calhoun, Associate, Akerman LLPKelly Condon, Regional President, CoBiz FinancialHolly Hall-Perry, Senior Director, HCM Portfolio | NTT DATA Services, Inc.Thomas W. Henderson, Shareholder, Burg Simpson Eldredge Hersh & Jardine, P.C.Judy Laspada, CEO and Founder, Virtuoso SourcingLaura Love, Founder & Chief Cultural Officer, GroundFloor MediaAnna Reinert, Attorney, Gordon & ReesRon Rizzuto, Ph.D., Professor of Finance, Daniels College of Business—University of DenverHenry Schloss, Maxwell Print ManagementErika R. Whitmore, Audit Partner and Boulder Office Leader, KPMG LLP

2017 Junior Board MembersAdrienne Coffey, Adrienne & Co. Luxury Event Planners Allie Broas, Denver CASA Allison Sperling Morris, US Department of Education Civil Rights Anna Michaels, Community Resource Centers Ashleigh Davenport, Opfer Campbell Ashley Emerson, Gebhardt Emerson & Moody Law Firm Audrey Howes, 27th Letter Media Chrissy Johnson-Dieck, Gordon & Rees Christina Walker, Clayton Early Learning Courtney Warren, Bryan CaveDave Shaw, Assistant Attorney General Elyse Mallinger, KPMG Emily O'Donnell, Evolution Digital Francis Folin, Snell and Wilmer Gregor Stoddard, Children's Hospital Hannah Christian, Bryan Cave Hilary Engelhart, Colorado Women's Chamber J.P. List, Law Offices of J.P. List Jerome (JR) Geraghty, Geraghty Law Jill Loftus, Honest Occupational Therapy Jillian English, Grant Thornton Katharine Evans, Jefferson County Public Schools Kristin Lockwood, Jones & Keller Kylee Twomey, LBA Realty Laura Arentson, SAHM Mackenzie Jacobs, Epic Systems Micah Sucherman Tricia Denniger Richard (Rick) F. Lee, David Graham & Stubbs (Associate) Sarah Summers, DVLC Sayani Das Chaudhuri, University of Denver Stephanie Sweat, Husch Blackwell Tess Hand-Bender, Davis Graham and Stubbs

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Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center1325 S. Colorado Blvd., Ste 701

Denver, CO 80222303.692.1165

childlawcenter.org • • •