In 1976, eight Head Start mothers living in West Denver founded what would become Mi Casa Resource Center. More than 35 years later, thousands of low-income individuals, many of them Latinas and youth, have come to Mi Casa with little more than hope and dreams: hope for a brighter tomorrow, dreams of a good job, a home of one’s own, and a child’s bright future. For many of these women their first step through Mi Casa’s front door is the beginning of a journey toward new opportunities and economic success.
Mi Casa’s mission is to advance the economic success of Latino families, through an integrated program strategy comprised of Career, Business, and Youth & Family Development services. Mi Casa believes that only when members of a family have realistic opportunities to pursue professional, educational and entrepreneurial advancement – within a culturally responsive and supportive environment – will the cycle of poverty ultimately be broken. Mi Casa offers:
Career Development Programs – that provide a practical pathway for workers who face barriers to employment to launch a promising career

  • Green Construction and Energy training program
  • Bilingual Bank Teller training program
  • Healthcare Professionals training program
  • Vocational English Language Learning (VELL) training program

Business Development Programs – to help underserved entrepreneurs and emerging businesses find success through self-employment

  • 13-week entrepreneurial program
  • Individual business consulting/coaching
  • Many seminars on topics such as social media, technology, email marketing and networking

Youth & Family Development Programs – for Latino youth focused on positive academic, emotional and social development, with opportunities for family engagement and adult learning.

  • Afterschool technology program for youth ages 14-20
  • Out-of-school enrichment programs
  • Intensive case management and prevention for at-risk youth

Mi Casa continues to modify and expand programs to align with community needs, economic trends, and best practice program models. Because of their drive for excellence they were considered a national model for welfare reform and were recognized and endorsed by then First Lady and now Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Proof is in the statistics:
•    54 individuals successfully completed the bilingual entrepreneurial training courses in Denver and Southern Colorado; 84 graduates submitted viable business plans
•    83 small businesses launched with Mi Casa’s assistance that created 87 jobs, obtained over $1,000,000 in capital assistance and generated nearly $3,000,000 in revenue.
•    81 individuals completed Mi Casa’s career training programs
•    44 individuals (54% of those who completed the training) have been placed in full-time jobs with average wage of $11 per hour with benefits
•    402 children were served in out-of-school time enrichment programs
•    230 family members participated in adult programming
•    53% of core students improved their academic performance based on CSAP scores
•    100% of core students advanced to next grade
See Mi Casa in action – Check out their video!

Mi Casa from Mi Casa Resource Center on Vimeo.
Learn  more about Mi Casa – www.micasadenver.org