Colorado UpLift

What a beautiful afternoon of community, generosity, and connection at our Guild Luncheon! 💛

We’re so grateful to every woman who joined us to learn more about the heart of Colorado UpLift and the life-changing work happening with our students and families.

A special thank you to Candise for vulnerably sharing her story and allowing us a glimpse into the impact of this work. It takes courage to share your journey, and we are so grateful for the heart and honesty she brought to the room.

Thank you to the incredible vendors who gave back a portion of the day’s proceeds, the generous businesses and organizations that donated items for our auction, and every attendee who came ready to support our mission.

And a heartfelt thank you to Rachael and the entire Guild team. Your heart for Colorado UpLift, our staff, and the young people we serve is felt in so many ways. We are incredibly grateful to have you in our corner.

Thank you to everyone who helped make the day so special!

We’re proud to celebrate our CEO, Dr. Joe Sanders, on being named one of Denver Business Journal Most Admired CEOs! 👏🏽

At Colorado UpLift, we’ve had a front-row seat to the servant leadership behind this recognition. From the moment Joe stepped into this role, he has led with humility, conviction, vision, and a genuine commitment to serving our students, staff, and community.

This award may carry the title “Most Admired,” but to those of us at UpLift, it simply confirms what we’ve known all along.

Congratulations, Joe — so well deserved! 🧡

Another unforgettable Breakfast of Champions! 🏆
We were honored to hear from NFL legend Brian Dawkins, who spoke with authenticity, passion, and heart. His message reminded us that being a champion is about more than accomplishments—it is about character, perseverance, serving others, and using your influence to make a difference. His heart for people and commitment to lifting others up deeply reflect the work we strive to do every day at Colorado UpLift.

We also proudly recognized FourPoint Energy for its generous commitment to our organization and celebrated Bernadette Torrez for 20 incredible years of service to our mission. One of Bernadette’s former students, Anthony, now an UpLift alumni, shared his powerful journey through tremendous challenges and credited Bernadette and Colorado UpLift for providing the guidance, consistency, and support that helped shape his life.

To every donor and supporter who stands beside our young people—thank you. Your generosity makes these lifelong, life-changing relationships possible.

We are especially grateful to our presenting sponsor, Bank of Colorado, whose partnership helped make this morning possible.

You are true champions of Colorado UpLift! 🧡

Back-to-school season is all about building connections! 📚✨ Mrs. Z and Mr. Vic, from our Parent and Family Engagement Team, have been visiting schools to connect with families, answer questions, and remind parents that they have a team ready to support them. We’re excited to partner with our families for a great school year ahead! 🧡

As we move into the new school year, we continue to reflect on how we can grow as individuals and as a community. This month, we focus on COURAGE, a core character quality that positions students for lives of significance and long-term success.

Philosopher Paul Tillich called this the “courage to be,” the inner strength to stand in one’s identity despite fear, doubt, or opposition. For the students supported by Colorado UpLift, courage rarely makes headlines. It lives in the quiet, determined choices they make each day, the decision to try again after a setback, to apply to a college no one in their family has attended, to raise their voice when silence would be simpler, to hold onto hope for a future they’ve never witnessed but dare to believe in.

The truth is, without courage, most of what is possible in life never happens. Talents will remain hidden. Dreams are postponed. Voices will go unheard. Courage is the spark that ignites action, and action is what leads not just personal growth, but meaningful impact in the world. It’s the courage of a first-generation student daring to believe they belong. Courage is a young woman who chooses to stand up for what’s right, even when it costs her. It’s the courage of a high school senior navigating poverty, pressure, or self-doubt, yet still choosing to move forward.

Through the mentorship, relational support, and safe spaces Colorado UpLift provides, students gain more than practical life skills. They gain confidence in their value and the courage to pursue their goals. They learn commitment to their dreams, their communities, and to showing up fully in life. That’s when real transformation happens.

However, courage is not the absence of fear. For many students, courage often walks hand in hand with uncertainty. What makes their courage so powerful is the choice to move forward anyway, not for applause, but for something greater. A higher calling and a purpose beyond self.

Colorado UpLift students answer that call every day, not always with certainty, but with presence, with integrity, and with a willingness to try. They become living reminders that you don’t have to be a hero to be brave. You just need to show up for yourself, for others, for the future. And when they do, it doesn’t end with them. Courage is contagious. It lifts peers, strengthens families, and inspires whole communities. Their bravery sends a clear message: change is possible, and it starts with showing up.

Colorado UpLift’s board, mentors, and donors are the quiet champions behind every student who finds the courage to become. Our belief in them creates the conditions for courage and potential to grow. So as this year’s graduates step into the world, remember this truth: behind every student who rises, who dares, who becomes, there is a network of people who believed they could and that belief changes everything.

As we step into the new school year, may we all remember that courage isn’t reserved only for students heading into a new chapter; courage is something everyone needs, every day. Courage is the quiet strength to keep going, to keep believing, and to keep becoming. Because when courage becomes a way of life, it not only changes the path ahead, but it also changes the world around us.

Win or lose, it’s always a good night when we get to make memories together! 🧡💙🏈
Last night, our UpLift staff and students got to cheer on our favorite team at the Broncos preseason game. The final score may not have gone our way, but the laughs, connection, and memories made definitely made it a win.
A huge thank you to the PeyBack Foundation and donors for providing the tickets and giving our students and staff another opportunity to experience something special together. We’re so grateful! 🙌

🎯 Behind the Bullseye!
A huge thank-you to Target for giving our students an exciting behind-the-scenes look at store operations! Students explored career pathways, heard inspiring leadership journeys, and learned about the many opportunities within the retail industry. It was a valuable opportunity to see the teamwork, leadership, and strategy behind a brand they know and recognize. ❤️

A big thank-you to the Semilla Project for partnering with UpLift College & Career for an amazing day at CSU Fort Collins! 🌱🎓 Students explored campus resources, toured the Agricultural Sciences Building to learn about landscape architecture and computer-aided design, and visited the campus greenhouse to experience horticulture in action. We’re grateful for opportunities that help our students explore new possibilities!

Every year, our Staff Retreat gives us the opportunity to step away from the day-to-day, reconnect with one another, recharge, and remember why we do what we do. It’s a time to laugh, reflect, grow, and be reminded that we’re stronger together.

A huge thank you to our UYM team for thoughtfully coordinating every detail and creating such a meaningful experience. Thank you for investing in our staff and reminding us what it means to be part of a team that’s committed to serving together.

We are still smiling over here.
The 2026 FourPoint Pickler raised more than $250,000 for Colorado UpLift students -- and honestly, that number still feels surreal. That is a full year of programming for nearly 250 young people in Denver.
FourPoint Energy built something really special with this event. The way their team shows up -- not just with a check, but with genuine enthusiasm for the work -- is something we do not take for granted.
To everyone who played, sponsored, and cheered: thank you. Our students are better for it.

Congratulations to our 2026 Champions, Eric Palmer & Mike Lopez representing Team Plante Moran!

A very special thanks to Gates Tennis Center for delivering a first-class tournament experience!