The Empowerment Program is a Denver-based nonprofit that removes barriers to health, housing, education, and employment so individuals can live a healthier life. Since 1986, we have worked alongside our participants, primarily cis and transgender women who have lived experiences with the criminal legal system or homelessness, to connect them with the services they need to achieve their goals. Since our founding, we’ve redefined “Empowerment” as a form of collective action.
To us, Empowerment is…
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Empowerment prioritizes the physical and emotional safety of our participants. Empowerment practices trauma-informed care by building caring relationships in safe settings where our participants can feel seen, heard and validated.
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Although specializing in providing care for cis and trans women, Empowerment also extends services to men. The staff members of The Empowerment Program embrace and cherish diversity. We work to recognize and respect the gender identity of each of our participants and connect them to programs that can help them feel safe and successful as their authentic selves.
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Empowerment stands in solidarity with racial justice movements across the country, including the Black Lives Matter movement. We condemn police brutality and the systemic, physical, emotional and psychological violence of individuals within BIPOC, AAPI and Latinx communities. We also condemn the larger, societal disease of white supremacy and the entire system of racist, oppressive rules, laws, policies and practices that evolved out of the persistent refusal to view all people as equals.
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Empowerment incorporates harm reducing practices into our programming to help our participants minimize high-risk behaviors in all areas of their lives including drug use, sexual contact, mental health wellness and more.
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Our work is responsive to the needs of our Empowerment community. Our individual and group programs are led by and/or created in collaboration with staff and participants with lived experiences.
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A NEW BUILDING IS ON THE HORIZON!
After 20+ years of empowering individuals in our old "home" at 1600 York Street, we have decided it's time for a change! SAME LOCATION, NEW BUILDING! We need your help!
PROJECT VISION
To create a safe space for people to make the change they need in their lives
A place with positive feeling and energy
A place that promotes health and connection
A place where participants don’t have to think about their safety
A place that supports those who need to leave behind their old peer group and create a new peer group
Use Trauma-Informed Design to help build resilience and support personal growth
To create a safe space for people to make the change they need in their lives
A place with positive feeling and energy
A place that promotes health and connection
A place where participants don’t have to think about their safety
A place that supports those who need to leave behind their old peer group and create a new peer group
Use Trauma-Informed Design to help build resilience and support personal growth
