Volunteer Spotlight: Manny

“Awesome to be part of something bigger.” At 65, Denver resident Manny is living proof that it’s never too late to find new purpose, and new community, through service. After serving in the U.S. Army and spending over 30 years with the U.S. Postal Service, Manny thought he was simply showing up to share a meal with a friend at a VOA Colorado senior dining center. But that dinner turned into something much more. He struck up a conversation with project manager Sean Fujimoto, who mentioned volunteer opportunities, and that was all it took. Today, Manny volunteers with VOA’s City…

Volunteer Spotlight: Tammie Barger

Giving Her Heart to the Southwest Safehouse When Tammie Barger moved to Durango just as the COVID pandemic hit, she didn’t know it would lead her to one of the most meaningful roles of her life. A retired events and travel professional from Houston, Tammie had spent years coordinating behind the scenes, but now she’s serving on the front lines of healing at VOA Colorado’s Southwest Safehouse. The Southwest Safehouse in Durango provides a secure, confidential haven for survivors of domestic violence and their children. More than just shelter, it offers critical support services like safety planning, advocacy, and emotional…

Operation Backpack

If you would like to support our Operation Backpack program – one of our many initiatives that helps children in need succeed, despite their circumstances – you can do so by clicking here. Operation Backpack fills in the gap for children experiencing homelessness, poverty, and otherwise underprivileged circumstances. Your donations help us provide backpacks, school supplies, and funding for academic enrichment to homeless and underprivileged children.

Volunteer Spotlight: Wally Smith

After a lifetime of hard work and some health issues that had significantly impacted his life, Wally Smith knew retirement had to mean more than just doing nothing. When he discovered the VOA’s Foster Grandparents program, he found what he was truly looking for: connection, purpose, and joy. A father of four and grandfather to three boys in Minnesota, Wally has always had a deep instinct to nurture and guide children. “I loved being a dad, loved taking care of kids,” he says. “It’s just a natural thing.” That’s the magic of VOA Colorado’s Foster Grandparents Program, a place where…

Where Summer Camp Becomes Something So Much More

There’s something about summer camp that stays with you. The crunch of gravel under your shoes. The shock of cold lake water. Campfire songs sung off-key but full of joy. Inside jokes that still make you laugh years later. That’s what Camp POSTCARD is. For three best friends, Tyler, Venus, and Sofia, Camp POSTCARD wasn’t just a summer escape. It was the place where they met, grew up together, and discovered the paths that would shape their futures. Created for 5th and 6th graders across the Denver and Aurora metro area, Camp POSTCARD is a free, week-long escape for kids…

Do-gooder of the week: Kevin Maccary

We are so proud of our very own Kevin McCary! His contributions to our Meals on Wheels program is the talk of the town, and he was just named A Good Day Colorado Do Gooder by FOX31.

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