Connecting the Dots: Holistic Help for Women and Children Experiencing Homelessness

While BUILD continues its efforts to build and align historically siloed and underfunded child- and family-serving systems, we also think it’s important to spotlight individual programs that are implementing strategies that change the trajectory of families facing systemic barriers.

At a time when marginalized populations¹ are more vulnerable than ever, it’s inspiring to hear from individuals who have prevailed over dire circumstances. Their stories give us hope.

The formerly homeless single mothers² spotlighted here are resolute and resourceful. But they’d be the first to say that they likely wouldn’t be where they are today without the supports they received along the way.

As we reported in May, programs in several communities across the country providing solutions for families experiencing homelessness share key elements: stable housing, tailored supports for mothers and children, and cross-sector coordination that reduces the burden on families. Warren Village, in Denver, is another prime example of such a community. The program offers two years of transitional housing (with the opportunity for up to two one-year extensions) while helping families navigate complex health care, early education, and social service systems.³

Eddie Schmid, Communications and Marketing Manager, described the parents who come to Warren Village and the program’s priority: “Every person who comes to Warren Village is basically on the brink of becoming unhoused or has dealt with housing instability. A lot of them have experienced domestic violence⁴ as well. They’re all single parents and the goal is to give them stability right away.” Providing a broader view, Karen Fox Elwell, VP, Family & Community Impact, who spoke about the program at the Housing Is Summit in May 2026 , stated that Warren Village “disrupts deeply rooted, interconnected structures and supports families in achieving economic mobility.”

In existence for over 50 years, Warren Village has proven that its method works. But hearing directly from those who have lived there is what drives that point home.

Ruby Jones

Ruby Jones had been laid off from her job while on maternity leave and was experiencing stalking and harassment after domestic violence when she arrived at Warren Village. She said she’d, “been on autopilot, stuck in a cycle of hopelessness.” Her perspective changed when she began receiving “holistic supports.” She shared:

They provided programming for myself and my children. I was able to learn a lot about my career and my personal interests. I received small group counseling, educational counseling and career counseling…and my children received programming that was also transformative. They really thrived in the after-school learning center. When I needed resources for food, housing, child care or health care, Warren Village was integral in putting those pieces together for me and showing me how to live more successfully.

The experience is truly a self-improvement journey. After leaving, I was able to benefit from their incredible alumni support network, so I never felt like I was just out on my own and left to my own devices. I still had people to call and speak with. They were able to connect the dots for me when I wasn’t able to connect them myself. This is an organization that is changing lives from the inside out.

 Jami Helmig

Jami endured abuse as a child and, before arriving to Warren Village, was pregnant and experiencing housing instability as she moved between friends’ and families’ homes. She said, “While I did have somewhere to stay, it was not the most nurturing, supportive, safe environment. It was chaotic and [characterized by] substance abuse and mental health disorders.” At Warren Village, she received help getting enrolled in a community college and applying for financial aid. She shared:

Getting enrolled into school, that was not something that was intuitive to me. I am a first-gen student, so my parents didn’t go to university. They weren’t preparing me for college. And because I didn’t go to high school⁵… I was a middle school dropout… it was never even a thought in my mind that I could go to college.

Jami attended financial wellbeing and family skills workshops and was paired with a family advocate. She said:

There were people I could go and talk to if I was struggling.

Warren Village provided child care as Jami went to school full time, and they offered help finding secure housing after her time at Warren Village was over.

It was a monumental program. It wasn’t just affordable housing; it was everything I could need. If it were just housing, I wouldn’t have gained a lot of the skills, I wouldn’t have known how to navigate the education system . And now I want to become a PI or a professor…wherever my journey takes me. It’s also incredibly important, the way that they approach not just helping the parent, but the child, too. My daughter is thriving. I’m just constantly amazed at feeling like we have beat the statistics.

Where They are Now

Jami is now working on her PhD in pharmacology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She went there on a highly competitive fellowship awarded to leaders who are going to make an impact in their field, the community, and the world. She says she wants to “help support people that don’t have as much support as others.” Her now-11-year-old daughter is participating in the gifted and talented program and excelling at school.

Ruby is a journalist who has focused on community stories, social equity, and civic engagement. She started Empower Media Exchange, a media-based nonprofit that helps people learn how to communicate more effectively and tell their stories with impact. She also works with organizations to bridge the gap between the work they’re doing and the communities they serve. Her children are all thriving.

The Ripple Effect

By removing systemic barriers and providing access to education and tailored resources, Warren Village offers a path to empowerment, as it allows residents to discover their unique strengths and passions, realize their full potential, and contribute meaningfully to their communities and the world. Supporting the sustainability of Warren Village and programs like it is an act that benefits us all.

[1] Black families constitute just 14.6 percent of all families with children under 18 but represent 50 percent of families experiencing homelessness. Hispanic/Latinx families account for 21.8 percent of all families but 36.8 percent of homeless families.

[2] Over 85 percent of homeless families are headed by single women.

[3] Fifty-one percent of American children who experience homelessness are under age five.

Fifty percent of homeless children under the age of four have developmental delays, a rate three-to-four times greater than that of children who do not experience homelessness.

[4] Ninety-two percent of homeless women have experienced severe physical or sexual abuse at some point in their lives.

[5] Fifty-three percent of homeless mothers do not have a high school diploma.