Focus Points 2021-2022 Annual Report
Building better communities by strengthening families
Since 1995, Focus Points has been serving and advocating for families in the Greater Denver Area.
Our vision is that families empower themselves by attaining the tools needed to unlock their potential and contribute to a thriving, vibrant community.
Letter from Jules Kelty, Executive Director
Dear Friends, 
This year, as we all began to emerge from the pandemic, it provided an opportunity to reflect on what we had been through (and accomplished together), as well as take a good look around at what had changed. In reflection, this past year at Focus Points once again presented challenges – yet I am so proud and humbled by how our staff, Board and community came together yet again to come out stronger on the other side.
In the wake of the pandemic, this year Focus Points faced a critical financial situation, as demand for Focus Points’ services increased by more than 65%. Because of this strain, we made the difficult decision to close a few of our programs: workforce development, onsite early childhood education and digital literacy.
Thankfully, the community generously stepped up to answer our call for support. From Americorp members hosting a salsa sale, to HIPPY parents sharing a donation bucket at graduation – from city and state funders, to local business contributions, help came pouring in as the community rallied around Focus Points. Today, we are financially grounded once again and continuing to support the community and provide resources so that all families can thrive.
And there was a lot to celebrate! The social enterprise Comal Heritage Food Incubator received national accolades when it was named one of the New York Times’ Top 50 restaurants; Huerta Urbana’s pay-what-you-can farmers market found a new, permanent home right here at Focus Points; our staple programs like the PAT and HIPPY home visitations and Adult Education started back up in person; and our center is buzzing once again with collaboration, support and laughter.
I speak for our entire staff when I say how deeply we appreciate the support of the community, and we look forward to continuing to make a positive impact thanks to these valuable partnerships.
In unity,
Jules Kelty
Our Impact at a Glance
We provided warm hand-offs for participants seeking services offered by other organizations.
Our social enterprises generated wealth that is distributed back to our participants and to our community.
The data included in this report represents Fiscal Year 2022, beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2022.
Huerta Urbana Farmers Market
Equity: Moving to its new and permanent home at Focus Points, the Huerta Urbana Farmers Market brought fresh produce and other pantry essentials into the heart of the GES community. The market’s unique pay-what-you-can model gave customers the option to pay a reduced cost (as low as $0) for the items they purchased.
Collaboration: Led by Huerta Urbana 2-Gen Farm Incubator of Focus Points, the farmers market brought together community organizations, including Focus Points’ Comal Heritage Food Incubator, as well as Bruce Randolph Hydroponic Farms, Compost Colorado, Denver Library System, Dumb Friends League, East Denver Food Hub, Free Range Beehives, Fresh Food Connect, Juanitas, Paletero Man, S&D Creations, SAME Cafe, SustainED, Rebel Bread, Clinica Tepeyac, The Athena Project and more.
Impact: The market provided food to an average of 150 customers each week and offered an opportunity for community members to access fresh, healthy food right in their neighborhood, at a price that fits their budget.
Adult Education
Focus Points continued to support our community by offering Adult English Language Acquisition classes, as well as through our Colorado Refugee Services Program (CRSP) program that supports refugees in language acquisition, integration, and employment.
Adjusting with the changing needs, our Adult English Language Acquisition (AELA) programming continued the virtual instruction model, and CRSP began offering a hybrid learning model, with plans to offer virtual and in-person options soon. Additionally, as CRSP saw a large influx of pre-literate students — many of whom have never attended school and are not literate in their native languages — our program adapted its curriculum and course offerings to best serve our shifting participant needs.
Early Childhood Education
Through engaging, evidence-based home visit programs – Parents as Teachers (PAT) and Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) – families with young children received resources, guidance and support to set up their children and family for success in the future.
Back to School 2022
Resources: Children received new backpacks, essential school supplies such as notebooks and pencils, as well as new shoes donated by a community partner.
Collaboration: Our distribution was made possible thanks to volunteers, staff members, partner organizations and generous community partners.
Integrated Services: Representatives from other areas of Focus Points, including PAT, HIPPY and Adult Education, were onsite to support and sign-up families for other supports offered through our organization.
Impact: Through this free backpack and school supply distribution, students in our community were able to head back to school with not only the essential supplies they need to succeed, but also the confidence and excitement to kick off the year right.
Staff Spotlight: Julia Santisteban
Title: Manager of Centralized Services
What is your role? I coordinate and oversee administrative duties and ensure that the office operates efficiently and smoothly. My responsibilities generally include duties like greeting visitors, managing office supplies, overseeing other administrative staff, and supporting staff with general administrative tasks like equipment, IT and building use.
How long have you been with Focus Points? In 2003, I arrived looking for English classes. The center had been recommended to me because they had childcare. From the first day I felt at home. I had a six-month-old baby and I had the opportunity to register in the PAT program. At the same time, I studied to obtain my GED certificate and continued with my English classes. In 2004, I had the opportunity to start working at ECE as a childcare provider. I eventually got a full-time job at another organization as a Teacher’s Assistant but continued to work in Focus Points in childcare in the afternoons and was a participant in the HIPPY program.
In 2012, the PAT program was hiring an educator and I applied and got the position as an educator, but at the same time I was already studying at the Community College of Denver where I got my certifications in Early Childhood Education. From 2016-2022, I was in charge of the child care program at Focus Points and my priority was that all the children who came to receive services with us felt, safe, happy that they received quality service like my son and I had the opportunity to receive. Since this April 2022, I have the opportunity to continue working in another area at Focus Points. That gives me the opportunity to continue supporting the programs, but especially our community so that they feel welcome when they come to Focus Points.
As a former participant, what did Focus Points do for you? Personally, Focus Points supported me by offering me the tools of good parenting through the PAT and HIPPY programs. It taught me that I am my son’s first teacher, it taught me to create a habit of loving reading, having time to connect with my son and implement activities for his emotional, physical and cognitive development. Also, through their Extraordinary Families workshops, to learn from other parents with the same goal, which is the well-being of the family. It was a gift of life to have these programs almost 20 years ago, because now I see the results in my own family.
What do you like most about working at Focus Points? What excites me the most is that, as our mission says, building better communities by strengthening the family, and everyone in this organization, that is our main goal, to support our community to leave an impact on our participants and their families. That is what excites me to come to work. At the end of the day, we support the life of someone.
Family Support Services
Through our Family Support Services, participants received guidance and help with applications for public benefits and emergency assistance, and support in establishing financial and personal goals.
Fall Fatherhood Festival
Our Fall Fatherhood Festival was a fun-filled event honoring fathers and celebrating families. The festival, held at Focus Points, featured a car show, “trunk-or treating” for children, farmers market, live music, giveaways and vaccination clinic – all open for the community to attend.
With the idea that parents are children’s first and most important teachers, the program was a new way to celebrate fathers and bring families together.
Social Enterprises
Our social enterprises – Comal Heritage Food Incubator and Huerta Urbana 2-Gen Farm Incubator – provide unique earn-while-you-learn programming that equips participants with the skills and training they need to successfully launch and grow food- and agriculture-related businesses. All of the profits from our social enterprises are re-invested into the programs and participants that generate them.
Comal Heritage Food Incubator
Huerta Urbana 2-Gen Farm Incubator
Front Desk
Our bilingual Centralized Services team interacted with thousands of callers and visitors annually, directing those seeking support to the appropriate internal programs and providing external referrals – offering the community a valuable resource and ear to listen.
Financials
Focus Points 2021-2022 Annual Report
The data included in this report represents Fiscal Year 2022, beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2022.
