Rocky Mountain Communities

“The food pantry has been a blessing, especially during the summer because my granddaughter Jaylene spends her summer days with me, and I have been able to provide good meals for her without cutting back on some of her favorite snacks.”

Maria Elena is from Chihuahua, Mexico and she moved to the United Stated twenty-two years ago. Maria Elena works in the kitchen at a local school. Working for a school has given her the flexibility to have the summer off to babysit her four-year-old granddaughter, Jaylene. Seven years ago, Maria Elena moved into an apartment in one of Rocky Mountain Communities’ apartment buildings. She was living in a building in the same neighborhood, and found she could not continue to afford her “market rate” apartment. She didn’t know if she would find a safe place to call home.

Maria Elena has found her safe home and enjoys being part of her community. Now she can focus her energies on working, volunteering, and babysitting her granddaughter.

“A safe, stable and dignified place that feels like a real community – where I belong.”

Juana has been living at one of Rocky Mountain Communities apartment buildings in the Denver Metro area. Juana moved to the United States twenty-four years ago from Zacatecas, Mexico. She has three children who also live in Colorado, but in other parts of the state.

Juana’s greatest joy in life are her six grandchildren. They range in age from five to twenty-four years old. She wishes she could see them more often but sometimes the distance can be challenging. Living on her own is difficult, because like many residents she struggles to make ends meet.

Juana has been a full-time employee for the past seventeen years. Even though she has worked full-time for many years, she hasn’t been able to keep up with the housing market in Colorado. Juana describes the programs and services available to RMC residents, like the food pantries, as an important way to help residents.

Juana appreciates being able to afford her rent and live in a well-kept community that she describes as similar to other market rate apartments she has researched in the area.

“I would like to be able to purchase my own home in the future and Rocky Mountain Communities has been critical in this process”.

Antoinette is a single mom who lives with her two young sons, eight-year-old Sebastian and four-year-old Amos. Antoinette moved from Pueblo, Colorado four years ago, hoping for a better life for her family. When first arriving in Denver, the family lived in her brother’s basement until she could find an apartment. She felt unsafe in the neighborhoods she could afford, and she was determined to find a better home in which to raise her boys. Ideally, she wanted to find a community where her boys could feel safe to go to the playground.

After moving to a Rocky Mountain Communities (RMC) property, Antoinette felt she was finally on the path to accomplish her life goals. As a resident at an RMC community, Antoinette has access to the onsite food pantry. This helps her provide healthy snacks and meals for her boys, especially during the summer when they don’t have access to the lunch program offered throughout the school year. Some families have the option of enrolling their children in an RMC after school and/or summer program.

Antoinette’s priority is to provide a good environment for her children, and to raise good citizens. “Rocky Mountain Communities has provided me with the opportunity to become self-sufficient and break from unhealthy relationships. I can focus on what’s best for my family and don’t have to stay involved in unhealthy relationships just to afford a roof over our heads.”

Antoinette has set clear long-term goals for her and her family. Now that she is able to afford to pay rent, she wants to start improving her credit score and saving for a down payment to buy a house.