Essie’s Story

“I’m so thankful for those who have been part of our journey so far,” says Essie. Essie and her 2-year-old daughter, Cata’liyah have been living at Warren Village for just over a year. The circumstances that brought them here are heartbreaking; but in the midst of those challenges, they have found hope. Before coming to Warren Village, Essie lived with and helped take care of her grandmother and niece. Both her mother and brother had passed away within a year of each other and the responsibility fell to Essie. While working as a nanny, Essie supported her diabetic grandmother and tried to provide emotional support to her niece who had already experienced many traumas in her young life. When Essie became pregnant, she ended up on bed rest and her daughter was born early at 28 weeks. After spending three months in the hospital, the thought of bringing her premature daughter home to her current living situation was overwhelming. It was then that a nurse referred Essie to Warren Village. Having a home for just her and her daughter as well as a safe place for Cata’liyah to receive care was wonderful. Of the staff in the learning center Essie shares, “They have been amazing! My daughter is doing so well and making progress…she has completely caught up developmentally.” Essie has made progress too. She attends the Community College of Denver and has been able to take advantage of some of the college courses that are offered on site at Warren Village through the College to Career program. She will complete her associate’s degree in Arts in the summer and plans to continue school at Metro to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Human Services. Essie conveys her thankfulness for the people of Warren Village, “I’m so grateful for those we’ve met along the way, who have been there to support us. It’s very humbling. I’ve met the most amazing advocates – and I am grateful and appreciate their patience and understanding.”