Inner-City Southwest Denver Expansion
The success of the Tree House model has underscored its necessity in other locales.

As such, last fall The Tree House began its expansion into inner-city southwest Denver. In the four neighborhoods comprising the expansion’s target area (Westwood, Ruby Hill, Mar Lee, Athmar Park), the crime rate for auto theft exceeded the citywide average. The rate for sexual assault and aggravated assault was higher than average in three of the four neighborhoods, and half of the neighborhoods are above the citywide average for burglaries. Perpetrators tend to be 15-to-25 years of age, and a high fraction come from dysfunctional homes, precisely the type of people The Tree House tries to reach.

According to the American Youth Policy Forum report, Out-of-School-Time participation is associated with an increase in academic achievement, school attendance, time spent on homework and extracurricular activities, enjoyment and effort in school. That same report indicates teens left unsupervised at any point during the week are more than four times likely to be ‘D’ students compared to students supervised every day.

In March 2009, TTH secured its first Kids Kabana site, at West Denver Prep, effective in August, with the coming school year.

The expansion drive is ongoing, as we try to raise the $75,000 necessary to run Kids Kabana and The Bistro in FY 09-10. Donations may be made in the name of this Denver expansion by writing “Denver” on your check.