Rooted in its vision to create a community where youth and their families are empowered, connected and thriving, the nonprofit Stepping Stones is sprouting new growth — and serving more youth — having recently opened its latest drop-in center in Glenwood Springs.
Located at 1630 Grand Avenue, the new center opened in October 2025 and serves young people ages 15 to 24 years olds. Like the Carbondale site, the Glenwood center provides free essential services, including one-on-one mentoring, nourishing meals, experiential learning, drop-in programming, recreational activities and academic support. Currently, only Carbondale provides on-site bilingual therapy, laundry and showers.
“Our expansion into Glenwood Springs and the opening of our young adult drop-in center was a major highlight [of 2025],” said Kyle Crawley, executive director of Stepping Stones. “We have served 103 individual youth in Glenwood Springs since expanding.”
The expansion has been a long awaited goal for the nonprofit. Similar to Carbondale, it was identified that youth in Glenwood Springs and along the I-70 corridor were in need of critical services, such as housing and basic needs. Furthermore, youth and their families faced economic pressure, limited access to mental health services and lack of consistent, trusted adults. Ultimately, the Stepping Stones team knew that Glenwood Springs could be a major hub for safety and support.
“Our goal was to bring the same holistic, relationship-based model that has been so effective in Carbondale,” said Crawley. “Expansion was carried out with intentionality, ensuring that the depth and integrity of our Carbondale site remained strong. This thoughtful, relational growth has allowed us to serve more youth and families without compromising the quality of mentoring, experiential programming or holistic support we provide.”
In 2025, the drop-in centers were visited 8,008 times by 462 individual youth, and bilingual staff members facilitated 2,656 one-on-one mentoring and case management sessions. Impressively, many youth spend 15 to 20 hours per week at the drop-in centers and 95% of them stay for more than one year.
“Our model depends on consistent, long-term connections with trusted adults,” said Crawley. “The consistency of those relationships is what drives impact.”
Assistant Director Jonathan Greener added that word-of-mouth referrals have also contributed to the drop-in center’s increased visits. “When friends vouch for the program, it’s a testament to the trust and belonging we cultivate every day,” he elaborated.
The atmosphere at the drop-in centers is warm and inviting and naturally allows authentic relationships to flourish. In a recent video call with The Sopris Sun, laughter could be heard in the background as youth prepared an afternoon meal together.
“It’s a place full of peace and tranquility,” one youth shared. “I really enjoy cooking when I am here.” Another smiled as she explained how everyone can be themselves in a family-like environment.
Dani Rivera, youth advocate, has been working at the Glenwood center since it opened, and emphasized the importance of individualized support. “We really build the program around the needs of our youth,” she said. “Fridays are very busy, but we really make sure they are getting what they need.”
Last year, youth mentees achieved 655 self-identified goals related to academics, substance use, employment, life skills, mental health, community engagement and social and emotional skills. In terms of financial support, 319 funders generously contributed $1,284,000, 83% of which went directly to services and programming for youth and families, including nearly $70,000 of direct assistance for those facing urgent challenges.
“We’re fortunate to have a network of trusted community members who connect with young people in authentic ways,” said Crawley. “These relationships add richness to our programming. Youth aren’t just interacting with staff, they’re building connections with artists, educators, therapists and community leaders who expand their sense of possibility.”
Notably, academic tutor Gretchen Strom and resident artist Gabriela Mejia have reinforced the reality that mentees matter beyond Stepping Stones’ walls. Strom provides individualized academic support to build strong study habits, improve grades and show that academic success is possible. Mejia, a local artist, connected with Stepping Stones through a grant for arts programming. During her year-long residency, she led multiple art classes highlighted by the “Breaking Open, Together” art show last summer. The grant has recently been approved for a second year.
“Art gives the youth a space to express themselves, build confidence and feel proud of what they create,” said Mejia. “I see them open up, support each other and realize their ideas and voices matter. It also gives them a positive outlet where they can slow down, focus and experience the joy of making something with their own hands.”
Looking toward the future, Crawley envisions a permanent Glenwood Springs site where youth can receive wraparound services five days per week. In the meantime, the Stepping Stones team will continue to grow from its roots by tending to those who matter the most — the Roaring Fork Valley’s youth.
Visit www.steppingstonesrfv.org to learn more.