Our Mission
We connect young people to hope through long-term mentoring relationships
Our Vision
Our vision is to see a world where every young person embraces their God-given worth.
Core Values
He is at the center of all we do. We embrace Scripture as our ultimate authority, and seek wisdom, guidance and provision through prayer.
We see people as God sees people. We support and serve those living in poverty (emotional, spiritual, financial, or relational) by connecting them with resources that lead to hope.
All we do happens within the contect of a healthy relationship. We strive to build relationships with all we interact with, including staff, youth, mentors, donors, community and church leaders.
Teamwork is our primary mode of operation. We intentionally seek and offer support, feedback, guidance, and collaboration.
We do all things to the best of our ability. We are good stewards of our time, talent and treasure, both individually and as an organization. We gauge impact through clear measure of success.
Learning never ceases. We value wisdom and intentionally pursue ways to apply new knowledge. We commit to owning our mistakes and leveraging them as growth opportunities.
Save Our Youth in Numbers
1994
The year Save Our Youth began serving kids in the Denver area.
250
The number of youth served in 2022.
43
The number of months an average Save Our Youth mentoring relationship lasts.
61
The number of youth in the Denver area who still need a mentor.
Staff Members
Well-trained, highly experienced, and eager to help mentors do great work.
Russel Dains
President & CEO
Maria Borrego
Program Director
Don Kerns
Director of Operations & Finance
Kathrine Vigil
Director of Development
Matt Lange
Denver Program Manager
Angela Maher
Education Manager
Dan Frederick
Mentor Recruitment Manager
Keith McVaney
Donor Relations
Marianne Verdecchio
Office Administrator
Dean Millard
Accountant
Carol Trejos
Mentoring Specialist III
Darcy Burge
Mentoring Specialist II
Alisha Turner
Mentoring Specialist I
Ashleigh Deeds
Mentoring Specialist I
Michael TenBarge
Mentoring Specialist I
Matt Wilcox
Mentor Recruitment Coordinator
Alyssa Bryant
Marketing and Events Coordinator
Board Members
Representing a wide range of industries, they guide the vision and direction of the organization.
Sarah Jullianelle
Highlands Health & Wellness
Russel Dains
Save Our Youth
Matthew Misegadis
CBIZ
Rosario Medina
The University of Colorado College of Nursing
Shannon Dreyfuss
Colorado Christian University
Carolyn Wentz
Littleton Massage & Sports Therapy
Sue-Lin Toussaint
Northeast Region/Aurora Public Schools
Peter Horstman
Prosperion Financial Advisors
Jeffrey Shepard
Hughes Marino
Kirk Roberts
Bona
The History
1993
Denver’s “Summer of Violence” devastates families across the city. The crisis prompts pastors, social workers, and others to address the issue collaboratively.
1994
Mentoring emerges as one way to address the issues plaguing Denver’s youth, and Save Our Youth is launched.
2013
Save Our Youth launches The Master’s Apprentice, an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit, to address the gaps in employment preparation for young men and women.
2019
Co-founder Luis Villarreal passes the torch of leadership to the new CEO and President, Russel Dains.
2021
Save Our Youth begins expansion in Colorado Springs, Colorado