Our Apprentices and Their Stories
Goal: $60,000 by December 31.
Help Us Grow This Future, Starting Now
Colorado Gives Day is December 9, and early giving is open! Every gift you make right now is boosted by a $1M+ Incentive Fund through the Colorado Gives Foundation.
Plus: New monthly gifts are matched 100% (up to $100), and every donation in December is doubled through our $10,000 match. That means your gift has twice the impact.
Your gift today helps us welcome more apprentices waiting to grow. Every donation plants a seed of hope and helps us reach our $60,000 goal before the year ends.
Give Online
Prefer to mail a check? Send it to:
P.O. Box 587, Fort Collins, CO 80522
Want to donate stock? Email hannah@arboretumcoffee.org
Don’t wait—plant something beautiful today.
Astou
When Astou, a recent apprentice from Senegal, found out her apartment lease was being suddenly ended without cause, she didn’t know what to do.
She had paid every month on time. She had no family here. She was afraid she would lose her housing and the stability she’d worked so hard to build.
That’s when she turned to Caroline.
Caroline was assigned as Astou’s mentor through our apprenticeship program. But over time, she became something more: A sister. A friend. A protector. A member of the family.
Caroline stepped in. She made calls. She advocated. And in the end, she helped Astou keep her home. “The challenges these apprentices are facing are overwhelming, and having a place of support is critical. For me as a mentor, I have been completely humbled by the strength and kindness of my mentee and now friend, Astou. She is a remarkable woman and I am honored to help however I can.” – Caroline
“Arboretum didn’t just teach me job skills,” Astou said. “It taught me my rights. It gave me family.”
This is the kind of connection that happens here every day.
Not always dramatic. Not always visible. But always real.
Bella
When Bella joined Arboretum in January 2025, she could only say a few sentences in English. She and her family had moved to the US from China In August 2016 for her husband’s job, and she spent those years staying home taking care of her family.
Everything started to change when she began working here, and now, she’s helping train the next cohort of apprentices. “At first, I could only say simple sentences. But I wasn’t afraid to make mistakes. With support from my manager and coworkers, I built confidence. I truly love this caring and supportive team.”
After years at home caring for her family, Bella found something new here: a sense of purpose and a place to grow. Now Bella greets customers with warmth. She helps train new apprentices. She’s even studying coffee shop management, with hopes of leading a team of her own one day. “
Being a barista is just the beginning of my career. I’ve found love, growth, and belonging here.” In a world on fire, Arboretum is a garden. And Bella is proof: the future isn’t far off. It’s already blooming. This is what your support makes possible.
At Arboretum, growth isn’t just measured in skills gained or shifts completed. It’s measured in joy. In confidence. In belonging. And in the quiet strength of someone like Bella, who now turns around and uplifts others.
Lee
At Arboretum, hope doesn’t just sound like a dream. It shows up early for its shift. It washes dishes. It welcomes customers with kindness. This is hope that works.
Like Lee, who came to the U.S. from China and joined our apprenticeship program this fall. He doesn’t say much, but his quiet warmth has a deep impact. One customer recently told him how much they appreciated his kindness.
“It was such a small moment, but it really touched me,” he said. “Back home, people don’t always say encouraging things so openly. Here, I’ve learned that even a few kind words can make someone’s whole day.”
At Arboretum, Lee says he’s getting a second chance at education, not just learning how to make drinks, but how to connect, grow, and be part of a community.
Aseel/Darwish
When Aseel joined Arboretum’s apprenticeship program, she came to learn English and gain work experience. But along the way, a bigger dream began to form, and this year, she and her husband Darwish are launching their own Mediterranean food business: Sahtein.
They had the recipes. They had the drive. What they needed was space and people to believe in them. Dexter, a regular at Arboretum and director of FoCo Cafe, didn’t hesitate.
“When people come together and share resources, we can accomplish so much more than we could on our own,” Dexter said. “That kind of collaboration is what makes Fort Collins so special, and it’s what makes Arboretum so impactful.”
But it wasn’t just about space. Through Arboretum’s Entrepreneurship Pathway, we walked with Aseel and Darwish as they:
- Business planning
- Licensing and food safety
- Branding and menu development
- The dozens of decisions that come with launching something new
This is what systems of opportunity look like: rooted in dignity. watered by community. grown with practical support.
Sahtein isn’t just a dream, it’s the future already in bloom. And there are more stories waiting to be planted.
Allie
When Allie, a twenty-six year old from Haiti, moved to the U.S., she dreamed of becoming a CNA. She joined Arboretum’s apprenticeship program just a few months later, ready to work, but unsure how to take her next step.
Throughout the program, she practiced English with her mentor, learning the vocabulary and confidence she needed to pursue her dream.
Then, just two weeks before graduation, Allie lost her work authorization. She suddenly couldn’t work and didn’t know what would happen next. But she didn’t give up.
A donor stepped in to fund her CNA class. She studied hard, passed her certification exam, and this fall, with her authorization reinstated, she started a full-time healthcare job with benefits.
“Arboretum kept me going and got me here. I am so thankful. They are family.” — Allie
Her story is one of resilience, yes, but more than that, it’s a story about what blooms when someone is supported, seen, and believed in.
Sadji
When Sadji joined Arboretum’s apprenticeship program, she was facing more than just the challenge of learning a new job. She was experiencing homelessness. She had no family nearby. And yet, she showed up.
“I’m naturally a positive person,” she says. “I take life lightly, accept what comes, and let go of what needs to pass.”
But what happened at Arboretum wasn’t just survival, it was healing. It was joy.
“Arboretum is where I truly found connection, laughter, and hope again,” she shares. “It’s a place where your boss gives you a hug after a hard phone call and tells you it’ll be okay. Where your coworker becomes your friend, invites you over, and takes you dancing.”
Every day, apprentices like Sadji walk into Arboretum carrying a history and planting something new. And every day, this space helps hope take root.
“After losing almost everything, I found myself here,” she says. “Arboretum is more than a workplace. It’s a place of healing, love, and rebirth.
