Growing Champions in the Community

Last month we celebrated the anniversary of a remarkable partnership unlike any other, whose strength and dedication have forged a legacy of hope, promise, and joy. Its 20-year history has ignited the fire of achievement, inspiration, passion, and change within young minds and moved the hearts of some of Denver’s most iconic heroes. What began as a desire to better serve Denver’s youth in 2003, today the partnership between the Denver Broncos and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver is an exemplary model of community investment in action. In fact, I now see the model replicated at other franchises nationwide, like that of the Baltimore Ravens and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore or the Portland Blazers and Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metropolitan Area.

The special relationship between the Denver Broncos football team and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver has been truly remarkable. Over the last two decades, it has opened doors and ushered in opportunities for thousands of Club members. We have seen countless examples of, to quote Club Director Rich Barrows, “exceptional kids” who have grabbed hold of their own futures and reached their greatest potential during their hours, weeks, and years spent at the Club.

It began with an idea sparked from a deep commitment to Denver’s youth, and an opportunity to bring that idea to life. In 2003, Pat Bowlen was the owner of the Denver Broncos and a leader who brought a deep passion for helping kids and building community. He and his leadership team actively pursued any opportunity to ensure all kids and teens had access to every opportunity possible, without barriers. And, as a great steward of his resources and influence, Bowlen knew the entire Denver Broncos organization had a responsibility to catalyze and invest in the community. At that same time, Mayor Wellington Webb had identified the Montbello neighborhood as a community challenged with multiple needs gaps. Both leaders knew the importance of providing safe, inspirational opportunities for youth.

Investing in a Boys & Girls Club was a way for the Denver Broncos to bring their community vision to life by bringing opportunities and possibilities to hundreds of kids. When the announcement was made that the newly-created Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club was opening to kids across Montbello, Cindy Kellogg, former Senior Director of Community Development for the Broncos, shared, “This initiative is more than just writing a check. We could open the doors and immediately start impacting kids.” The players didn’t need any convincing; many were impacted by Boys & Girls Clubs themselves, and some had grown up in Montbello.

From the planning stages of the Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club through today, the Club’s leader has grown the Club and the kids in it right alongside the Denver Broncos. Rich Barrows has served as Club Director, mentor, community leader, and anchor in the Montbello community through hopeful and hard times. As a former Club kid himself, Rich had already dedicated decades of his life to Boys & Girls Clubs. As the Director of the Broncos Club, he doubled down on his resolve to serve kids he knew desperately needed a safe space to belong, be inspired, and grow.

From top left: Club Director Rich Barrows posing at the 20 Year Anniversary Celebration of Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club on August 25, 2023. Club Director Rich Barrows with Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club members at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, for Superbowl XLVIII in 2014. Club Director Rich Barrows addressing the crowd at the 20 Year Anniversary Celebration of Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club on August 25, 2023. Photo credits: Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver and DenverBroncos.com

While the Broncos’ five-year investment charted a course for the Club, Rich’s steady hand led the Club through beautiful and uncharted waters. Along the way, the commitment and enthusiasm of both organizations grew in countless ways, along with the partnership’s impact.

In 2008, the Darrent Williams Memorial Teen Center was dedicated as a way to better serve Montbello’s teens. Youth sought it out as a safe place to spend their time after school seeing friends; the frequent visits from Denver Broncos players kept them there. Over the years, the faces of NFL players late Demaryius Thomas [D.T.] and Broncos safety Justin Simmons became familiar. D.T. became a mentor to several members.

Beyond visiting the Club, the players, cheerleaders, and Broncos staff improved it. The team hosts Clubs from across the city each year at Empower Field at Mile High for Thuder's Annual Holiday Party and infuses outdoor activity with star power through their PLAY60 and Miles for Miles programs. Last year, Broncos safety Justin Simmons acknowledged Club members Nashara Ellerbee and Naja’Ray West with the NFL’s inaugural Inspire Change Changemaker Award for their work on the March for Peace in Montbello. Another member, Eunique Lee, grew a passion for customizing athletic shoes into a thriving business thanks to the recognition she received from leaders like Broncos General Manager, George Paton and Broncos Owner Dr. Condoleezza Rice, among others, who commissioned custom shoes for the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative.

When asked how they feel having stars in their midst, Club members are apt to respond with sentiment that the Broncos are just as much a part of the Club as its young members. As Naja’Ray West, a Broncos Club alumna says, “The players don’t expect any special treatment. They make sure to give us a voice. They’re one of us.”

The players’ frequent presence and genuine engagement not only show Club kids that success is within reach, it shows them that they matter – to their Club, their community, to their city, and to their heroes. It’s been one of the remarkable examples of the true partnership between the Denver Broncos and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver.

"Some of the most important relationships for kids, especially those who come from unstable homes, are those mentor relationships they receive in their adolescence," Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver CEO, Erin Porteous, says. "These become the siblings, the aunties and uncles, sometimes the full-blown kind of motherhood or fatherhood figure. To have that influence on a child really means a lot. And the fact that the Broncos so graciously allow players and coaching staff to play that mentor role to young people speaks volumes again beyond just the philanthropic support."

Despite the success of the Club, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver and the Denver Broncos sought more. They never wavered in their commitment to finding more opportunities to better the lives of Club members. What started as a five-year commitment to funding the Club developed into a broad and ongoing collaboration grounded by heartfelt connections and a deep, authentic commitment to the Montbello community and Denver’s kids. Beyond their investment in the Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club and their impact in the Montbello community, the Broncos have shown a steadfast commitment to kids and teens across all Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver through leadership on our Board of Directors and Associate Board. From 2010 – 2019, former Broncos President, Joe Ellis, sat on our Board. Then, in March 2019, Brittany Bowlen joined. Her deep commitment to our mission didn’t end with the passing of her father; she currently serves as Vice Chairwoman and is actively involved in governance. This legacy of leadership continues today with Damani Leech, the Broncos’ current President and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver’s most recently appointed Board member.

No one who is part of the Denver Broncos organization is doing any of this for personal gain. And yet, that they are deserving of accolades and recognition is broadly evident. In 2022 ESPN shone a light on the partnership at the ESPYs, awarding them the prestigious Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year Award. In particular, the organization was applauded for their immense donations of money and time, and for being the only professional football team in America to fully fund a Boys & Girls Club.

Since that opening day on a Thursday in 2003, the Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club has served over 15,000 kids and teens. Through their Clubhouse Champion sponsorship and the support they have provided in the form of over $8 million in financial and in-kind donations, volunteerism, community programming, and Board leadership, the Broncos have left an indelible imprint on this organization.

And, Carrie Walton-Penner announced the Broncos’ renewed, five-year commitment to Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver at an event celebrating our 20 years of partnership and the many more years of investment that will become part of the Denver Broncos and the Denver Broncos Foundation’s legacy. While Pat Bowlen has passed on, Broncos leadership has shifted over the years, and December 2023 marks the retirement of Rich Barrows, the legacy of the partnership will only strengthen. The many players and staff who have dedicated hours of mentorship, coaching, and joy helped build the monument of hope that is the Denver Broncos Boys & Girls Club – and their sights are ever-set on bigger, better things for Denver’s kids.

“The culture that my father instilled within the Broncos starts with the fact that people are his priority...My father would often say that the team was a public trust, and that’s how he approached his role and responsibility with the Denver Broncos. My parents view sports, particularly football, as catalysts for real positive change on individuals and communities. My father understood the tremendous emotional, financial and time investment fans put into the team. As a result, he believed in the great importance of continually doing sustainable work for the community.” - Brittany Bowlen, Vice Chairwoman of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver’s Board of Directors

20 Years of the Denver Broncos and Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver

“Winning defined my father’s ownership on the field, but the work he did off the field was equally as important.” - Brittany Bowlen

“All these young people that came through this program and at the end of the day, I know that’s what we wanted from it,” Kellogg said. “We wanted kids to reach their full potential, whatever that meant to them.”(2)

"That consistency in that neighborhood has been so important," Rich has said. "We might not have all the answers, but they know we care about them. They know we're going to be there.”

"This isn’t my Club; it’s my family.” - Naja'Ray

"Across the NFL, the partnership between the Denver Broncos and Boy & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver is one of the strongest. Their philanthropic commitment is a powerful force for good in our community," says Erin Porteous, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply