Suzie's Fundraiser: Building Gratitude Village

From Vision to Village

I didn’t set out to build a neighborhood — I was just looking for connection.

I never planned to build housing.

I was a mountaineer once — traveling the world, running an adventure travel company, chasing wild places and meaningful experiences.

Then everything changed.

My parents died.
My marriage ended.
I traded my business for a house — and started over as a single mom with a three-year-old.

I rebuilt my life. I went back to school, became a teacher, and later ran a math learning center. But over time, I began to feel how much of life I was carrying on my own.

It wasn’t the quiet — I’ve always loved quiet.

It was the lack of connection.

No one to call when I was running late.
No one to help with my daughter.
No one to share a meal or a hard day.

Just… doing it all alone.

Then I discovered cohousing. It felt like an answer — but I couldn’t find a place that fit our needs or that I could afford.

So I stayed where I was… and carried that longing.

Years later, in a new and unexpected chapter — retired earlier than planned — I found myself asking a deeper question:

What about my daughter?

She lives with me and faces her own challenges — anxiety, sensory sensitivities, and a natural introversion that can make connection hard. Her life, as an only child of a working single mom, has often been lonelier than I ever wanted for her.

And I know the reality her generation faces — homeownership may be out of reach for far longer than it was for mine.

I realized something I couldn’t ignore:

I don’t want her to be alone when I’m gone.
And I don’t want us to do life alone now.

So I started imagining something different.

That’s where Gratitude Village began.

Not as a project — but as a way forward.

A place where I can grow older with support beyond just her.
And a place where she is surrounded by people who know her, care about her, and will be there when I can’t be.

I’m not a developer. I’m someone who couldn’t find what she needed — and decided to help create it.

Because I don’t believe we’re meant to do life alone.

Gratitude Village is about more than housing. It’s about creating a new kind of neighborhood — one built on connection, sustainability, accessibility, and belonging.

If this resonates with you, your support can help bring this vision to life — not just for us, but for many others who are searching for the same thing.

Every gift moves us one step closer.

💛 How Your Donation Helps

Your support helps turn vision into reality.

Early contributions fund the critical groundwork needed to bring a community like Gratitude Village to life:

• Site feasibility studies
• Community design workshops
• Legal, engineering, and development support
• Accessibility and sustainability planning
• Outreach to future residents and partners

These are the essential first steps in creating a community that is inclusive, sustainable, and financially attainable.

🌱 Why This Matters

Gratitude Village is creating a new model for how we live — one where:

• Neighbors know and support each other
• Homes are sustainable and accessible
• People of all ages and backgrounds can truly belong

Your donation doesn’t just support one neighborhood — it helps prove a model that can be replicated across Colorado and beyond.

🌟 Suggested Donation Levels

$25 – Seeds of Community
Helps grow awareness and welcome new future residents

$50 – Growing the Village
Supports outreach and early planning

$100 – Designing the Future
Funds participatory design workshops

$250 – Building Momentum
Supports feasibility and professional guidance

$500 – From Vision to Village
Helps lay the foundation for development

$1,000+ – Village Builder
Accelerates land acquisition and community design

Every contribution — no matter the size — helps bring Gratitude Village to life.

Thank you for being part of the future!