Callie’s Backyard Foundation was initially founded in 2009. The initial focus was the creation of a Federal Task Force to combat sex trafficking. In 2010, founder Jackie Long galvanized Denver Metro organizations, Denver police department & FBI, lawmakers, and government leaders to create Colorado’s first sex trafficking task force, now known as the FBI Rocky Mountain Innocence Lost Task Force. This task force has rescued more than 300 young people from trafficking rings in the last 3 years, 2013-2016.

Clearly, the issues of sex trafficking, homelessness and addiction go hand-in-hand, and the mission of Callie’s Backyard Foundation is to address this triage of issues. In addition to funding the initial sex trafficking task force, Callie’s Backyard has also provided substantial funding for local non-profits such as Attention Homes, Save Our Youth, and Urban Peak.
Following Callie’s death in Dec. of 2013, Callie’s Backyard Foundation reorganized and relaunched in 2015. One of the greatest operational changes has been the evolution from a single major donor to a community wide donor effort to address the 3 issues of Sex Trafficking, Homelessness, and Addiction.

Callie’s Backyard launched our first food delivery van in September of 2016, delivering free sandwiches and resource information cards for direct and indirect help to homeless youth. Food connects! Callie’s Backyard Foundation has also gone full circle in our efforts – we now hire homeless youth to make and deliver sandwiches, allowing them to transition into the workforce to find their balance and value in society.