Two Homes, One Goal: Collaboration for Kids

Heather spent nearly half of her life in active addiction. She had multiple child protection cases and was in and out of jail. Today Heather lives a life of active recovery and has over four years clean. She was able to regain custody of her oldest daughter after five years. Heather also reunified with her second child who was placed in foster care. Heather was a peer recovery coach and helped other parents find recovery and navigate legal cases. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology and working towards her CAT certification to become a licensed addiction counselor. Heather and her fiancé are raising three daughters with an amazing support system as they navigate recovery. She hopes to encourage other parents to create a circle of security for their children and build their village.

Natalei Shafer and her husband were licensed foster parents in Colorado for five years. They cared for five children and worked with four different counties. During that time, Natalei developed a passion for building healthy interactions between foster and biological parents. She is dedicated to sharing her experience with the complex emotions involved in supporting children and their families during and following the reunification process. Natalei spends her days raising three preschool aged children. She is excited to begin her new role as the Denver Ambassador for The Ambassador Project.