It’s possible that Mildred Gillespie may have known Judge Ira Rothgerber in her younger years. And she may even have supported the Denver Children’s Home.

"We wish that Mrs. Gillespie were here today so we could ask,” says Barbara Berv of The Denver Foundation’s Philanthropic Services Group. “We think she would be delighted to see how these pieces have come together.”

Gifts given through the legacies of both Judge Rothgerber and Mrs. Gillespie have recently supported Denver’s oldest nonprofit: Denver Children’s Home (DCH). This organization, founded more than 130 years ago, helps Colorado’s most vulnerable children and families cope with trauma, abuse, and neglect.

“Kids with mental illness need people to believe in them, to give them the resources to help them change their lives,” says Jerry Yager, Executive Director of DCH. The organization gives hope and healing to young people, most of whom come from families living in poverty, and have often been bypassed by other parts of the social services system. “It’s heartwarming to know that people who died before these children were born are helping DCH kids today.”

And if you keep tracing the outreach of Mrs. Gillespie’s legacy, you’ll find another of Denver’s oldest and most venerable organizations. Along with dozens of other Denver Foundation donors, Mrs. Gillespie’s legacy helps fund the Dumb Friends League, founded in 1910.