Shelley Jensen

Founder of We Fortify 501(c)3, wife, mother, urban farmer and aficionado of all things food, sport & philanthropy.

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

@naturalwarrior Protocol

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

@505Cali2 Yes

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

What does it cost to live in Colorado Springs these days?
The National Low Income Housing Coalition's latest Out of Reach report puts some pretty staggering numbers behind a question many of us are already feeling.
In Colorado, a minimum wage worker would need to work 80 hours a week to afford a modest one bedroom rental at Fair Market Rent. The hourly “housing wage” for that same apartment is $30.47.
We don't just want to talk about the housing problem; we want to build part of the solution!nistrative staff and other essential members of our workforce are feeling the growing gap between what it costs to live here and what people earn.

Read the full Colorado data from NLIHC → https://t.co/RW4zzmR6J0
This is exactly why we created the Noble Division at We Fortify.
Our goal is to build beautiful, dignified communities that provide workforce housing for the people who make our communities work.

Our first project in this division is Wendy's Village, a workforce housing community we're developing in partnership with Harrison School District 2 specifically for District 2 staff members.
Harrison D2 has provided the land. Now we're working to fund the construction and bring this community to life.
We don't just want to talk about the housing problem, we want to build part of the solution!
Wendy's Village is the beginning of that work, and we're looking for the people who want to help us make it happen.
If you're interested in helping bring Wendy's Village to life, I'd love to connect.

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

@drsteele56 Brain nation

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

What a day! We're still smiling after our Annual Serve to Serve Pickleball Tournament on Saturday.
It was so much fun seeing our community come together for a day of friendly competition and to support We Fortify's mission.
We are so thankful for everyone who played, volunteered, sponsored, donated, or helped make the day happen! We sold out the tournament, raised critical support for dignified housing for young adults, and had an absolute blast doing it. Already looking forward to next year!

If you missed the tournament, I hope you'll join us for Gala, Not Gala on November 21! https://t.co/ARAi8rRR8W

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

Registration launched today for our biggest event of the year, and I couldn't be more excited to share it!

On Saturday, November 21st, we're following the call of the disco ball once again for our Annual Gala Not Gala. Last year's 70s disco theme was so much fun we had to bring it back again this year, this time at Hotel Polaris!

We'll celebrate everything our community has built together, from growth at Wendy's Village to young adults stepping into careers through our Elevate Villages.

Early bird pricing is live now through August 3rd!

I also want to speak directly to the leaders and changemakers here. We are actively seeking sponsors for this year's gala, and partnering with us is a meaningful way to put your name behind a movement reshaping generational poverty into generational opportunity. Reach out to Claire Franco at [email protected] if that's a conversation you'd like to have!

The Power of We is how we build villages, launch careers, and rewrite futures. I hope you'll join us! Register today: https://t.co/gGdCjGviml

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

We are counting down the days to our Pickleball Tournament! Serve to Serve is not your average pickleball tournament! It's team based, community driven, and 100% for a cause, supporting our Elevate Villages and the 18–25 year olds we serve.

Visit https://t.co/I8tVU3J9Qd to register for Serve to Serve on August 1 ✨

Watch this fun video our team put together, and get your team together and register today!

https://t.co/uppPZ95hdR

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

@OurHealthNest Yes

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

One month from today, Colorado Springs is showing up for our young adults in a big way.

Serve to Serve is our pickleball tournament benefiting our Working Fusion Village and I could not be more excited for August 1st. Every team that registers is showing up for 18 to 25 year olds at risk of homelessness who need a community in their corner. That is exactly what we are building!

If you are still deciding, the amazing Claire Franco made the funniest, easiest walkthrough of how to register. A few minutes and you will be signed up and laughing the whole time!

Tap here to watch: https://t.co/Xcwg4LD7zE

Sessions are filling by skill level, and each one only holds 4 teams. Registration closes July 22nd, sooner if we sell out! So grab your friends and let's fill that court!

Register here: https://t.co/X2AdHq72Jk

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

In 2024, Colorado Springs was named the most neighborly city in America. We believe it, because we've seen it.

Seven neighbors visited Working Fusion Village, asked hard questions, and left with a shared mission. They gave different amounts of what they could, and together, they raised $150,000 to sponsor a home in Wendy's Village!
And thanks to Colorado's tax credit program, each of them received a 25% state tax credit on their gift.
The POWER OF WE is what happens when we gather together for a cause!

Your group might be a book club, a congregation, an HOA, a professional association, or a company team. We all belong to communities that could change lives!

A home in Wendy's Village costs $150,000 to sponsor. This could look like:

- 15 people giving $10,000 = one home, fully funded

- 10 people giving $125/month = one home funded in 12 months

- 25 people giving $50/month = one home funded in 12 months
⁠
Showing up, sharing, and being a city of change makers is a powerful thing. ⁠
https://t.co/I8tVU3J9Qd

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

@ShredHappens Thank you for putting your recipes in your post. It makes life so much easier.

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

This isn't your average pickleball tournament! ✨ We can’t wait to see you on August 1! Our Annual Serve to Serve Pickleball Tournament is team based, community driven, and 100% for a cause supporting our Elevate Villages and the individuals we serve.

Grab your pickle pals and sign up before we sell out at https://t.co/ARAi8rRR8W!

https://t.co/hjA3Igm5FY

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

At We Fortify, we often get asked: how does this all work? How do you sustain a mission this big?

The answer is in the design! We build through two divisions that are separate in purpose but deeply connected for impact and balance.

Elevate Villages exist to walk alongside young adults rising out of poverty, with safe dignified housing, trauma-informed care, life skills education, and real career placement. These are our missional villages, currently changing lives with full wraparound support toward independence and a future they're proud of!

Noble Villages are built for the public servants who pour themselves out for our communities every day, like teachers, nurses, and firefighters. These folks show up for everyone else, often while quietly struggling to afford to live near the communities they serve. Noble Villages give them a dignified, affordable place to land so they can stay focused on their calling.

Here's what makes the model so powerful: Noble Villages generate revenue that helps fund Elevate programming. These two divisions aren't just parallel efforts, they fuel each other, creating sustainable, compounding impact over time and growing stronger with every resident who walks through the door.
We truly believe this is what systems change looks like, and we're moving forward with blueprints, not band-aids!

And we have some very exciting news coming soon about our first Noble Village, so join our email list and don't miss it! https://t.co/I8tVU3J9Qd

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

The Serve to Serve Pickleball Tournament is less than two months away, and we're gearing up for one of our favorite events of the year!
Every team, sponsor, and supporter helps further We Fortify's mission of creating dignified, affordable communities for young adults exiting homelessness through our Elevate Villages program.

We're currently looking for teams, sponsors, and community partners to join us. If you're a business owner, community leader, or someone who believes in investing locally to create lasting change, we'd love to connect. Sponsorship opportunities are available, and we're also seeking prize and swag bag donations from local businesses.

And before you scroll by, do yourself a favor and watch the Pickle Smashers video below! Our team put so much creativity, energy, and heart into it, and it's guaranteed to give you a laugh. The reigning legends are back and ready to defend their title!

https://t.co/QjdB0S3KKM

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

Early Bird Pricing Ends May 31! Serve to Serve is team based, community driven, and 100% for a cause, supporting our Elevate Villages, and the 18–25 year olds we serve.  We have two sessions (morning & afternoon), each with 20 teams across all skill levels. Pick your preferred time and register fast, spots fill up quickly! Join us on August 1st! https://t.co/X2AdHq72Jk

Want to sponsor Serve to Serve?
We’re currently looking for community minded businesses and partners to help make this year’s tournament possible! Sponsorships directly support We Fortify’s mission of building dignified, affordable communities for young adults exiting homelessness here in Colorado Springs, while also putting your business in front of players, families, and local supporters throughout the event. We’d love to connect with you! Reach out to Claire at [email protected]!

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

Just one more week to get early bird registration for our Annual Serve to Serve Pickleball Tournament on August 1st!

All skill levels are welcome, and whether you come with a full team or sign up solo, you’ll be part of so much more than just a game!

At We Fortify, we serve 18–25 year olds through our Elevate Villages, and events like this directly support that work. It’s easy to call it “just a tournament,” but it’s really a reflection of The Power of We.
We’d love to see you on the court!
https://t.co/X2AdHq72Jk

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

Save the date 🪩✨
Our annual Gala, Not Gala is back, and we can’t wait to celebrate with the incredible community that makes the work of possible!

Due to a scheduling adjustment with Hotel Polaris, our event has been moved to Saturday, November 21, 2026. We know many of you planned around the original date, and we’re deeply grateful for your flexibility and continued support.

This year, we invite you to “Follow the Call of the Disco Ball” for an evening celebrating community, connection, and the life-changing impact happening every day through We Fortify — all with a fun 70s disco twist. ✨

🗓 Saturday, November 21, 2026
📍 Hotel Polaris
⏰ 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
✨ Attire: Disco Cocktail
Tickets launch in July with Early Bird pricing. Until then… it might be time to start planning that groovy outfit. 💫

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

Every day at the Working Fusion Village, we’re reminded that when people are given stability, support, and community, incredible things unfold!

Recently, one of our residents earned a promotion at work and was accepted into a university computer science program. We're celebrating this huge milestone and their determination.

Another resident bravely shared the need to slow down and prioritize rest, and through a partnership with Ashley Cornelius and her Destination Rest workshop, they were able to gain more insight and renew their understanding that rest is not weakness!

We’ve also seen beautiful new connections form within our community, including a resident and volunteer who bonded over books, growth, and confidence building, and now plan to meet weekly!

These moments may seem simple but they represent healing, momentum, belonging, and hope! Our residents have always carried the grit and potential within them, they simply needed the space and support to thrive.

Every mentor, donor, volunteer, and supporter plays a role in creating lasting, generational impact, and we are deeply grateful to everyone walking alongside our residents on their journey. This is the Power of We in action!

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

One of the greatest untapped forces in our community isn't a policy or a program, it's you!
The challenges in our community are real, but so is the momentum of people doing something about them.

We Fortify exists because of that momentum: We build villages where young adults find stable housing and a real path forward, and where teachers, nurses, and first responders can afford to live in the communities they serve.

We couldn't do any of it without people like you in our corner, and we'd love for you to get involved! Come to one of our events, like our Pickleball Tournament in August, or our Gala Not Gala in November. See what's being built and feel what's possible when our community shows up together!

Our mission is to create positive and compounding generational shift. One person, one village, one community at a time.

The Power of We is how we get this done!

https://t.co/I8tVU3J9Qd

[Shelley Jensen @shellsjensen]

Registration is officially OPEN for our Annual Serve to Serve Pickleball Tournament on August 1st!

All skill levels are welcome, and whether you come with a full team or sign up solo, you’ll be part of so much more than just a game.
At We Fortify, we serve 18–25 year olds through our Elevate Villages, and events like this directly support that work. It’s easy to call it “just a tournament,” but it’s really a reflection of The Power of We!

We’d love to see you on the court! Early bird registration is now live, and registration fills up quickly: https://t.co/X2AdHq72Jk