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Compassion.
The Story Of
Compound of Compassion
Compound of Compassion (The Compound) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Shana Shaw in March 2018 in Aurora, Colorado. Our mission is to provide affordable housing and support services for individuals experiencing homelessness, with a special focus on youth and young adults up to 26 years of age, an often-overlooked group in need of resources and guidance. By creating safe havens for diverse communities, we aim to foster environments where everyone can thrive, building a healthy, people-driven community.
Our Mission
The Heart of Our Work
Over the last few years, our organization operated on a mentorship model rooted in the belief that individuals who have overcome challenges are uniquely equipped to guide others through similar journeys. As The Compound grew, it became a safe, supportive space for diverse communities, offering wellness initiatives for single mothers and striving youth.
Compassion in Action
Introducing Our Programs
Our programs are designed to meet real needs and spark lasting change. Each one offers practical ways for you to engage, grow, and make a difference.
Safe Zone
Safe Zone is a youth-led community initiative designed to create safe and supportive environments for young people. Through peer-to-peer leadership, Safe Zone provides engaging activities, access to essential resources, and opportunities for youth to develop life skills in a positive setting. The program not only offers a safe space away from violence and negative influences, but also empowers participants to take ownership of their community by leading and shaping events.
By collaborating with local organizations and agencies, Safe Zone bridges youth with critical support systems while fostering leadership, resilience, and community connection. The initiative prioritizes inclusivity and accessibility, ensuring that all youth feel welcomed, valued, and equipped with tools to grow personally and socially.
Safe Zone Shut In
Safe Zone Shut-In is an annual New Year’s Eve overnight event that provides youth with a safe, engaging, and supportive environment to celebrate the holiday. Building on the core principles of Safe Zone, the Shut-In combines fun activities with access to essential resources, community partner support, and opportunities for peer-to-peer leadership.
By offering an alternative to unsafe or high-risk environments on one of the most vulnerable nights of the year, Safe Zone Shut-In creates a space for young people to celebrate responsibly, connect with positive mentors, and start the new year on a foundation of safety, empowerment, and community.
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Y.A.M.S.
Young Aspiring Mother Support
Y.A.M.S is our women’s wellness program. Its purpose is to inspire women to live fulfilled lives from the inside out. To do this, we provide a safe place to share personal desires and concerns regarding well-being and offer innovative solutions on how to move past trauma.
- HIV & STD testing (Texas Only)
- Life Skills
- Breast & Self Pelvic Exams
- V is for Vagina Series
- MS & Lupus Awareness
- Overcoming Depression
- Ladies Night
- Parenting Classes
- Time Management
- Stress Management
- Career Planning
- W.R.A.P (Well Recovery Action Plan)
Youth Thrive for Youth
The Youth Thrive Framework, developed by the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), is grounded in research on resilience, positive youth development, neuroscience, and trauma. It identifies what reduces the impact of adverse life experiences and what increases the likelihood of healthy development, healing, and overall well-being for youth. The framework applies to youth and young adults ages 9–26 and emphasizes five core Protective and Promotive Factors that enable them to thrive:
Youth Resilience
Building the ability to manage stress and overcome adversity.
Social Connections
Developing healthy, sustained relationships that create belonging, trust, and purpose.
Knowledge of Adolescent Development
Understanding the unique changes and assets of adolescence to guide supportive practices.
Concrete Support in Times of Need
Ensuring access to quality, equitable services for basic needs while teaching advocacy and self-reliance.
Cognitive and Social-Emotional Competence
Cultivating skills and attitudes essential for independence, positive identity, and satisfying adulthood.
The Youth Thrive Theory of Change illustrates this process through the metaphor of a garden, emphasizing how nurturing environments and strong protective factors help young people grow and thrive while reducing risks.
As a community partner, Compound of Compassion facilitates Youth Thrive–based trainings for youth and young adults ages 14–26. Through these programs, Compound of Compassion equips participants with the tools, support, and opportunities to build resilience, strengthen connections, and create pathways toward independence, healing, and long-term success.
Acu Detox & Wellness
Acu Detox, also known as the NADA (National Acupuncture Detoxification Association) protocol, is a state-certified holistic wellness practice overseen by the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). Offered in partnership with Natural Highs (Boulder, CO) and Compound of Compassion, this program provides ear acupuncture sessions that support stress reduction, emotional regulation, improved sleep, and recovery from trauma or substance use.
Accessible to all ages—as long as participants are cognitively aware and able to understand the process—Acu Detox is designed to promote relaxation, healing, and long-term well-being. By integrating this evidence-based wellness practice into community programming, Compound of Compassion expands access to nontraditional, yet highly effective, tools for resilience and self-care.
Through this collaboration, Acu Detox/Wellness becomes not just an individual healing practice, but also a community empowerment tool, helping participants release tension, build healthier coping strategies, and restore balance in their lives.
Girlz with Altitude
In life, like in flight, balancing negative (gravity, drag) and positive (lift, thrust) forces leads to progress. Just as a plane needs gravity and drag for flight, challenges contribute to life’s forward motion. Our inner thrust, our resilience, propels us through trauma, lifting us above life’s obstacles.
Lift
Upward force from air movement
Gravity
Pulling objects downward
Drag
Air resistance slowing the plane
Thrust
Forward force from the engine
In life, like in flight, balancing negative (gravity, drag) and positive (lift, thrust) forces leads to progress. Just as a plane needs gravity and drag for flight, challenges contribute to life’s forward motion. Our inner thrust, our resilience, propels us through trauma, lifting us above life’s obstacles.
By learning to First Love Yourself (FLY),
we gain the courage and strength to transcend adversity, shaping us into our true selves. This transformation empowers us to show up differently in our community. Our inner drive, akin to an engine, propels us beyond trauma, lifting us to soar above life’s obstacles.
Learning to First Love Yourself (FLY) empowers us to appear in a distinct manner, fostering courage and strength in our community. “Girls with Altitude” guides young women on how to FLY, aiming to reshape their self-perception and initiate the healing of inner wounds as they look in the mirror.
Girls with Altitude empowers young women to soar. Our three-part program focuses on self-esteem, mental health, and college/career readiness, offering mentorship, goal setting, and paid peer support training. With alarming statistics showing the rise in juvenile arrests and mental health issues among young females. Our mission is to meet weekly for 25 weeks, addressing their holistic well-being and providing education and career readiness. Through this journey, we aim to instill hope, pride, and a new perspective for a promising future.