About WOW : Mission & History

The Mission of Work Options for Women is to help impoverished women gain the skills and confidence they need to work their way out of poverty and become gainfully and permanently employed in the food service industry.

Consistent with this mission we assist women who are ending their dependence on welfare, particularly those who are threatened by lifelong poverty and homelessness.

A Quick History
WOW was founded in 1996 when federal legislation, aimed at reducing welfare rolls, made it clear that without a successful job-training program hundreds of Denver-area women and their children would become homeless. When WOW was founded, there were no programs in the city capable of bridging the gap between the federal requirements and the lack of realistic job opportunities for women with no job skills. In 1997 WOW began its job-training and job placement services in offices and a kitchen located at the Archdiocese of Denver. WOW relocated into larger spaces in 1999 when the program was offered a concessionaire contract with the City of Denver at the Richard T. Castro Human Services Center.

Due to the success of and demand for the WOW Program, the WOW Board of Directors decided the time had come to increase organizational capacity. In 2009, expansion was realized through the opening of Café Options, a fast-casual breakfast and lunch restaurant which also operates as the second training facility. The restaurant officially opened on April 2, 2009 in the U.S. Bank Tower on Curtis Street between the 16th Street Mall and 17th Street.

WOW is currently entering a new phase in its development. WOW founder Toni Schmid resigned as Executive Director effective November 2009. Under Toni’s leadership, WOW trained and placed over 250 women in cooking and food service positions. WOW was able to look inward to find a qualified, experienced and dedicated new Executive Director in Catherine Henry. Catherine has worked with WOW on all levels, including as a volunteer, as Director of Operations to open Café Options, and as a Board Member. She brings extensive management, operations, financial and marketing expertise to WOW in the food service industry as well as experience in both non-profit management and development.

After twelve years of service, WOW remains the only comprehensive job-training program in the Denver area with a consistent track record of helping women attain marketable skills, take control of family and life challenges, and secure permanent employment.