Joan Rogliano has spent 28 years selling residential real estate in the Denver metro area. Having weathered the trauma of a divorce more than a decade ago, she has a rare combination of financial/legal/real estate savvy. And from an empathetic place, she understands divorce’s pain, the fear for financial security and the concerns that all mothers have about their children’s futures. Over and over again, she found herself educating women about the choices they had regarding their homes and their finances. She was prompted to set up a focus group for women in transition, and from that initial input she began to hold workshops, classes, and gatherings in Denver. Soon after, she sought out a network of other professionals such as lenders, financial planners, and attorneys who could also help steer women through these challenging periods. As a result of this process, four years ago, Joan was inspired to form the Wildflower Group, and by doing so, tapped into something far more empowering than she’d ever envisioned. It is so powerful, in fact, that this year she and her colleagues created a foundation, Wildflower Women’s Foundation, to expand the work. On September 11th this year, the foundation held its first major event, “A Celebration of Women in Transition,” at the Denver Botanical Gardens. Emceed by broadcaster, motivational speaker, and former Bronco Reggie Rivers, and KOSI’s Jackie Selby, the sold-out event was a huge success – and that inspirational and positive day was just the beginning. Following the event the organization has been swamped with inquiries for assistance – mostly around financial needs and emotional support. Given that most of the women they serve have children, many of them are in pure survival mode. The next steps for the foundation are continued fundraising and applying for grants from other foundations to meet the short- and long-term goals of having funding to provide legal, financial and educational advocacy for women and their families.