2026 COLTAF Grantee Spotlight: Helping Coloradans Find Safety and Stability

When someone is facing abuse, violence, or another life-altering crisis, legal problems are often only one piece of a much larger challenge. Access to legal help, advocacy, and other supportive services can provide important tools as people make decisions about their safety and their future.

As our 2026 COLTAF Grantee Spotlight Series continues, we’re highlighting recipients of COLTAF’s Discretionary Grants and the many ways their work advances access to justice across Colorado.

Today, we’re featuring two organizations that help Coloradans navigate difficult circumstances and move toward greater safety and stability: the Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center and TESSA.

Since opening its doors in 2006, JAMLAC has grown from serving 96 clients in its first year to helping thousands of people annually. Through its legal services, the organization works toward communities where people have access to justice, can live free from abuse, and have the opportunity to thrive. 

TESSA

For nearly 50 years, TESSA has supported survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their families in the Pikes Peak region. What began as an information and referral service has grown into a multifaceted organization providing confidential shelter, victim advocacy, counseling and children’s programs, a 24/7 Safe Line, community outreach, and other resources.

Legal resources are one part of that comprehensive support. Alongside crisis intervention, advocacy, stable housing, and therapeutic services, access to legal help can give survivors additional tools as they navigate difficult decisions and work toward safety and well-being.

Supporting Safety, Dignity and Choice

JAMLAC and TESSA approach their work from different perspectives, but both recognize that people navigating difficult circumstances may need more than one kind of support.

Legal assistance can help someone understand their rights and options. Advocacy can help them navigate complex systems. Other resources can help address immediate needs and create greater stability. Together, these forms of support can give people more tools to make informed decisions about what comes next.

JAMLAC and TESSA are recipients of COLTAF’s 2026 Discretionary Grants, which support efforts to expand access to justice across Colorado. This year, COLTAF awarded a total of $1.247 million in Discretionary Grants to 10 organizations working to address legal needs and barriers to justice in communities across the state. 

Access to justice is a collaborative effort. COLTAF is grateful to the Prime Partner banks, lawyers, LLPs, and everyone who supports COLTAF’s mission.

Together, we are strengthening access to justice for all Coloradans.