CCU and Show Hope Partner to Support Adoption and Families
Hope Begins at Home fundraiser generates $40,000 for Show Hope; ongoing partnership provides adoption assistance for eligible CCU employees
LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Colorado Christian University hosted Hope Begins at Home, a special evening fundraiser on October 4, 2026, in support of Show Hope, a Christian nonprofit founded by Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman that helps families overcome financial and medical barriers to adoption. The event, held in collaboration with Valor Christian High School, generated $40,000 in net proceeds to support Show Hope’s work.
The gathering also highlighted an ongoing partnership between CCU and Show Hope that provides financial assistance for eligible University employees pursuing adoption.
Held at A Bit of Heaven Ranch in Sedalia, Colorado, the evening brought supporters together for an al fresco dinner, fellowship, and an intimate acoustic performance by Steven Curtis Chapman.
The Chapmans founded Show Hope in 2003 after their own family’s experience with adoption inspired them to help other families welcome children into their homes. Through Adoption Aid, as well as Medical Care grants and resources that support families on the adoption journey, Show Hope helps address challenges that can stand between children and the love and permanency of a family.
“Steven and Mary Beth have been dear friends of Colorado Christian University, and I am deeply grateful for their faithful commitment to children and families,” said CCU President Eric Hogue. “Through Show Hope, they have turned their own family’s experience with adoption into a ministry that helps others welcome children into loving homes. We are thankful to partner with them, both through the generosity of those who gathered for Hope Begins at Home and through meaningful assistance for CCU employees pursuing adoption. This is a tangible expression of our Christian faith and our commitment to impacting our culture in support of the sanctity of life.”
Through its employee adoption benefit, CCU provides $5,000 in assistance to eligible employees who are seeking to adopt. Show Hope then pledges additional support to those qualified CCU families in combined assistance to help address the financial costs of adoption.
Show Hope also offers Medical Care grants that can help eligible adoptive families cover medical care and equipment expenses for their children. These grants provide another potential source of support for CCU employees adopting children with substantial medical needs, extending assistance beyond the adoption process itself.
“We are grateful to CCU Trustee Fred Lautenbach, his wife Lorie, and their entire family for opening their ranch and welcoming our guests with such generosity,” Hogue said. “Their hospitality helped make this evening possible, and we thank everyone who supported Show Hope’s work.”
The fundraiser and ongoing employee assistance reflect CCU and Show Hope’s shared commitment to supporting adoptive families and helping children find loving, permanent homes, and our commitment to impacting our culture in support of the sanctity of life.
About Colorado Christian University
Founded in 1914, Colorado Christian University is the flagship Christian university in the Rocky Mountain region. Located in Lakewood, Colorado, a suburb of Denver, CCU serves more than 17,000 students through its College of Undergraduate Studies, College of Adult and Graduate Studies and CCU Academy, offering more than 200 academic program options on its traditional campus, online, and through dual enrollment programs. Recognized among the top two percent of colleges nationwide for its core curriculum by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, CCU is committed to Christ-centered higher education that transforms students to impact the world with grace and truth. CCU competes in NCAA Division II athletics as a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
About Show Hope
Founded in 2003 by Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman, Show Hope is a Christian nonprofit organization that exists to care for children who have been orphaned by engaging the Church and reducing barriers to adoption. Through grants that help cover adoption and medical costs, education for prospective adoptive parents, and ongoing resources and community for adoptive families, Show Hope helps children enter loving, permanent homes and supports families throughout their adoption journeys. Learn more at showhope.org.