A warmer, safer home for women rebuilding their lives

For nearly 30 years, the WWD house in Denver has served Ananda Marga in many ways. Built in 1891 and purchased by MahaJyoti (MJ Glassman) in the 1990s, it first became home to an Ananda Marga Neo-Humanistic school - "Morning Star" - one of Denver’s successful preschools for nearly three decades. The ground floor was filled with children, while the upper floors provided affordable housing for women facing financial hardship.

Today, this same house continues its service as a WWD (Women’s Welfare Department) Jagrti (Ashram). It provides affordable housing, personal support, spiritual practice, classes, and retreats. Most importantly, it offers a safe, respectful, and quiet home for women during times of transition, women working toward greater financial stability, and women who need an affordable and supportive place to live.

I am raising funds for an important improvement before I leave the USA: replacing six old windows in the women’s living area.

These are original sash windows from 1891: single-pane, poorly sealed, and difficult to open. During Denver’s extended cold spell last winter, when temperatures remained below zero for several consecutive days, one of the women living in the house experienced extreme cold in her apartment. We added thicker curtains and two additional heaters, but the old windows still made it difficult to keep the rooms warm and comfortable.

Replacing these windows will do much more than improve a building. It will provide a warmer, healthier, and more secure home for the women who live here—not only this winter, but for many years to come.

The total cost to replace all six windows is $7,000.

Why this house matters

Over the years, this house has touched many lives. Hundreds of children received a Neo-Humanistic education here, and many parents were introduced to P.R.Sarkar's (Baba) philosophy through the school.

It has also provided a safe and affordable home for women facing financial hardship, housing insecurity, or major life transitions, as well as women who simply need a respectful, supportive, and affordable place to live.

A stable home can give a woman the breathing room she needs to pursue work, strengthen her financial security, build confidence, and move forward with dignity. When women are able to leave this home stronger and more stable, they are better prepared to participate fully in their communities and contribute to society.

Today, the Denver house is one of the few WWD Jagrtis (Ashram) in the USA. It remains an important part of our Mission: a home and working space connected with the service of female Acaryas (Didis), and a respectful place where women can live while rebuilding their lives or working toward greater stability.

Most improvements to this house have been funded directly through the project itself. Every available dollar has gone back into maintaining, repairing, and improving the property. However, replacing six windows at once is a major expense that the project cannot cover on its own.

My connection to this house

I have lived in the Denver WWD Jagrti for almost four years. Since arriving, I have poured my heart into making this building safer, warmer, more functional, and more welcoming.

Together with Didi Ananda Aparajiita, I have worked on countless projects: repairing the fence, building a new bathroom, upgrading the kitchen, planting gardens, sealing out a squirrel invasion, repairing the gutters, building two walls with doors, and completing many other improvements. Some may not be visible at first glance, but each one has made a real difference in the daily life of the women who live here.

Baba gave me the opportunity to dedicate my time and energy to this house, and I have tried to do so with all my heart.

Because of visa requirements, I will be leaving the USA in January 2027. Before I go, I hope to leave this house more prepared for the sisters and women who will call it home in the future: warmer in winter, more comfortable every day, and better able to continue its service for years ahead.

The window project

The contractor’s quote from Centennial Home Improvements in Denver is $7,900. They have generously offered a $900 discount, bringing the total project cost to $7,000.

The project includes:

Removal and disposal of all six old windows

Installation of six custom-built Anlin Catalina Series replacement windows

Energy-efficient insulating glass filled with argon gas

Reinforced white vinyl frames and heavy-duty locks

Tempered glass for the bathroom window

Caulking, sealing, expanding-foam insulation, and trim

Anlin’s lifetime transferable warranty

The contractor requires a $2,300 deposit to begin, with the remaining $4,700 due upon completion. Installation is expected approximately five to six weeks after final measurements, and the installation itself should take about one day.

I plan to make a final decision at the end of October, based on the amount raised, so that we can replace the greatest possible number of the most urgently needed windows.

What your gift makes possible

Your gift will create a permanent improvement in the women’s living space. Better-insulated windows will reduce drafts, make the rooms easier to heat, and give the women who live here a warmer and more comfortable home for years to come.

$50 contributes to weather-sealing, insulation, and caulking

$100 supports finishing work, trim, and hardware

$200 makes a meaningful contribution toward an energy-efficient replacement window

$600 brings one window significantly closer to replacement

$1,200 covers a major portion of one window replacement

$1,500 covers approximately one full large-window replacement

$7,000 replaces all six windows and creates a lasting improvement for the women’s housing

If the full $7,000 goal is not reached, every contribution will still go toward the window project, beginning with the windows that need replacement most urgently.

If more than $7,000 is raised, additional funds will be used for other essential improvements to this Ananda Marga property, including basement waterproofing, repair and painting of the main entrance walls, and replacement of an undersized refrigerator in one of the units.

A lasting gift to this place of service

This house has served Baba’s Mission for decades. A contribution to this project is not simply a response to one winter’s cold; it is an investment in a lasting, dignified home for women who need safety, stability, or affordable housing.

Your gift will keep women warmer through Denver winters for years to come. It will strengthen a place where women can regain stability, pursue new opportunities, and move toward independent, contributing lives.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being part of this meaningful improvement.

If you are unable to contribute financially, sharing this fundraiser with Ananda Margiis, friends, and well-wishers is another valuable way to support this enduring work.

Together, we can preserve this house as a warm and welcoming place of service for the women who need it now and those who will come after them.

Where the funds go

Funds raised through this campaign will go to Ananda Marga Inc.

I, Avadhutika Ananda Kalyanmitra Acarya, will oversee the use of the funds specifically for the six-window replacement project in the women’s housing area and, if additional funds are raised, the other essential building improvements described above.