Barbara Burns

Barbara was adopted at three days old by wonderful parents who gave her everything she needed growing up. Like many people, she faced challenges in her teens and early adulthood that led to a difficult period. During that time, Barbara experienced homelessness and spent time moving between campsites with her partner. However, the beginning of a new chapter started when she came to Union Station Homeless Services (USHS) as a client. 

After completing a treatment program at Casa de Las Amigas, Barbara started volunteering at Grandview and was eventually hired as the intake coordinator. She worked a few other jobs along the way before returning to USHS, where she began as an on-call resident advisor. Over the years, Barbara’s held a variety of positions there and has been proud to serve the organization for 17 years.

These days, Barbara loves spending time with her daughter Sarah and her granddaughter Livy—especially hanging up Livy’s artwork around the house. She doesn’t see her son as often as she’d like, but he’s always in her thoughts. At home, Barbara’s pets keep her entertained—her dogs run wild in the yard, and the cats love to stir things up. Watching them all together brings her a lot of joy.