Hearts on Early Childhood: This is What LOVE Looks Like

A Message from our CEO

As we reflect on last month – a time filled with hearts, love, and perhaps a few pieces of chocolate – it’s pretty clear to see what love has looked like through our eyes at United Way of Larimer County.

Love was over 1,000 people showing up at our 17th annual WomenGive Luncheon supporting single mothers, their pursuits of higher education, and surrounding their families with love and care. Love was opening up the Larimer Child Care Fund for another round of scholarships for families across Larimer County to access quality, licensed early care and education for their children while they work, attend school or just catch their breath as grandparents raising grandchildren full-time. Love was watching our friends at the Early Childhood Council of Larimer County roll out Universal PreK and help hundreds of families begin to navigate that system.

Love was and remains leveraging our role as convener, idea incubator, and fundraiser for some exciting developments on the horizon for children, youth, and families in Larimer County. Love helped us create a coalition of all nonprofit early childhood and out of school youth providers in Larimer County to tackle the challenges of care for our community’s littlest learners and our youth who need quality enrichment and learning when school is not in session. We are all committed to playing better together than ever before because this is what love looks like: all of us passionate about advancing outcomes for children and families, figuring out what we each do best, and getting to work. 

As the seasons change and the grass peeks through the remaining patches of snow, we hope you’ll lean in with us at United Way of Larimer County as we do the heavy lift of fundraising, policy advocacy, and bringing our community together.

With deep gratitude for your commitment to our local community,

Deirdre Sullivan