August 13, 2024
From Jess Ervin-Adkins
Want to improve our social safety net systems? Start by listening to the families who receive public benefits, says Jess Ervin-Adkins, who solicits feedback for our MyFriendBen benefits screening tool on a weekly basis.
We unlock more joy for kids and families in our communities when we decrease the economic burdens our systems place on them
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In 2023, we consistently saw change happen at the intersection of business, impact investing, philanthropy, policy and new ventures, which is how Gary Community Ventures is designed to operate
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Download the ASSEMBLE100 Report to explore evidence-based strategies for combining social impact with financial returns through ownership investing.
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MagicSchool AI is the edtech solution that could “finally give teachers a chance to have a lunch break.”
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“For any funders looking at this wondering if this is something that really makes sense for us as investors, I’m here to tell you: ownership has arrived and it is a very important part of impact investing.” – Jim Sorenson
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MyFriendBen was awarded grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to deepen the impact of the tool and expand the screener to other states.
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$900,000 in grant funding distributed towards support for multilingual learners and increasing family affordability through tax credits.
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Since 2022, Denver’s SIPPRA program has secured 29,459 days of housing for participants.
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Colorado has unique opportunity to design a coordinated system that meets the needs of kids and families before they fall into crisis.
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If you live in Denver, you could be saving thousands on vital preschool services every year.
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Want to improve the social safety net? Start by listening.
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9News: My Spark is a program that gives kids an opportunity to experience activities they normally would not have access to.
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As we listen with humility to our community, partners, and each other, we learn together to drive action that guarantees School Readiness, drives Youth Success, and stimulates Family Economic Mobility. Whether we’re leveraging impact investments, grants, new ventures or Policy and advocacy, we dare to be bold, working urgently with our community and partners to deliver a future where all Colorado kids can grow up healthy and reach their full potential.
Learn more about the breakthrough solutions below that are reshaping the arc of opportunity for kids and families in Colorado.
Outcome Area:
Family Economic Mobility
Approach: Grantmaking
Preventing mass evictions and homelessness during and after the pandemic.
Outcome Area: School Readiness
Approach: New Ventures
Providing free childcare to essential workers during the pandemic.
Outcome Area:
Family Economic Mobility
Approach: Policy & Advocacy
Protecting teachers, first responders and small businesses during the pandemic.
Outcome Area: Youth Success
Approach: Grantmaking
Helping academic institutions rebound from the COVID crisis and create equitable innovations to improve student learning.
Outcome Areas:
School Readiness & Youth Success
Approach: New Ventures
Creating safe schools for students, teachers and staff during the pandemic.
Outcome Area: School Readiness
Approach: Policy & Advocacy
Building a coalition to expand free preschool to every 4-year-old.
Outcome Area:
Family Economic Mobility
Approach: Impact Investing
Helping workers of color own their own futures.
Outcome Area:
Family Economic Mobility
Approach: New Ventures
Leveraging valuable real estate to create equitable communities in Colorado.
Outcome Area: School Readiness
Approach: Policy & Advocacy
Pioneering childhood education in Colorado.
Outcome Area: School Readiness
Approach: Impact Investing
Creating the largest, most detailed pipeline of global education technology companies.
Outcome Area: Family Economic Mobility
Approach: New Ventures
Increasing access to free tax preparation services and tax credits for families.
Discover New Possibilities
Together, we will create the change our community wants to see. Whether you want to discover more about our ventures, or connect with a member of our team, we want to hear from you.