GARY COMMUNITY VENTURES

News & Impact

FEATURED STORY

July 14, 2021

An Update From Gary Community Ventures

Different Look, Same Commitment

Mike Johnston: President & CEO

For more than 40 years, Sam and Nancy Gary have worked toward fulfilling the vision that all Colorado children have the opportunity to grow up healthy and reach their full potential. We remain more committed than ever to delivering a future where that is reality. But we will no longer use the separate names of The Piton Foundation or Gary Community Investment Company. Instead, all our efforts will operate under the unified umbrella of Gary Community Ventures, or Gary for short.

Latest News

Piton Fellowship Launches with First CohortNovember 8, 2021
Gary Community Ventures is excited to announce the inaugural class of the Piton Fellowship. The 23 members of the Early Career Professionals Cohort represent a budding group of young leaders in the Denver Metro Area.
COVIDCheck Colorado Wins Downtown Denver AwardOctober 27, 2021
Gary Community Ventuers would like to extend its congratulations to our COVIDCheck Colorado team for winning one of six 2020 Downtown Denver Awards.
Tutors wanted: Inside the nationwide sprint to build big new programs to catch students upSeptember 27, 2021
Oklahoma education officials came up with an ambitious plan to help students who struggled during the pandemic: build a 500-person math tutoring corps.

Search & Filters

The Passing of Sam Gary

With great sadness, Gary Community Ventures announced today, Nov. 16, 2020, the passing of its founder, Sam Gary.

Educators should be front of the line for the COVID vaccine

As the first vaccine doses get shipped to Colorado, we face a divisive political debate on who should be first in line to receive them.

Nearly all Mapleton Public Schools Teachers, Staff Get COVID Vaccine in Just 1 Day

We are in search of solutions that create opportunities for families to increase incomes, decreases expenses and grow wealth.

Coloradans Helping Others Get Vaccinated While Preparing For Incoming Storm

COVIDCheck Colorado team members are walking door to door in Denver’s Montbello neighborhood to get people signed up for the vaccine. They’ve partnered with the City of Denver to operate a community vaccination site at the Montbello Campus.

This is just the beginning

After more than 30 years of working to expand preschool in Colorado, we are closer than ever to providing free universal preschool to all 4-year-olds, thanks to voters passing Proposition EE last November.

Tax Help & Get Ahead Colorado Transitions

We are excited to announce promising new opportunities for our pioneer tax support and awareness programs, Tax Help Colorado and Get Ahead Colorado.

COVIDCheck Colorado Looks Ahead After Successful Year Full Of ‘Frontline Heroism’

Behind the scenes of many testing and vaccination sites over the past 14 months has been a little-known organization acting as the bridge connecting government agencies, businesses, and the community.

An Update from Gary Community Ventures

We may look a little different, but we still have the same commitment to increasing opportunity for Colorado kids and families.

Female-only VC Invests $8m in Startup Helping School Districts Combat Chronic Absenteeism

Student absenteeism reached crisis levels during the COVID pandemic as students and families faced significant barriers to learning

Search for Solutions to Improve Family Economic Mobility

We are in search of solutions that create opportunities for families to increase incomes, decreases expenses and grow wealth.

Colorado’s COVID-19 Containment Response Corps Wins National Award

The Colorado COVID-19 Containment Response Corps (CCRC) was recognized virtually last week at the 2021 America’s Service Commissions (ASC) Innovation and Leadership Awards with the Outstanding Service Program award.

Tutors wanted: Inside the nationwide sprint to build big new programs to catch students up

Oklahoma education officials came up with an ambitious plan to help students who struggled during the pandemic: build a 500-person math tutoring corps.

Stories of Impact

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 growing solutions that already exist, building solutions that don’t yet exist or changing the policy landscape to expand opportunity to those who need it most, 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.

Rear View Of Family Standing Outside New Home On Moving Day Looking At House

COVID-19 Eviction Defense Project

Outcome Area:
Family Economic Mobility
Approach: Grow

Preventing mass evictions and homelessness during and after the pandemic.

beautiful happy boy with painted hands

Colorado Emergency Childcare Collaborative

Outcome Area: School Readiness
Approach: Build

Providing free childcare to essential workers during the pandemic.

Yes on Amendment B Ballot Measure

Outcome Area:
Family Economic Mobility
Approach: Change

Protecting teachers, first responders and small businesses during the pandemic.

The RISE Fund

Outcome Area: Youth Success
Approach: Grow

Helping academic institutions rebound from the COVID crisis and create equitable innovations to improve student learning.

COVIDCheck Colorado

Outcome Areas:
School Readiness & Youth Success
Approach: Build

Creating safe schools for students, teachers and staff during the pandemic.

YES on Proposition EE Ballot Measure

Outcome Area: School Readiness
Approach: Change

Building a coalition to expand free preschool to every 4-year-old.

Female Owner Of Start Up Coffee Shop Or Restaurant Turning Round Open Sign On Door

Apis & Heritage Capital Partners Fund

Outcome Area:
Family Economic Mobility
Approach: Grow

Helping workers of color own their own futures.

Urban Land Conservancy

Outcome Area:
Family Economic Mobility
Approach: Build

Leveraging valuable real estate to create equitable communities in Colorado.

Denver Preschool Program

Outcome Area: School Readiness
Approach: Change

Pioneering childhood education in Colorado.

Learn Start II

Outcome Area: School Readiness
Approach: Grow

Creating the largest, most detailed pipeline of global education technology companies.

Tax Help & Get Ahead Colorado

Outcome Area: Family Economic Mobility
Approach: Build

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.