Our Work

Early Child Care & Education

We believe all children deserve a strong start in life.

In Metro Denver, there are 77,000 more children under the age of 6 than there are child care spots.¹ Mile High United Way is committed to creating an environment that fosters affordable, high-quality early care and education where our youngest learners enter school ready to thrive in kindergarten and beyond.

¹ Denver Business Journal

Our Programs

How We Support Early Child Care & Education

211 Help Center

Our 211 Child Care Resource & Referrals Specialists help families with referrals for child care and financial assistance as well as education about the quality and availability of care.

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United for Families

We increase access to high-quality child care by expanding the number of licensed child care slots, providing training for parents and caregivers and investing in early education programs.

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Community Investments

Early experiences lay the foundation for success. We strategically invest in organizations that deliver innovative solutions in early child care and education.

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Impact At a Glance

Last Year

new child care slots created through the MacKenzie Scott Foundation.

HIPPY home visits, helping children get kindergarten-ready.

years of partnership with Mile High Early Learning.

Opening Four Early Learning Centers

Five years ago, the MacKenzie Scott Foundation made a transformational $20 million gift to Mile High United Way, and today, we’re celebrating all that those funds have created – including four early childhood education centers.

The centers created 264 affordable, high-quality child care spots for young children at Warren Village’s Alameda Campus, The Family Tree’s GOALS, Mercy Housing’s The Rose on Colfax and the Tamara M. Sparks Early Learning Center at Mile High United Way.