Broomfield UMC

Preschool Opportunities for Low-Income Families

By Vicki Cromarty, vicki.cromarty@broomfieldumc.org

 

I recently got the opportunity to meet with some great people who came together to support a great cause – Preschool opportunities for low income families.

I know that this may not necessarily get your heart beating fast with excitement right away, but let me tell you, after sitting in on this meeting with these people and learning about what is going on in our own community –  it definitely got my heart engaged!

Did you know that right in our community of Broomfield there are families with children who are living in poverty? Our church is so great about helping with projects like food drives to support Broomfield FISH, our local food bank – which helps these families. But what else can we do to help?

What I learned that day is that research shows that Early Childhood Education is one of the most effective tools is helping kids succeed in school. To that end, 1/3 of all public preschool slots in Boulder Valley School District are reserved for families in poverty. This resource is free to these families in need, paid for through a bond initiative. Birch Elementary in Broomfield in particular right now has spots available for Fall in their Preschool. They want to ensure that all kids who are eligible have the opportunity to take advantage of this free resource-  to give them a head start to elementary school readiness. The challenge is that many families are not aware this program is out there or available to them.   

Here’s how we can help get the word out!!

Please join a group of people from Birch Elementary, BUMC, and other church partners on Saturday, May 11, from 1:00-3:00pm as we go into neighborhoods in Broomfield to get the word out about Birch Preschool (and all BVSD preschools).

On May 11 at 1:00pm, we will meet at Northmoor Park (just west of Bal Swan) for a short orientation. From there, we will be sent off to distribute flyers, maps, and goodie bags, canvasing the neighborhoods to enroll preschoolers and share of other resources available to families in need.

If you can give just two short hours of your day, we can potentially change a kid’s education success. Sounds to me like a little sacrifice for a really big result!

As I left that meeting that day, not only was I glad to have opportunities to help get the word out to these families, but even more importantly my heart was grateful to see people from various organizations – schools, churches, community organizations – coming together for a common cause to help families. That is a community that I’m super proud to live in. And our church is a church that is all about these kinds of community relationships – a church I’m proud to be a part of! I can’t wait to see what we can all do together next. I hope to see you on May 11!

Contact brooke.lindquist@bvsd.org  if you are interested in volunteering on May 11, or feel free to contact me at vicki.cromarty@broomfieldumc.org with any questions. 

Originally posted on the BUMC Blog on May 1, 2013.