At Mountain Kids, our business is founded on the philosophy of giving back — giving back to our kids and our communities. And a huge building block of that foundation is our relationship with local non-profit organization, There with Care.
What is There with Care?
There with Care is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting families and children who are facing a critical illness.
Through programs like the transportation program, meal programs, house maintenance and sibling support programs, There with Care helps provide a ray of hope when families are facing a dark and challenging journey.
There with Care was established in 2005. There are branches in California, Denver and Boulder. The Boulder branch is currently serving about 160-180 families a day.
Why We Love There with Care
My mom was co-owner and dance director at Mountain Kids in Fort Collins for almost 35 years. In 2008, she was diagnosed with lung cancer, (no she never smoked), she passed away 8 short months later.
Shortly before my Mom was diagnosed with cancer, she learned about There with Care through an article in Oprah’s magazine. She told me about this amazing organization that provided support for children and families in Boulder who were battling cancer and other critical illnesses.
Working with There with Care was a way for me to feel like I could continue her legacy.
There with Care has a special place in my heart as a mom. As a parent of 3, I cannot imagine families who are dealing with the same situation but with a child — especially for families who are wary to ask for friends or family for support.
Working with There with Care
Mountain Kids first began working with There with Care in 2012. We were one of the first community partners to create an event to support There with Care’s efforts. Now, There with Care participates in over 100 community events a year!
Dana Bacardi, Vice President of Development at the Boulder branch, has been our main point of contact since we first began working with There with Care. I recently caught up with Dana, and she had some truly heartwarming words to describe our ongoing relationship:
“What’s so wonderful about partnering with Mountain Kids is that you guys basically said, ‘we just want to be able to provide funding for what you’re already doing. Your support for families is enough, we just want to support the cause.’ That’s so amazing! I actually have a picture of your kids up on my wall with a big fat envelope that says, ‘There with Care’ on the side from our first fundraiser event. It’s so fun to see that year after year, and it’s so inspiring how you’re teaching your kids to give back to the community.”
Community Events
Mountain Kids currently hosts several events every year to support There with Care. We host a collection for donation items, a preschool sweetheart party and an in-house silent auction.
Our spring dance concert is specifically designed as a benefit for There with Care. About the recital, Dana said,
“It’s inspiring to teach your kids about families in need and to give back to the community through art. Kids are compassionate and understanding that not everyone has it as simple as maybe they have it at home. The recitals have given them the opportunity to participate and use their art to raise awareness through dance. Putting their heart and soul into something to create a performance that people want to come to year after year.”
We look forward to continuing to grow our relationship with There with Care through community events in the years to come.
We are always looking to forge new relationships with other community organizations who have a mission we believe in.
As a Mountain Kids community member, if you know of other organizations that may be interested in partnering with Mountain Kids, feel free to reach out and let us know >