Invest in Kids

A nonprofit organization

Invest in Kids partners with local communities to improve the health and well-being of young children and their families. By supporting nurses, teachers, and parents to provide programs proven to make an impact, IIK supports over 14,000 individuals annually.


From program participants...

Like many first-time moms, I felt unprepared to bring a child into the world. This changed when I met my nurse. She eased my mind and was always available. I will never forget noticing a horrible rash on my daughter's neck. It was 11pm and I was freaking out. Despite the hour, I knew my nurse would be there for me - and she was. She asked thoughtful questions and assured me everything would be okay. I felt so valued in that moment. -Claudia Williams, NFP Client

I grew up in a household where we never said I love you. There was lots of yelling and often harsh punishments. Through the Incredible Years, I have developed a clear, consistent, calm and caring approach to parenting that created a safe, loving and nurturing home. Now we say I love you - all day, every day. We praise, encourage, applaud and celebrate all the time! We sometimes yell and scream, but we say I'm sorry. Expectations of what it means to be part of our family are clear and respected. -Gloria Sanchez, IY Participant and former IIK Board Member

Our parents never really praised us so we didn't have a model for how to do it. I was frustrated, not knowing what to do, and always in a bad mood. I don't have the words to express how we feel about this class - we made a 180 degree change. Friends ask what we are doing because the change is so profound. It's reflected in how the kids do in school - my son is first in his class, he has good self-esteem, he shares more with me, and once in a while even tells me I am doing a good job. - Myra Perez and Ricardo Andrade, IY Participants

Some of our students had difficulty with self-regulation at the beginning of the year. A few children were very disruptive and impulsive. One child showed aggression towards teachers and other students. These students really liked when Molly, Dina, or Tiny came to visit. The puppets really helped to engage these students. The use of visuals was also very helpful. After teaching the lessons when one of the students would get frustrated, we would show him the appropriate visual, which would catch his attention. We would then use very short statements with Dinosaur School language, such as, “take a breath”, “calm body”, etc. We have consistently used the Dinosaur School lessons, visuals, and vocabulary and we have seen steady, consistent improvement in our students’ abilities to self-regulate. One of the students was physically aggressive on a daily basis for the first several months of the school year. After teaching Dinosaur School consistently, this child is now able to self-regulate and rarely shows aggression towards others. - 2020-2021 IY Dinosaur School Teacher

Mission

Invest in Kids' (IIK) mission is to improve the health and well-being of vulnerable young children and families throughout Colorado. Working in partnership with local communities, we identify, introduce, implement, and ensure the success of research-based, proven programs.

Background Statement

For 25 years, Invest in Kids' (IIK) has partnered with local communities to ensure the success of evidence-based programs to improve the health and well-being of Colorado's youngest children and families. Serving children in all 64 counties, we support Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) and The Incredible Years (IY). Combined, these two programs support over 14,000 individuals each year. IIK has a rich history of working closely with local communities to successfully implement these two evidence-based interventions. Communities across Colorado have come to know us for our commitment to positive outcomes and our ability to deliver results.

In 2020, Invest in Kids adopted a third program, Child First, a national, evidence-based, two-generation model that works with vulnerable young children and families, providing intensive, home-based services. The adoption of Child First supports our partners statewide to heal both children and families-and further protect them from the impacts of poverty and stress.

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Invest in Kids

other names

IIK

Year Established

1998

Tax id (EIN)

84-1455282

Category

Human Services

Organization Size

Large Organization

Address

1580 Logan St Suite 400
Denver, CO 80203

Service areas

Denver County, CO, US

Phone

303-839-1808

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