Early Learning Ventures (ELV) is promoting and expanding access to healthy meals and snacks for children ages birth to five who are enrolled in a child care center or family child care home that participates in an Early Learning Ventures Alliance. This project actualizes our belief that every child’s early care and education experience include healthy eating and learning about nutritious food.
ELV, a non-profit organization founded by the David and Laura Merage Foundation is spearheading an effort in Colorado to launch ELV Alliances- community-based partnerships comprised of small child care provider affiliates working together to deliver services in a more streamlined and efficient way. The Alliances provide an operational infrastructure for early care and education providers to work collaboratively and realize savings in time and costs that can then be used to improve the quality of services. ELV has developed a web-based IT platform to serve as a portal for each Alliance and their affiliates to access information, track on-site operations, and streamline business practices such as purchasing, data reporting, and tuition collection.
Through its partnership with the Colorado Health Foundation and Revolution Foods, ELV plans to increase the number of children who eat adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables daily and increase the number of children who receive healthy meals in the center and home-based child care settings.
As we launch the delivery of healthy vended meals we are analyzing workflow data, cost fluctuation, and mechanisms to ensure long-term sustainability and efficiency. During this three-year pilot phase, healthy meals and snacks will be provided to more than 3,500 children.
To learn more, email Lindsay Dolce at ldolce@earlylearningventures.org.