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Clayton Early Learning Serves Denver's Less Fortunate Children

DENVER (CBS4) – The two schools at Clayton Early Learning provide high-quality early childhood education for approximately 600 children from a broad range of socio-economic backgrounds. The organization partners closely with families to empower parents and ensure children are on-track for success in school and life.

The latest "Kids Count" report from the Colorado Children's Campaign finds 18 percent of children, 224,000 kids, lived in poverty in Colorado in 2012.

When it comes to children six and under the number is one-in-five or 20 percent. In Colorado, poverty is defined as a family of four living on less than $24,000 per year.

Ray is a trucker struggling to support his family by trying to make a living behind the wheel. He shares how difficult the family's lives are every day.

"I worry about my kids' wellbeing emotionally, physically, health wise," said Ray.

Angela Freyta is a single, unemployed mother of two living in a two-room apartment trying to pay her bills each month.

"When you don't get the education, you don't make the money you should," said Freyta.

Since Freyta doesn't have a car, she has no way to get her kids to preschool. Once a week Clayton Early Learning sends out someone to do educational activities with her children.

"If you don't teach education at a young age they feel like it's not instilled in them," said Freyta.

Freyta said her weekly trips to the grocery are constantly frustrating.

"You have to put things back, can't always afford everything," she said.

Both the families said they believe education is the way out of poverty and they are stressing that to their children.

LINK: Clayton Early Learning

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