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Local nonprofit Valley Settlement has received a $2 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, who was formerly married to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Valley Settlement provides a variety of programs that support immigrant communities, mainly surrounding early childhood development. Some of Valley Settlement’s services include its Busesito mobile preschool, support for in-home childcare providers, postpartum support for new moms, and continuing education for adults like pre-GED programs.
The gift comes directly from Scott, and not through her foundation, Yield Giving. The nonprofit said they were told their work met Scott’s goal of working to advance the opportunities of people in underserved communities.
Executive Director Maria Tarajano Rodman said they owe their success in providing services to actively listening to what the community needs, and are grateful to Scott for recognizing that.
“And what a validation of the work, right?” she said. “I mean, somebody just says, ‘we see you, we see what you’re doing, we celebrate it, we recognize it. You have done the work, together, and know in your community what is best.’”
Tarajano Rodman said the gift was completely unexpected.
With the $2 million coming in the form of an unconditional gift, she said the group is hoping to expand its services and more to western Garfield County, into New Castle, Silt, Rifle, and Parachute.
“We need to head in that direction, but we will do it in a way where we first go into community, listen, talk to potential partners, talk to formal and informal leaders in the community, and build it out,” she said. “It may not be exactly the way we’re doing it in the Roaring Fork, because we want to be responsive to what is of value there.”
Tarajano Rodman says they also want to be able to serve full families, not just young children and moms. That could include providing services for dads, teens, and grandparents in multigenerational households.
She says they’re working on having conversations with community members to figure out what services would be most helpful.
