Hi, Coloradoan subscribers,
I’m Ignacio Calderon, the new climate and government watchdog reporter.
Earlier this year, we received a news release from Larimer County’s Department of Human Services announcing the enrollment freeze of a child care assistance program, CCAP, due to a lack of funds.
Not having kids, I didn’t fully understand the importance of the decision at the time. But in the days and weeks following our initial story , I kept talking to people involved and asking more questions to the county.
After not finding the answers I was seeking, we filed an open records request in February and spent some time sifting through their financial documents. I also talked to Gloria Kat, the executive director of The Family Center/La Familia, who explained their approach to serving the Latino community in Fort Collins.
As a Latino myself, it was important for me to connect with this community to understand the kind of impact the freeze can have.
Belen, a single mom of a 1-year-old, graciously opened up about how the child care support helps her. She was also kind enough to let me shadow her at work, where she helps students learn English to graduate high school, and photograph her and her daughter spending quality time with family.