MacKenzie Scott donated $20 million to Mile High United Way in December 2020, marking one of the largest philanthropic gifts in the organisation's history.
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Scott → donate → history
The money arrived as the COVID-19 pandemic was placing extraordinary pressure on families across the Denver area, allowing the charity to respond to immediate needs while also investing in longer-term projects.
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charity → arrive → projects
Over the following five years, the funding helped create four early childhood education centres, adding 264 affordable, high-quality childcare places across Metro Denver.
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funding → follow → Denver
It also helped the organisation purchase and renovate a 22-unit apartment building in Denver's Uptown neighbourhood, where below-market homes are offered to young people transitioning out of the child welfare system.
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homes → help → system
MacKenzie Scott’s $20m gift during the pandemic
Scott's $20 million donation was announced on December 15, 2020, as part of a nationwide round of philanthropic gifts to hundreds of organisations.
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donation → announce → organisations
Mile High United Way described it as a transformational investment in its work supporting children, families and individuals across its seven-county service area.
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Way → describe → area
The organisation said it was the largest single gift in its 138-year history.
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it → say → history
The pandemic had left many families struggling with basic necessities, including food, housing and childcare.
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pandemic → leave → food
Mile High United Way used $5 million of the gift immediately to support neighbourhoods across Metro Denver, directing resources towards those urgent needs.
The organisation also worked with BIPOC-led and BIPOC-serving groups to help direct support to communities facing significant challenges.
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organisation → use → challenges
Four centres expanded access to childcare
A major part of the longer-term investment went towards early childhood education.
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part → expand → education
Mile High United Way helped establish four centres that are now open across Metro Denver and Aurora, creating 264 affordable, high-quality childcare places for young children.
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that → help → children
The centres are Warren Village's Alameda Campus in west Denver, Family Tree's GOALS in Aurora, Mercy Housing's The Rose on Colfax in east Denver and the Tamara M. Sparks Early Learning Center operated at Mile High United Way.
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centres → operate → Way
Together, the projects were designed to increase access to childcare while connecting families with other services that can help them become more stable.
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them → design → services
The capacity varies by location.
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capacity → vary → location
Warren Village's centre serves 104 children, Family Tree's GOALS serves 54, The Rose on Colfax serves 48, and the Tamara M. Sparks centre serves 58.
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centre → serve → 58
The projects therefore created childcare capacity in several different communities rather than concentrating the investment in a single location.
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projects → create → location
Childcare was linked with wider family support
The investment also created partnerships between the centres and Mile High United Way's 211 service, which helps people find resources such as childcare, housing and other assistance.
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people → link → childcare
The organisation says 211 navigators can work alongside partner sites to connect families with appropriate services.
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navigators → say → services
At Warren Village, for example, the childcare centre is part of a broader effort to support families dealing with housing and economic challenges.
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centre → support → housing
Mile High United Way said the partnerships were intended to make it easier for families to access several forms of assistance rather than having to navigate each service separately.
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families → say → service
The five organisations involved in the early-learning projects also continue to meet and exchange information about their work.
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organisations → involve → work
Mile High United Way said the collaboration could help develop approaches that other communities might eventually replicate.
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communities → say → that
The Rose on Colfax combines homes and childcare
One of the projects stands out for bringing two major family needs together in the same development.
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One → combine → development
The Rose on Colfax, developed with Mercy Housing, includes affordable housing and an early childhood education centre.
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Rose → develop → housing
The childcare facility serves 48 children, while the housing component provides affordable homes in east Denver.
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component → serve → Denver
Mile High United Way has described the development as a model for combining housing and childcare.
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Way → describe → housing
The approach reflects the practical difficulties faced by working families.
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approach → reflect → families
Affordable childcare can be difficult to find, while housing costs can consume a large share of household income.
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costs → find → income
By putting the two services together, the project aims to make it easier for families to access childcare while maintaining stable housing.
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families → put → housing
A 22-unit building became affordable housing
The Scott gift also reached people at a different stage of life through housing.
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gift → reach → housing
Mile High United Way used part of the money to purchase a 22-unit apartment building in Denver's Uptown neighbourhood.
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Way → use → neighbourhood
In 2025, the organisation completed renovations that upgraded the building's electrical and plumbing systems and converted basement space into offices for community partners that provide services to residents.
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that → complete → residents
The building contains 245-square-foot efficiency apartments that are offered at below-market rates.
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that → contain → rates
Most of the units are occupied by participants in Mile High United Way's Bridging the Gap programme, which supports young people who have exited the child welfare system.
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who → occupy → system
For those residents, the apartments can provide an important transition into independent living.
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apartments → provide → living
Mile High United Way describes the building as a place where young people leaving the child welfare system can find a safe and stable first home.
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people → describe → home
The money supported more than buildings
The impact of the donation has therefore extended beyond physical infrastructure.
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impact → support → infrastructure
At the Tamara M. Sparks Early Learning Center, funding from the Scott gift has also helped support living wages for childcare teachers, according to Mile High Early Learning's leadership.
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funding → help → leadership
The centre opened as part of the wider expansion of early childhood services and provides 58 places.
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centre → open → places
The organisation has said the investment helped it maintain compensation that could support staff while expanding access for families.
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that → say → families
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
