For more information, contact:
Ivan Ross, Senior Senior Marketing Manager
ivanross@lena.org
Louisville, Colo. — LENA, a national nonprofit on a mission to transform children’s futures through early talk technology and data-driven programs, is excited to announce a $5 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. This gift comes alongside gifts from the Esther A. and Joseph Klingenstein Fund and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Together, these organizations are investing in LENA’s vision of a world where every child benefits from positive relationships full of responsive interactions.
Starting this fall, LENA will embark on a user-centered design and development process focusing on the diverse needs and perspectives of educators, families, and community partners. The blueprint of LENA’s future will integrate the voices of the communities we serve — factoring LENA technology, software, and expanded use of data alongside classroom and child assessments.
“With this catalytic support from MacKenzie Scott, the Esther A. and Joseph Klingenstein Fund, and the Gates Foundation, LENA is embarking on significant projects to hone its approach to improving child development outcomes at scale,” said Steve Hannon, LENA’s President and CEO. “We are energized about the possibilities for greater impact we can achieve together with our community-based partners across the country and world.” LENA’s partners are on track to serve tens of thousands of children through LENA programs in 2023 alone, with a vision for a much larger reach in the years to come. This gift will fuel programmatic improvements to enable dramatic scaling, especially in early education and child care environments, through more actionable LENA data and enhancements to LENA technology. In addition, it will support increased educational and systemic impact, building awareness about the importance of conversational turns and ensuring that they become embedded in the very foundation of early education practice and policy advancements.
“This gift is a testament to and validation of the importance of our mission, the results LENA has achieved with our partners, and the promise of palpable outcomes across the country,” said Katharine Correll, LENA’s Vice President of Impact. “Together with educators, caregivers, and early childhood leaders, we want to make every interaction, and every child, count.”
About LENA
LENA is a national nonprofit on a mission to transform children’s futures through early talk technology and data-driven programs. Used by researchers, clinicians, community organizations, and early childhood education organizations all over the world, LENA technology measures a child’s language environment and provides vital feedback to parents and professionals. LENA envisions a world where every child benefits from positive relationships full of responsive interactions.