Building a Community of Champions for Healthy Cell Phone Habits

Heads Up

Phones Down

An Initiative of our Community Foundation

About this Initiative

A current area of focus for our Community Foundation is the mental health and well-being of young people. Heads Up, Phones Down provides information and resources for our community to foster healthier social media and technology habits that promote more face-to-face interactions and better mental health. 

We invite parents, educators and community members to join us in this effort. Learn more about our work here.

This Edition:

Limiting Device Use Around Infants 0 - 3

Our Heads Up, Phones Down initiative aims to foster healthier relationships with technology, especially for young people. By promoting more face-to-face interactions, we hope to help improve mental health and well-being across our community.

Our Heads Up Parenting campaign is a crucial part of this effort. The campaign is designed to empower parents and caregivers of children ages 0 - 3 years, to prioritize unplugged, engaged parenting.

The first three years of a child’s life are critical for their mental health, emotional and social development. During these formative years, consistent face-to-face interactions are essential for nurturing attachment with and building strong foundations for infants.

Excessive screen time can hinder effective communication between parents and infants. Heads Up Parenting aims to educate and remind parents, caregivers, pediatricians, and social service providers about the importance of mindful device usage during the critical development ages of children 0 - 3 years of age. By reducing screen distraction, parents can create a more nurturing environment for their children.

Learn more and access research, tools, and resources at HeadsUpParenting.org

Simple gestures like eye contact, smiling, and talking are more than just bonding moments—they’re foundational to your child’s brain growth. Your presence matters more than you might realize. Watch this PBS production to learn more about the importance of eye contact with babies.

Time shared with children is important, and the amount and type of time parents spend with children is often studied. Research has shown that the type of time spent with children is positively related to children’s educational and cognitive outcomes.

The Western Colorado Community Foundation is a nonprofit, public charity established by local community leaders in 1996. We serve a seven county region that includes Delta, Eagle, Garfield, Mesa, Montrose, Ouray, and Rio Blanco Counties. We are growing steadily and now manage over 330 charitable funds totaling over $184 million in assets and will award over $7 million in grants and scholarships this year.