|
Greetings From Jodi
As we close out the year, I’m reflecting on the incredible strength and resilience of our community. 2025 has brought meaningful progress, renewed partnerships, and important steps forward in mental health services, advocacy, and opportunities for people of all abilities.
This season invites us to look inward with gratitude and outward with purpose. Many families are navigating complex challenges—especially around mental health, housing stability, and the changing landscape of Colorado’s long-term services. Our commitment is to meet those needs with clarity, compassion, and collaboration. Whether we are supporting a family in navigating complex care situations, advocating for sustainable rates, or sharing essential information at our community town halls, Imagine! remains focused on ensuring that every individual has the supports they need to thrive.
I’m inspired daily by the generosity that surrounds us—from the volunteers and partners who helped make our holiday events possible, to the donors lifting our mission through Colorado Gives Day. Your belief in our work fuels our ability to innovate, expand, and serve.
Thank you for being part of this community. Together, we continue to build a world of opportunity for all abilities.
With deep appreciation,
Jodi Walters
| | | | |
|
Our Community in Action
Thanksgiving at The Post: A Celebration of Connection
More than 400 guests—including individuals, families, and caregivers from across the Imagine! community—were welcomed to a warm and inclusive Thanksgiving celebration at The Post Lafayette this year. This annual community meal offers a welcoming place for people of all abilities to share good food, connection, and the joy of the holiday together.
This marks Imagine!’s second year partnering with The Post, while Dave Query and the Big Red F Restaurant Group have led this remarkable Thanksgiving tradition for 22 years, serving an estimated 8,400 meals to the Imagine! community. Their commitment to hospitality and inclusion continues to make a profound difference.
We are also grateful to the many Imagine! employees who volunteered throughout the day—your presence helped create a joyful experience for all who attended. Thank you for lifting up our community in such a meaningful way.
👉 Click here to check out our social media post thanking all our Thanksgiving Partners.
👉 Click here to follow The Post online.
| |
Saints Peter & Paul Greek Orthodox Church: A Season of Generosity
We are honored to be this year’s beneficiary of the Saints Peter and Paul Greek Orthodox Church Holiday Giving Tree in Boulder. Each year, the parish selects a local organization to support—and this season, they chose Imagine!.
Members of the congregation are fulfilling items from our Amazon Wish List, providing gifts that directly support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities across our community.
Their generosity builds on a long-standing relationship: many parish members have had loved ones served by Imagine!, and several have volunteered alongside us through EXPAND and at community events.
Thank you, Saints Peter and Paul, for brightening the season and continuing a tradition of compassion and partnership.
👉 Click here to visit their website.
👉 Click here to follow them on Facebook
| |
Get involved: Join the Boulder County IDD Mill Levy Advisory Council
Boulder County is currently recruiting new members for the Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Mill Levy Advisory Council—a meaningful opportunity for community members to help shape local funding priorities.
The council provides guidance on the use of Mill Levy resources that support people with I/DD, autism, or brain injury, along with their families and caregivers. Members meet monthly and play an important role in strengthening services across the county.
Who should consider applying:
- Individuals with I/DD, autism, or brain injury
- Family members and caregivers
- Advocates, professionals, and community partners
Applications are due Friday, January 16, 2026.
👉 Click here to learn more.
👉 Click to read the Full Report on Boulder County IDD Needs Assessment
For questions about the council, contact Rebecca Seiden at rseiden@bouldercounty.gov. Language assistance is available by emailing HSCommunications@bouldercounty.gov.
| | |
Advocacy & Impact
Supporting Families Through System Change
Over the past month, Imagine! has continued to engage closely with the state’s Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) sustainability conversations, including the recent listening sessions hosted by the Office of Community Living (OCL).
These discussions provided important clarity on the pressures affecting Colorado’s disability services system, including rising service costs, workforce shortages, and funding shifts that impact CHRP, CES, and rate structures across multiple programs.
We want our community to know that Imagine! is actively participating in these conversations. Our priority remains the same: ensuring individuals and families have consistent access to the supports they need, and advocating for fair, sustainable funding that protects service quality, stability, and choice.
This month, we're sharing a short video highlighting the vital role of family caregivers and Community Connector Services, two areas significantly shaped by statewide policy decisions.
We hope this resource helps families better understand how these changes intersect with everyday life and planning.
👉 Click here to watch the video
| |
February 2026 Informational Sessions
To help families stay informed and ask questions directly, Imagine! will also be hosting two community informational sessions early next year. We hope you will join us.
Location: A&I Avenues Building – 1665 Coal Creek Drive, Lafayette
These sessions are open to all families, caregivers, advocates, and community partners. We encourage anyone navigating home and community-based programs to join us for clear updates, helpful resources, and space for dialogue.
As always, we are committed to keeping our community informed as the state’s budget work progresses and new details emerge.
| | |
Spotlight: Mental Health Services at Imagine!
Mental health support is an essential part of helping people live full, healthy, and connected lives—and Imagine! is proud to offer services designed specifically for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).
Our licensed clinicians provide compassionate, trauma-informed, and inclusive care that honors each person’s unique needs and experiences. Through individualized therapeutic support, we help people build emotional wellness, strengthen coping skills, and navigate challenges with confidence.
Our services include:
· Individual therapy tailored to each person’s strengths and goals
· Psychiatry and medication support to promote stability and wellbeing
· Specialized treatment for trauma, anxiety, and co-occurring mental health needs
Imagine!’s Mental Health team works closely with families, case managers, and community partners to ensure care is coordinated, accessible, and truly person-centered.
Whether someone is seeking short-term support or long-term therapeutic services, our clinicians are here to help individuals feel understood—and supported every step of the way.
Imagine! Feeling Understood.
👉 Click here to email our team for more information or to explore a referral or call us and ask to speak to our intake team 303-665-7789.
| |
Ways to Engage:
Stay connected and never miss a moment! Our Community Calendar is the best way to keep up with Imagine! events, trainings, and celebrations happening across our programs.
From community gatherings and awareness events to staff activities and advocacy opportunities, there’s always something to be part of.
👉 Click Here (or scan the QR code) to Access our Community Calendar
Holiday Office Closures
As we approach the holiday season, we want to share a quick reminder about upcoming office closures so you can plan ahead. Imagine! offices will be closed on
- Christmas Eve (December 24)
- Christmas Day (December 25)
- New Year’s Day (January 1).
We hope these closures give everyone time to rest, celebrate, and recharge with the people and traditions that matter most.
Thank you for all you do, and warm wishes for a joyful holiday season!
| |
Save the Date: The Imagine! Celebration: Saturday, February 7, 2026
Step into the spotlight with us for the 25th Anniversary Imagine! Celebration: Lights, Camera, Impact!
This milestone year promises to be our most memorable event yet—an evening of elegance, entertainment, and extraordinary purpose.
We are thrilled to announce that our Master of Ceremonies will be Mark Johnson, the iconic Voice of the CU Buffs and a celebrated Colorado broadcaster known for bringing energy, heart, and unmistakable style to every stage he touches. His leadership and presence will elevate this year’s Celebration to a whole new level.
We are also especially proud to honor Leona Stoecker, whose leadership and advocacy helped lay the foundation—literally—for the Imagine! Foundation. A former Longmont mayor and lifelong public servant, Leona has spent decades championing the rights and dignity of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
From her early work establishing the Foundation to her enduring role as one of its strongest voices and fundraisers, Leona has been instrumental in ensuring Imagine! can continue to grow, innovate, and serve. Her legacy is woven into our history, and it continues to inspire our future.
Join us as we honor 25 years of Imagine!’s impact, enjoy fine dining and live entertainment, and raise vital funds that fuel opportunities for people of all abilities all year long.
This is the event you won’t want to miss.
👉 Click here for tickets and information.
| | |
This Month We are Celebrating
December invites reflection, generosity, and connection across our community.
This month, we recognize and celebrate the moments and milestones that bring people together and highlight the diverse experiences within our Imagine! community:
-
International Day of Persons with Disabilities – December 3rd. Honoring the leadership, contributions, and rights of people with disabilities worldwide.
-
Colorado Gives Day – December 9th. A statewide celebration of philanthropy and a powerful opportunity to invest in Imagine!’s mission.
-
Human Rights Day – December 10th. Reaffirming our shared commitment to dignity, equity, and inclusion for all people.
-
Seasonal Traditions Across Our Community: Honoring the many ways people celebrate during this time of year, including Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and the arrival of winter.
As we look ahead to the new year, we celebrate the generosity, resilience, and compassion that define our community—and we thank you for being part of Imagine!’s story.
| | | | |
