Parenting has never been easy.
But today, many caregivers have less support, fewer resources, and more pressure than ever before. They no longer have the local networks of support - community, neighbors, and relatives - for practical help and reassurance.
Families are more geographically dispersed. Financial strain is rising. And digital information often adds confusion instead of clarity, leaving many parents to sort through the noise and conflicting advice.
Caregivers need reliable places to turn for everyday parenting guidance. But the families who need the most help, particularly those in low income and underserved neighborhoods, struggle to find support.
That's where Lantern comes in.
Lantern provides support to more than 22,000 families in Colorado, and a half million nationwide with free, accessible, and evidence-based guidance delivered directly to their phones. By combining bite-sized developmental tools with connections to local support networks, Lantern replaces overwhelming digital noise with trusted, everyday help. Driven by our passion for making a meaningful impact, our team approaches our mission with wholehearted authenticity, unwavering integrity and boundless optimism.
Our messages are 100% free with no spam (ever).
Caregivers receive weekly text messages tailored to a child's age in English, Spanish, or Arabic. Lantern aggregates evidence-based content from early childhood experts that includes developmental milestones, brain development, social-emotional health, nutrition and caregiver resilience. Through partnerships with local organizations, we enhance families' access to community resources and medical, educational, and social services.
Will you help keep our service free for families?
Lantern lights the way for families, providing a bright beginning for every child to realize their full potential. We are committed to supporting families with trusted information and connections to their community.
Our vision is a world where every child has the opportunity to THRIVE!
Colorado Bright Beginnings was founded in 1995 by Brad Butler, former chairman of Procter and Gamble, and Colorado Governor Roy Romer. On a model that stressed prevention rather than intervention, they envisioned an organization that would help the community come together to support parents and promote the intellectual, social, emotional and physical development of all Colorado children in their first three years of life. Together they engaged influential business and community leaders to develop programs that promote the importance of early childhood development and raise awareness about how critical it is for society to invest in supports during those early years.
In 2014, the decision was made to transition all of our evidence based content to text messaging to reach more parents and caregivers. Over the last year, Lantern (formerly Bright by Text) has reached 22,000 parents in Colorado alone and over 500,000 caregivers nationwide.
Organization name
Lantern
other names
Bright by Text, Bright by Three, BBT, Bright Beginnings
1995
Tax id (EIN)
84-1382420
Category
Human Services
Organization Size
Large Organization
Colorado State Tax Credits
Colorado Child Care Credit
Address
PO Box 7038CO, US
US