WHALE Respite Center of Weld County (We Help And Love Everyone) provides high-quality, inclusive child care for children with developmental delays, disabilities, and medical needs — while offering essential respite for their families and caregivers. Our mission is to enhance each family’s quality of life, improve wellness, and strengthen the family unit through compassionate, specialized care.
At WHALE, we believe that every child deserves a safe, nurturing environment where they can play, learn, and connect with peers — and every caregiver deserves time to rest and recharge. Our trained staff are skilled in meeting each child’s unique needs, supporting their physical safety, emotional well-being, and developmental growth.
We celebrate every child’s individuality and support meaningful connections to family, culture, and community. By creating a place where all children are valued and included, WHALE is helping families not only manage daily challenges, but truly thrive together.
What parents are saying about WHALE:
"I tell everyone who has a special needs child that WHALE is an amazing place that I trust for childcare. I don't need to worry about getting calls that my son is too much to handle for the day."
"I am grateful for WHALE Respite Center because it allows me to spend focused time with my other children, while my child is at a safe place, and she is understood."
“I have an eight-year-old child with special needs. She is the youngest of five children. We have a crazy beautiful life full of many activities. Life can be hard to juggle with typical children but add a special needs child in the mix and it makes things so much more challenging. She is non-verbal, G-tube fed and is severely developmentally disabled. We cannot just call up any typical babysitter to watch her when we have an activity with one of the other children. We love to include her in as many activities as we can, but she does not enjoy most of the long days of sport tournaments or places where she has to sit and be quiet for an extended time. It has been very stressful to find and train caretakers for her over the years. Having a respite care facility close that is trained to meet the specialized needs of our daughter and feels like a home away from home for her is a true treasure.”
What children are communicating about WHALE:
"My son in nonverbal, but he is so happy and excited when we get to WHALE. He is comfortable and goes straight to his classroom and is happy to see his teachers."
"I had a blast."
"Mom, I want to join my friends who are at WHALE for days off of school!" (Referencing our Schools Out Days program.)
At WHALE, we build inclusive communities where families who have children with delays/disabilities THRIVE through equal opportunities to live, learn, and play.
We Help And Love Everyone (WHALE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2021 to serve children with developmental delays, disabilities, and medical needs — and to provide much-needed relief and support for their families and caregivers.
At WHALE, we believe every child deserves a safe, joyful space to grow, play, and thrive — and every caregiver deserves time to rest, recharge, and care for themselves. Unlike traditional childcare programs, WHALE offers specialized respite care provided by trained professionals who understand and support each child’s unique abilities, medical needs, and goals.
Our founders, Kristin Ceriani and Lacy Helms, are pediatric therapy professionals and co-owners of OASIS Pediatric Therapy. Together, they have spent more than a decade serving families across Northern Colorado, developing programs that bridge the gap between skilled therapy and inclusive community care. WHALE continues that mission by providing a continuum of care — from infancy through young adulthood — for families who often have limited options for safe, appropriate, and inclusive respite services.
Respite care is more than a break — it’s a lifeline. Many parents of children with disabilities cannot rely on traditional babysitters or childcare settings due to their child’s complex needs. WHALE provides the peace of mind families deserve by offering compassionate, skilled care that supports the child’s well-being and gives caregivers the opportunity to rest, work, or simply breathe.
Through the generosity of our donors and grant partners, WHALE continues to expand access to care, train specialized staff, and build programs that empower families to thrive — not just survive.
Organization name
Whale Inc
other names
We Help And Love Everyone
2021
Tax id (EIN)
87-4433243
Category
Youth Development, Education, Health Care
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Colorado State Tax Credits
Colorado Child Care Credit
Address
5699 West 20th Street Suite 400CO, US
