Mobile preschool in Colorado loses insurance after RV is stolen, contaminated with drugs
Classes at an Aurora preschool must come to a halt. You Be You Early Learning, a nonprofit mobile preschool serving marginalized communities, faces another hurdle after its RV was stolen in March. CBS Colorado spoke with school leaders after it was taken and found contaminated with drugs.
Roya Brown, Executive Director of You Be You Early Learning, was excited to finally get the RV back in time for school.
"It took us a few days to recover the RV, but unfortunately, it was contaminated with drugs. It had to undergo extensive cleaning and repairs, which took about five months in total," said Brown. "I never could have imagined how much that one joyride could have trickled down into this."
She only had time to put a few toys and decorations in the RV before learning their nightmare wasn't over.
"Last week, we learned that our insurance policy was dropped, likely due to the theft. We were never notified, which is a legal obligation, and now we face the risk of operating without insurance."
It's critical to have both auto and general liability insurance for their unique mobile preschool model.
You Be You has three vehicles: a school bus, a trailer and the RV.
Without insurance, they can't operate in any of their vehicles which serve different areas of Aurora.
With insurance coverage expiring, the program is forced to shut down.
"We've been working with two agencies to secure new insurance, but so far, we've been unsuccessful," said Brown. "Today is our last day with coverage, and starting tomorrow, we must halt our program."
Brown credits the help of Councilmember Ruben Medina and Aurora Housing Authority for finding them space in a community room to serve kids. You Be You is a godsend for families that don't have transportation of their own. She says these families need the flexibility of the school on wheels.
"I cried when I heard the RV was stolen. I was shaking. Who would do this?" said Marceline Majaliwa, a YBY parent. "YBY has been huge in my child's education. Without it, my options are very limited, and I'm worried about his development."
You Be You provides personalized, community-engaged learning for children in their own backyards. They serve low-income kids from underserved areas. The organization is seeking donations to help cover losses and operational costs.
"We lost about $30,000 worth of content in the RV that isn't covered by our insurance. Any assistance or donations would be greatly appreciated," said Brown. "We're heartbroken. We do this for these kids."
In response to the shutdown, You Be You Early Learning is working to provide educational materials and activity packages for families to use at home.
"We are creating packages with art supplies and recorded stories to help parents engage their children in educational activities while we're offline. However, it's a big challenge for us and the families," said Javier Lastres, Associate Director and teacher. "The delay that this is causing is going to be impactful in their future in school."
For those interested in supporting YBY Early Learning, donations can be made through their website youbeyouearlylearning.org.
