Stone Soup 2026
Gathering Community, Nourishing Children
Join us for the 12th Annual Stone Soup Breakfast at Denver Botanic Gardens!
This year’s annual fundraising breakfast and convening of early childhood leaders and supporters will be held at Denver Botanic Gardens on the morning of Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
At Stone Soup 2026, we will come together as a community to raise critical funds in support of our work to help our children thrive during these uncertain times—and also celebrate the importance of music in early education.
This year’s event will feature the Koa String Quartet, the Graduate String Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Colorado Boulder. Koa is driven to share world-class classical music while igniting musical curiosity in communities of all ages—from concert halls to early childhood classrooms.
Koa’s performance will be an interactive experience for Stone Soup guests. Join us for a very special event!
Download the sponsorship packet!
Formed in 2023, the Koa String Quartet is young, bold, and on the rise! This dynamic ensemble features violinists Kisa Uradomo (Maui, Hawai’i) and Leah Pernick (Metro Detroit, Michigan), violist Devin Cowan (Stony Brook, New York), and cellist Heewon Lee (O’ahu, Hawai’i).
If you have questions about sponsorship opportunities, tickets, or other details, contact Nathan Harlan, director of development, at nathanh@milehighearlylearning.org or 303-962-2634.
Become a sponsor or purchase tickets!
Use the links below to make your sponsorship donation or to purchase tickets!
Event Sponsorship and Tickets (click on the sponsorship level or ticket link below to access payment links)
Commis Chef Sponsor ($1,500)
Program recognition & a table for 8
Chef de Partie Sponsor ($2,500)
Program recognition, table for 8, & more
Sous Chef Sponsor ($5,000)
Program recognition, ad, table for 8, & more
Executive Chef Sponsor ($7,500)
VIP event recognition, table for 8, & more
Chef de Cuisine Sponsor ($10,000)
Premier recognition, event banner, table for 8, & more
Stone Soup Presenting Sponsor ($15,000)
Premier recognition, speaking opportunity, table for 8, & more
Stone Soup Lead Sponsor ($25,000)
Video recognition, keynote introduction, table for 8, & more
PURCHASE TICKETS FOR STONE SOUP!
Tickets are $150 per person. Include your name and the number of tickets with your order.
DONATE TO STONE SOUP!
Checks may be made payable to Mile High Early Learning and mailed to:
ATTENTION: Stone Soup Breakfast
Mile High Early Learning
616 East Speer Boulevard
Denver, Colorado 80203
For more information, contact Nathan Harlan at nathanh@milehighearlylearning.org or 303-962-2634.
Thanks to our 2025 sponsors!
Lead Sponsor
Presenting Sponsors
The Barton Family Foundation
Alix and John
Corboy
Sous Chef Sponsors
Barb and John Astuno
Dave and Debbie Younggren
Chef de Partie Sponsors
Pamela Harris and Brad Clemmons
Trinware
Fall River Benefits
Commis Chef Sponsors
The Colorado Trust
Adele and Gerry Phelan
The Standard
BuildStrong Education
Center for Equity & Excellence
Mike Johnson & Carol Friesen
Why Stone Soup?
Mile High Early Learning started with a concept developed by Anna Jo Haynes over 40 years ago. In the decades that followed, that concept – which is the stone in our stone soup – has been seasoned by partnerships, civic leaders, communities, volunteers, friends and families, enabling Mile High Early Learning to satisfy a growing hunger and need for subsidized, quality early childhood care and education.
Over the years, new ingredients have been added to our “soup” resulting in improved methods of teaching, better health and social services for our children and their families, and a growing understanding of the power of cooperation and collaboration. These ingredients are what give Mile High Early Learning the flavor that it has today. They enable our “soup” to be shared in Denver’s poorest neighborhoods and our children a chance for a successful start in school.
To continue nourishing Denver’s children with the quality early childhood education they need and deserve, we need to add ingredients to this soup, enhance its flavor and make certain our pot remains full. Thank you for continuing to be a key ingredient in our success.
Visit our Stone Soup 2021 page to watch special guest readers share different versions of our favorite fable!