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Colorado Gives Day: Featuring Latoya
November 21, 2024
Creating Brighter Tomorrows: For Latoya
It is such an honor to play a part in creating brighter tomorrows for people in Northern Colorado. While a majority of the services Foothills Gateway provides are funded through Medicaid, many people we serve have needs that are unable to be met through Medicaid plans and payments. Foothills Gateway maintains donor-supported funds that help us meet the needs of the people and families we serve by going beyond what Medicaid can provide.
We are honored to introduce you to Latoya, the recipient of some of those funds that helped her reach some very important personal goals! Keep reading to learn more about what Foothills Gateway can do with the help of donors like you!
Latoya’s Miss Amazing Competition Experience
Latoya has a vibrant and caring personality! She is always looking out for others and making sure everyone feels included. Her Case Manager, Merrily, explains, “Latoya is kind and engaging. She has a smile and laugh that is such a wonderful addition to any group.” These qualities have helped Latoya accomplish some amazing goals this year.
This past summer, Latoya had the opportunity to compete in Miss Amazing’s National Competition in Chicago. She first heard about this organization through a friend and thought this would be a great way to meet new people in her community. The Miss Amazing Competition is a pageant for individuals with disabilities. This organization exists to equip women and girls with practical tools to own their stories, build upon their strengths, and be the author in their life plan. Miss Amazing has been supporting women with disabilities nationally since 2007.
Initially, Latoya signed up to compete locally in Greeley. During this competition, she gave a presentation about her favorite animal, llamas. This is where Latoya learned the importance (and difficulty) of public speaking. Miss Amazing gave her firsthand experience at writing a speech and presenting in front of a room. She then competed in the Pageant component. This portion of the competition saw Latoya on stage wearing her beautiful blue dress. Latoya ended up placing in Greeley and won the title of Miss Sr. Amazing for Colorado. This placement in the Greeley competition gave her the opportunity to compete in Chicago at the National level competition. There was only one obstacle: travelling is expensive.
She wasn’t going to let this stand her in way. Latoya decided to ask her community for help. With the help of her Host Home Provider, Priscilla, they were able to hold a hot dog and bake sale at her local park. The sale *almost* raised the entire cost of the trip, but she was just a few hundred dollars short of accomplishing her goal. With Nationals around the corner, both Latoya and Priscilla were worried the trip wouldn’t happen. This is when Priscilla reached out to Merrily for other ideas and found that Foothills Gateway was able to “make this dream a reality,” by providing a modest stipend from one of the agency’s designated funds.
Miss Amazing National Competition lasted four days. Each day was filled with new experiences for Latoya. There were interviews, a banquet with a country music performance, and a PJ Party. Latoya explained this was a great experience for her and she was “able to meet friends from all over the world.”
“I am able to gain skills in leadership, public speaking, and networking. Along with a fun pajamas party and a Gala. These are all experiences that I have never had.”
This competition helped Latoya meet new people, learn new skills, and gain more confidence. Today, Latoya is still friends with the many of the women she met, having formed lasting friendships. They call themselves “sister queens!” After the new year, Latoya will return to Greeley to crown her successor.
“With the skills that I learned, I will be able to be an advocate for laws, policies, and services for women with disabilities. There is a great need for our future generations.”
Foothills Gateway is proud to have been a small part in helping Latoya accomplish her goal and use the skills she learned for greater influence in her community.
Keep up with the rest of our 2024 Colorado Gives campaign by following us online @FoothillsGateway.