The Growing Futures Early Education Center is a child development program for children experiencing learning disabilities. It is partnered with the Shawnee Mission School District of Kansas. ¹

In March 2025, Growing Futures joined 43 other organizations for a “volunteer fair” hosted by Boots on the Ground Midwest, a Kansas City-based left-of-center initiative to provide training workshops for activists to “build a yellow brick road for our Senators to find their way back home to Kansas.” ² It was promoted by Indivisible, an organizer of left-of-center demonstrations that directed activists to send yellow bricks to the offices of U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Roger Marshall (R-KS). ^{3 4}

Programs

Growing Futures provides a curriculum to track the growth and development of children in its education center, measuring attention and one-on-one time received among other things. Children are screened for their vision, hearing, problem-solving skills, personal-social development, gross and fine motor skills, and language skills. ¹

It is partnered with the Shawnee Mission School District to help students aged three to five years who are suspected of having learning delays. It provides educational and placement plans for the students. ¹

Growing Futures has an “Infant Toddler Services of Johnson County” special education program to help infants and toddlers. ¹

Advocacy

In March 2025, Growing Futures joined 43 other nonprofit organizations for a “volunteer fair” hosted by Boots on the Ground Midwest, a Kansas City-based left-of-center initiative to provide training workshops for activists and “build a yellow brick road for our Senators to find their way back home to Kansas.” ² It was promoted by Indivisible, a left-wing demonstration organizer which directed activists to send yellow bricks to the offices of U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Roger Marshall (R-KS). ^{3 4} In 2022, Indivisible promised to send its protestors $1,000 to cover their costs; it is unclear as of 2025 whether it was still operating this program. ⁵

Growing Futures is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in all its programs, stating that it upholds “anti-racism, equity inclusivity” as core principles and considers its attempt to become an “inclusive, diverse, and equitable organization” an “ongoing process.” ⁶

Financials

In 2022, Growing Futures reported revenue of $4,672,806, total expenses of $4,593,538, and net assets of $1,318,550. ⁷

Growing Futures states that it is supported by a government grant from the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Human Services (HHS). ⁶ In 2022, Growing Futures reported that it received $3,474,151 in government grant money. ⁸

Leadership

As of 2025, Larry Lewis was the executive director of Growing Futures. Tanesha Thompson was the program director. ⁹

1. “Who We Are.” Growing Futures. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.growingfutureseec.org/who-we-are
2. Glynn, Earl F. “Boots on the Ground Midwest promotes progressive organizing in KC area.” Watchdog Lab – Substack.com, March 17, 2025. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://watchdoglab.substack.com/p/boots-on-the-ground-midwest-promotes.
3. “Kansas Senators – There’s No Place Like Home.” Indivisible. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/761740/.
4. Glynn, Earl F. ““Indivisible” to harass US Senators this week in Kansas.” Watchdog Lab – Substack.com, March 16, 2025. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://watchdoglab.substack.com/p/indivisible-to-harass-us-senators.
5. ^[1] “IndivisiGather: Community Building Event Reimbursement Request Form. Indivisible, Archived February 24, 2022. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20220224083400/https://indivisible.org/indivisigather-community-building-event-reimbursement-request-form.
6. “Purpose, Mission and Vision.” Growing Futures. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.growingfutureseec.org/purpose-mission-values.
7. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Growing Futures. 2022. Part I, lines 12, 18, 22.
8. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Growing Futures. 2022. Part VIII – Statement of Revenue, line f.
9. “Meet Our Team.” Growing Futures. Accessed March 31, 2025. https://www.growingfutureseec.org/meet-our-team.