As we reflect on 2025, I’m incredibly grateful for the families, supporters, and community who make the work of the Listen Foundation possible. For more than 50 years, Listen has supported children who are deaf or hard of hearing across Colorado, helping them develop listening and spoken language skills and build bright futures.
This year brought meaningful milestones. Ineos Energy hosted our first annual GreensforGood Golf Tournament, gathered our community once again at our annual Luncheon, and with the extraordinary generosity of the Goodside family, experienced a highly successful Non-Event fundraiser that allowed us to serve even more children.
While we celebrate these successes, one truth remains clear: even after five decades, the Listen Foundation is still not widely known outside the hearing loss community. That matters, because more than 90% of children born deaf or hard of hearing are born to hearing parents, many of whom are unaware of all the options available to them.
I often say, “I do not have a deaf son. I have a son who happens to be deaf.” That distinction matters deeply to me, because deafness should never define our children. They are so much more than a diagnosis. Curious, capable, resilient children with dreams, talents, and bright futures ahead of them. When I share that my son is deaf, I’m almost always asked, “Do you sign?” Our goal is to change that question to: “Have you heard about the Listen Foundation?”
Families deserve hope and to know all of their options from the very start. With the right support, children can learn to listen and speak, no matter the degree of hearing loss. Help us spread the word! Share about the Listen Foundation in your community so we can change the narrative and ensure no family faces a diagnosis without knowing what’s possible.
Warmly,
Todd Hallberg
Executive Director, Listen Foundation