Impact in the Community: One Family That Has Received Help Takes A Reciprocal Approach to Giving

Many individuals appreciate when someone gives their time or funds to help out an un-met need that they have, but few give back to their community to show that they are thankful for their time, energy and support. The Johnson family decided to not only give reciprocally, but open a thrift store to raise money and awareness. All of the money that is raised for this cause, is given to other children who are sick and need assistance. Uplifted and supported by the community, and carload after carload, this family has received tons of donations, in a very short period of existing.

There are a couple thrift stores in our community that are non-profit organizations, who give a percentage of their budget to other community organizations and create an engaging body of giving. These thrift stores are:

Treasure Trunk

Safari Seconds

Goodwill

Buffalo Exchange

Salvation Army

Go out and support these great businesses that give back and donate to the Denver community! For the link to this article please copy and paste this link onto your browser.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/29/family-opens-thrift-store_n_789180.html

Have a great day!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Cold Frame Your Vegetables This Winter!

Just because it is winter does not mean you can grow your vegetables and eat them too. Earth Links, a local non-profit that connects and sustains the urban poor and the planet is helping to promote local sustainability by using cold frames. This is a great non-profit who has a lot of volunteer opportunities with nature, such as working in their garden, selling products made by clients at EarthLinks,going along with clients on Nature trips and their GreenFingers project. Please click and read their article and watch their how-to YouTube of how to Cold frame vegetables in the wintertime!

http://earthlinks-colorado.org/cold-frame-gardening

Thanks for reading and Have a Great Break!

Rachelle

Media/Events

Center for Urban Connections

http://earthlinks-colorado.org/cold-frame-gardening

Spotlight on Urban Peak

Hi All!

Recently there has been a rise in homeless youth populations, contrary to the belief that all homeless individuals are 30+ . It is important, especially for youth to improve and build empowerment skills such as becoming self sufficient and overcome the challenges that come with growing up. It is easier said then done to teach youth these skills, and a non-profit Urban Peak, has brought awareness to this issue by providing safety and many services to youth. This non-profit has collaborated with other community partners in the Denver and Colorado Springs area, to provide all that this organization does. Some of their programs include a overnight shelter, 24 hour drop-in center and educational planning & counseling. This organization is very active on social media sites, such as Facebook and continues to encourage education,employment and success for youth in Denver and Colorado Springs. For volunteer opportunities at Urban Peak, please go to this website: http://www.urbanpeak.org/volunteer.html and for more information about their non-profit and programs visit their main page, http://www.urbanpeak.org and fill out an application!

Thanks for reading and please check out this wonderful organization!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Attend the Non-Profit Fair!

Hello Metro State Students, Faculty & Staff-

Two weeks from today, there will be a Non-Profit Fair in St. Cajetans on November 29th,2010 from 10-4pm. Individuals can talk with Non-Profits and find out more information about volunteer opportunities, building your resume and potentially gain credit for one of your classes. There will be an assortment of Non-Profits ranging from Mile High Youth Corps to the Denver Zoo and Denver Urban Gardens. There are opportunities for every major, so please come down to St. Cajetans located by the Kings Center, the Monday after we get back from Fall Break. Free Pizza will be provided, so make sure to not miss this great opportunity to give back to the community and learn more about local non-profit organizations!

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

The Impact of Service In Communities

The U-CAN Serve program, out of our office is one of many service learning programs that one can do to connect to their community. A very interesting article from Good Magazine, lets a member of the program City Year, explain her experience in the program. It focuses on her volunteer experience at a intercity school in New York City. The program enforces a dense list of goals within a year. Sometimes she said she felt lost in between the mission and the to-do list at her placement. I think its is important that she realized that concept, because non-profits and those who are mission-minded tend to serve the ultimate population needed. If any U-CAN Serve Members are reading, please feel free to e-mail me or our office your experience during the U-CAN Serve program. We would love to display experiences on our blog for others to read and know about! Please e-mail your stories to us at: Mscd-urbanconnect@mscd.edu or come in and submit them to my mailbox!

Here is the link about City Year from Good Magazine: http://www.good.is/post/city-year-remembering-why-we-serve/

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Annual MLK Peace Breakfast Nominations!

Hi All!

Our office has some upcoming events we would like you to inform you about! Metro State College of Denver is holding its 20th Annual MLK Peace Breakfast this January 14th, 2011. Please nominate great local activists, organizers, and workers for piece by turning in this nomination . Please click on the link below, to read an article about last year's MLK Peace Breakfast. Please contact our office, The Center for Urban Connections if you have any questions. The deadline to nominate individuals is November 29th, 2010.We are located in Tivoli 243 and our phone number is (303) 352-7129.

http://www.mscd.edu/~collcom/artman/publish/mlk_twv7012010.shtml

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

The Center for Urban Connections

Empower Women, Empower the Community!

I had the pleasure of going to the Women's Foundation of Colorado Luncheon last Thursday at the Colorado Convention Center. The Women's Foundation of Colorado's goal as a philanthropist in the community, is to help women and girls become economically self-sufficient. Their vision also helps with changing the lives of women and girls so that they are equal individuals. The first presenter to speak was the CEO of WFC, Louise Atkinson, she gave a huge thanks to supporters and talked about scholarship opportunity. After a couple of organizers and sponsors of the event spoke, Alfre Woodard, actress and activist and a founder of Artists for A New South Africa. The topic of the luncheon was "Empowering Girls to be Next Generation Leaders". The most interesting thing about her presentation was that I felt she was speaking to me. Since I am a young women, I liked that she focused on the impact and importance of education for young generation women, which range from ages 5-35. Using her own organization as an example,Woodard elegantly said that we must give and put our knowledge to women. This means that access to leadership roles and power in our community, is an essential thing to allow women and girls a say in the decision making. When we look at females in past generations, there has been enormous accomplishments towards an equal society. Ms. Woodard spoke of that, but she also put on the table that the women of today, still do not have equal pay. I met a lot of prominent and passionate women in Colorado that day. Networking and talking with them made me feel very strong as a young women and helped me to understand that women have grown into higher positions and power in the workforce. This luncheon was not only a day of ultimate women power, shown by the amount of intellect and business suits but also a time of reiterating that there still are inequalities between the sexes and that we need to take action! I felt empowered by the people I met, the conversations that I started and the message that was brought to attention. I was very excited to be a part of a luncheon that held truth and social justice into account. I leave you with a quote by Margaret Mead that says,"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

If you would like more information about The Women's Foundation of Colorado please go to: http://www.wfco.org or to learn more about Artists for A New South Africa go to:http://www.ansafrica.org/

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Free Museum Night at Denver Arts Week!

There is nothing greater than looking at art, besides volunteering of course. A very cool event that is happening here in Denver November 5th-13th, is Arts Week! One event that caught my eye is happening this Saturday and its called Night At The Museums. This event allows participants to enjoy cultural museums in Denver with free shuttle transportation. Some of the museums that will be participating are: Black American West Museum, Byers-Evans house Museum,The Cell ,Children’s Museum of Denver ,Denver Art Museum –Denver Botanic Gardens Denver Museum of Nature & Science ,Forney Museum of Transportation, Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art , Molly Brown House Museum ,Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, Museum of Outdoor Arts ,Littleton Museum*, Night at the Museums in Golden.

For more information about this event or about Denver Arts Week go to: http://www.denver.org/DenverArtsWeek/nightatthemuseum.aspx

Stop & Serve: Everyone has 5 Minutes to Give!

Have you ever felt like you wanted to do a service project at school but there wasn't one available? Have no fear, come participate in the Stop & Serve event every month.

This month, Stop & Serve is on the 9th which is next Tuesday! Come by from 10:30 -3pm at the North Classroom Atrium. Volunteers will be helping with such projects like:

• Making "no-sew" fleece blankets for Project Linus to deliver to children in Denver hospitals
• Knitting beanies for newly-arrived refugees in care of the African Community Center
• Decorating deliverable care packages for Project Angel Heart
• Filling medical supply Kits for Kids in support of Project C.U.R.E
• Decorating personal possession chests for patients at The Children's Hospital
• Creating bookmarks for children of the Bridge Project

Be sure to check out this great event happening every month!

For more information contact:

Kyra Tarbell

Tivoli Room 260

Kyra.tarbell@ucdenver.edu

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

One Organization Helps To Build A Community By Providing Educational Resources

Two Individuals in the greater Denver community wanted to start a non-profit. They wanted to start development and sustainable projects in Rwanda, to give back to the global community. After the Rwanda Genocide occurred a mere 10 years before, Willy Rumenera and Carole Canale-Mayet met they decided to act for change and create a non-profit organization, Village Makeover that focuses on developing projects related to education, housing, water, agriculture and livestock, health, economic development and social opportunities. Canale-Mayet believes in the "Each One Teach One" philosophy, especially in education where her organization, Village Makeover gives opportunities to those in Rwanda to create the education to then form a network of knowledge for individuals living in various communities.

To read this article featured in Elephant Journal go to: http://tinyurl.com/2d4ecz6

To find out more information about the non-profit, Village Makeover visit: http://rwandavillagemakeover.com

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections