Hope for Japan Blossoms on the Auraria Campus

In these sensitive times for Japan, there may be a tendency to not know what to do, but at or very own Auraria Campus students, staff and faculty have connected to give light and hope to those who were affected by this month's disaster tsunami in Japan.

Donations are still being collected for the Japan Relief fund in many offices, including the Center for Urban Connections here in Tivoli 243. Any amount is greatly appreciated and given directly to those in need.

There will be a closing ceremony this upcoming Monday, April 4th in the Rodger Braun Lounge from 2pm-4pm.

This event will include: A check presentation to the Red Cross, free food, takio drum performances, and making origami's for a good cause.

Please come to this event to raise awareness and bring a friend!

If you have any other questions, please come to our office in Tivoli 243 or call (303) 352-7129.

Thanks for reading!

Bus Approach to Service Brings Community and Volunteering Together

Hey there Servistas!

I throughly enjoy finding articles about service learning or volunteering on http://www.good.is/. I think that what they contribute gives hope that service learning will create a postive impact on our world.

As I moseyed around their website today, I was intrigued to find an article that yet again that is interesting and gives light and inspiration for our community. It is called the Do Good Bus. This bus helps people who are interested in volunteering, get out and do something but may not be willing to put a lot of effort to ask a organization if they want to volunteer.

The good bus takes you on an adventure. First you hop on the bus, then you find out about your volunteer opportunity.

Not knowing the place that you are volunteering for creates a mystery and eliminates all anxiety that they may have about volunteering for that non-profit.

They have also created themes for the volunteer bus that are freshly integrated into something that is fun and different every time!

I would love to see something that could be created in Denver, a quasi Banjo Billy bus but socially-aware and oriented so that individuals can do acts of service around town.

To see the full article on GOOD, please click on this link: http://www.good.is/post/next-stop-volunteering-the-do-good-bus-makes-community-service-easy-and-fun/

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Breaking Night: CUC's Selection for 1 Book/1Project/2 Transform

Hello Servistas! In the next couple of weeks we have a bi-annual event that is held in our office called 1 Book 1 Project 2 Transform. This event is more than your typical book club that only focuses on discussions, but goes deeper by giving individuals a visual ( a socially aware film about a community issue) and lets participants engage in a service project where they can connect and transform their understandings and perceptions about a socially aware topic in our community.

Our current book is called "Breaking Night". It is a memoir of the author, Liz Murray's experience with homelessness; her struggles of forgiveness, survival and how she went from being homeless to Harvard University. Below is a link to a You Tube video where the author gives a brief synopsis of her book and her story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtybvFW0ncY For those of you who are signed up for this event, please make sure to check your Metro e-mail to find further updates on upcoming opportunities to volunteer with women and youth organizations in April. We look forward to seeing you at our book discussions, film showings and service projects!



Rachelle
Media/Events Assistant
Center for Urban Connections

Save Service on March 15th!

Hello there Servistas! Lately, there has been lots of news about service. The U.S. House of Representatives are pulling for a decision to potentially shut down the Corporation for National and Community Service, which is a official government office that provides funding to many federal service programs in the United States. More than two weeks ago, Save Service District Day created an awareness for members of congress around the country. With the voices and national community in mind, March 15th is a crucial day to make a call to our Colorado Senators to Make a Call to Save Service in America.

Congress has until March 18th to make a decision whether to close such programs like AmeriCorps UCAN Serve and VISTA. Please support this wonderful initiative that could close all forms of educational service learning scholarships. Not only does this provide a great platform for our country, but it gives college students like us the opportunity to have an educational scholarship for volunteering.Thus it creates a strong interest in giving back and giving youth a positive value of volunteering in our community.

Here is the number to call our Local Colorado Senators: Office of Michael Bennet- (202) 224-5852 Office of Mark Udall- (202) 224-5941 If you do not know what to say, here is a link that provides some helpful pointers to call your senators: http://www.saveservice.org/pages/call-your-congressperson AND/OR please sign the online pledge to Save Service @ http://www.saveservice.org/.

Thanks so much for reading!

Rachelle
Media/Events Assistant
Center for Urban Connections

Volunteer Transparancy Infographic

Check this interesting info graphic out about The Pledge to Do Good, from GOOD http://www.good.is/, a great resource for non-profits, businesses and individuals to connect and promote "moving the world forward".

It is great to see an online magazine create a deeper awareness of issues around service learning, what volunteerism is & means, and how can we move forward to create a greater good in many aspects of our lives.

Thanks for reading!


Rachelle
Media/Events Assistant
Center for Urban Connections

Metro Students Out in the Community

Hey there Servistas!

In this blog, we will be going inside the expierence of a Metro Student who volunteers in the community. By reading this profile, I hope that you can feel more connected to a organization and the amazing benefits that exist when you volunteer! Here is Alyson's community interview from the wonderful non profit organization, SAME Cafe, http://www.soallmayeat.org/.

Enjoy!

What brings you to SAME Cafe? I needed a place to intern for school and my food safety professor at Metro State recommended SAME Cafe. I will be going to school forBaking and Pastry at Culinary Institute of America in NY. Right now I volunteer on Mondays and Fridays in the kitchen until I leave forschool in April. I am excited to be going to culinary school and evengot a scholarship for community involvement, academics, and an essay I wrote.

What do you like about being at SAME Cafe?

I like that SAME uses as much fresh ingredients as possible and is allabout the community. I can tell that Brad and Libby really care about it. It is not just a job to them. I am a vegetarian and I love the options. I just traveled to Korea to visit my brother who is servingin the army and it was so interesting to see all the different foodsthere. They don't really get why someone would be vegetarian. They eat a lot of meat. Come into the cafe sometime on a Monday or Friday and I will tell you about my trip to the Korean BBQ and the streetmarket where the only food I recognized was bean sprouts and green onions.

What is your favorite job at SAME Cafe?

Making cookies of course!

I hope that inspired and engaged you to volunteer! If you have any questions about volunteering through our office and any other civic engagement opportunities please visit us in Tivoli 243 or call (303) 352-7129, we are happy to answer any questions or comments you may have.

Have a great rest of the week!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections