Its Fair Trade Month!

Hey All!

Check out this interesting website called Global Exchange. Global Exchange is a human rights organization that encourages activism around social, economic, and environmental justice around the world. I found a Fair Trade blog on their website and thought it was quite unique to fair trade events, talks and interesting facts about what is going on through equal world trade. Please follow the link to this blog for more information!

http://www.globalexchange.org/blogs/fairtrade/

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Student Leadership Board Update

Hi All!

Here is an update on what our Student Leadership Board is doing this upcoming month. They have set dates for Alternative Spring Break, which will be held on March 21 and 23rd. The Student Leadership Board is working hard and forming ideas for this project.

The service project for the month of November will be held at Mi Casa Resource Center. They will be doing a presentation about college resources to junior and senior high school students. The presentation includes financial aid opportunities and tips about how to succeed in college. The project is located at:

Mi Casa Resource Center
360 Acoma Street
Denver, CO 80223
Tel: (303) 539.5619
Fax: (303) 595.0422

For more information about this event or any other Student Leadership Board Project please visit Tivoli 243 or call (303) 352-7129.

Thanks for reading and Have A Great Day!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Good Magazine Provides Info Graphics About Volunteering

A co-worker showed this to me from a publication called Good Magazine. They have a section dedicated to providing interesting info graphics about various current topics in our culture. This is an interactive design showing viewers and breaking down statistical evidence that says what how many individuals in each age group volunteer for causes such as political, educational, environmental and religious issues. The percentage of volunteers both women and men who volunteer the most are in the age range of 35-64 year olds. This shows that the baby boomer generation is hands on philanthropically, whereas the age group that volunteers the least is 16-24 year olds and those who are 65 and up. Please check out this fascinating article and graph for a better understanding of current volunteer trends and how we can improve for the future of volunteering and look at an interactive graph about volunteering.

http://www.good.is/post/animated-infographic-the-volunteers/

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Project Homeless Connect and Other Volunteer Opportunities

Hi Everyone!

Here are some updates from The Center for Urban Connections. We have a project and lots of volunteer opportunities coming up this week and for the fall. A big event coming up this Friday is Project Homeless Connect. Registration is full for PHC for this fall semester, but Denver's Road Home holds this event two times a year, so please consider volunteering for PHC '10 in the Spring. Denver's Road Home, Mile High United Way and our office is hosting this event held on the Auraria Campus. There are still opportunities to volunteer for this event, so be sure to sign up to help the homeless in the Denver- Metro community. A friend from the non-profit organization, FOCUS Mentoring Program, wrote a interesting blog about the different layers of homelessness. In this post, she includes the portrayal of the homeless, as a means to make fun of during Halloween and a present initiative going on in Boulder, where homeless individuals are helping decrease the global poor by raising money by volunteering to clean up the Boulder Creek. For more information about this organization and her blog please visit: http://restoringthesoul.wordpress.com/

Here is a list of volunteer opportunities coming up this week and for November. Be sure to check out our volunteer board located in our office, Tivoli 243.

What? The Denver Rescue Mission

When? Saturday October 30^th, 2010 from 8am-4pm

Where?3501 E. 46^th Avenue. Denver, CO 80216

If you are interested in: Advocacy & Human Rights, Homeless & Housing.

Come get into the holiday spirit early by helping to register low-income families for Denver Rescue Mission's Thanksgiving Banquet-In-A-Box program. This highly rewarding opportunity is a great opportunity to become involved in the community by registering families to ensure they have a Thanksgiving to remember forever. Volunteers are needed to work our phone bank for the 30th of October from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. The registration will take place at our Ministry Outreach Center located at 3501 E. 46th Ave., Denver, CO. Contact cgoodson@denrescue.org to sign up today!

Children's Speech and Reading Center needs volunteers October 31 for the Spooktacular Race, a 5K run/walk and kids' events to raise money for Children's Speech and Reading Center. Volunteers are needed for race marshals, registration, water table, food/beverage table, kids' events and more.Contact Elise Tobler at 419-0486 or elise@csrckids.org.

Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado needs volunteers October 30 for OcTOOLberfest. Thirty volunteers will be needed from 8am-1pm to clean, sharpen, paint and repair tools and to clean and organize for the 2011 season. Contact them at 303-715-1010 or voc@voc.org.

United Way of Larimer County needs volunteers November 20 for Family Volunteer Day, designed to celebrate the power and spirit of family volunteerism. Families will assemble and decorate fun safety kits to donate to kids during the holiday season. Shifts from 10am-2pm. Youth volunteers ages 2-12 supervised and 13+ unsupervised. Contact Andrea Bloomquist at 407-7054 orabloomquist@uwaylc.org.

Thanks for reading and we hope that you check out these volunteer opportunities coming up this month!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Keeping the Passion Through Hard Times

Project Homeless Connect, is a one day event where homeless individuals can receive resources and services that they would not be able to get on a daily basis. Finding articles or videos from Homeless perspectives, gives insight to someone who may not know or understand what it is like to be homeless. In this article, it talks about a program called the Real Change Homeless Empowerment Project. This project helps homeless individuals find jobs and have access to services, much like what will happen at Project Homeless Connect, just on a larger scale. One thing they may do is sell newspapers. This piece, found in the Huffington Post, displays a homeless man who works and sell his photography and has become motivated in these tough times to re launch his love for making art. To read more please copy/paste this link onto your browser: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/19/homeless-photographer-kee_n_768665.html

Have a Good Day!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Simple Ways For Students To Give Back To The Community

Have you ever wanted to give your time or money to an organization but felt like it was too much out of your price range or hard for you to find opportunities ? There are many resources out there such as our office, The Center for Urban Connections that will help you find Volunteering and Engagement opportunities in the Denver community. You might also be looking for ways to donate to an organization since it might be a difficult with school and work. The article that I found gives simple ways to donate designed for young individuals that are interested in social change or helping out their community. An example of one idea is to create or grow a giving circle with friends, co-workers and family. When a person combines money with others it allows them to support an organization and live within your comforts of one's means. As we approach the holiday season, it can be a challenge. As students, we may not be able to always give what we feel to an organization, but by volunteering a couple days during the holidays and/or creating a giving circle with friends it forms one into a young philanthropist who could grow and prosper a community of social change and awareness.

If you would like to read the article, 5 Ways for Young People to Give Back", please copy and paste the link below:

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/alpha-consumer/2010/10/15/5-best-ways-for-young-people-to-give-back

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Individual Gets New Outlook About Homelessness and Volunteering

Hello All!

Our current economy makes for a lot of difficulties, but non-profits offer many resources that can help individuals who are job less or without a home with the proper information and where to go to receive it. This article that I found is a true life story about a man who was laid off from his job. He now has a job and gives back by volunteering for various non-profit organizations. Many individuals today lose their jobs and as a result have become homeless. A statistic from National Alliance to End Homelessness says that 1.5 million people will be made homeless over the next few years due to the recession. This article is very fitting for the month because on October 29th, 2010, Denver's Road Home, Project Homeless Connect. It will be located our the Auraria Campus, our campus this Fall. It is not too late to sign up to volunteer or to receive services for PHC. To sign up for this event and to find out more information please go to: https://volunteer.truist.com/milehigh/user/events/one.tcl?event_id=10407973842&utime=-786045316

To read the article from the Huffington Post please visit:http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/a-new-homeless-revisited-a-new-job-and-new-hope-for-candido-g/19672647/

Thanks for reading & Volunteer for PHC '10!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Metro State Food Bank!

Running low on food? Would you like 6 items of non-perishable food for free? Go to the food bank!

The mission of the Metro State Food Bank is to fight hunger on campus by offering every student a lunch or items that can be taken home and used to prepare a meal. The Food Bank is designed to provide students nutritional food in times of need. The Food Bank aligns itself with additional services and resources on campus that promote the overall well-being of its students.

For more information about the Metro State Food Bank, visit http://www.mscd.edu/studlife/foodbank/

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

New Campaign Developed To Educate Young Girls for Social Change

The amount of women being educated in the United States today is remarkable. Most of these individuals are going to school, connected to others, and recognize their ability to encourage others in their community.In other countries around the world, women are not as educated or connected to their community. To increase education, the UN has decided to fund raise to allow American girls to raise awareness to other girls in developing countries.In this article, it says that most girls will become married when they turn 15 and a mother by 18. Please read more about this interesting topic and non-profit that is doing good things in the worldwide community. Educating youth about social and political issues makes for a society that will grow and develop in positive directions for the future. As social media peaks at popularity, it is essential for youth to use these resources for social change and for a good reason. Please read this interesting article about Girl Up and other programs the UN is providing to support this cause. Copy/Paste the link below onto your browser.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tina-wells/united-nations-foundation_b_754384.html

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Another Cool Opportunity 10/10/10 Work Party This Sunday!

What can we do to help climate change? Create a day dedicated to bringing awareness to climate change and 350.org's mission. Grow Local Colorado, Transition Denver, The GrowHaus, Wild Green Yonder, The Redirect Guide and Event Gallery 910Arts Invite You to Join Us on 10/10/10 and Let the Following Questions Inspire Us . The symposium will be held in the EventGallery 910Arts, which opens up to an open-air courtyard. In an afternoon session, we will be visioning
an edible living wall project for the 910Arts courtyard promoting artistic design,found objects, and local food. The event is located at 910 Santa Fe from 10-3pm. Please arrive at 930-945 to check in. A 10 dollar donation includes lunch from Chipotle. No one will be turned away for lack of funds for a donation. For more details or to register, contact: Emily Andrews, 720-468-1578,
communityanimator@gmail.com. Register online at AwakeningTheDreamer.org

Bill and Melinda Gates : Philanthropists That Make A Huge Difference Not Only With Donations

Hi All-

We all have heard of Bill and Melinda Gates and their foundation. What most individuals do not know about them is they are very hands on with giving. Melinda Gates makes a heartwarming and conscious effort to visit the countries that are needing assistance with the Foundation's main mission, which is US Education, but on a global scale education about HIV/AIDS, malaria, mother-child deaths. This article explains more of the philanthropy of the Gates as well as a video clip from 60 minutes. If you are interested in finding out more information about this foundation, please click on the link provided below to access the link to this article.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/10/04/bill-melinda-gates-how-to_n_748750.html

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Volunteer at the West Energy Sweep 350 Work Party!

Are you interested in reducing your carbon footprint? Would you like to educate others about the dangers of climate effects? This Saturday October 10th, Ground Work Denver is asking for volunteers to help individuals switch light bulbs on porches to energy efficient light bulbs as well as recycle and provide other energy services all free of charge. This event is a part of the 350 Work Party, held worldwide on October 10th, 2010. This event can be located at

350 is the parts per million of carbon dioxide that is the safe zone for our climate. The organization was started by Bill McKibben and other educators, activists and all individuals to create an awareness of global warming and reduce carbon emissions going into the earth. In order to make it known to all, October 10th, 2010, there will be many 350 Work Parties around the world. These parties help to let it be know about 350 and support the place we live in, our environment. For more information about 35o please visit: http://www.350.org/ and visit : http://www.350.org/groundwork-denver-neighborhood-blitz for more information about the event going on in Denver for 350

If you are interested in this opportunity please contact Danny at Groundwork Denver @ danny@groundworkdenver.org or 303-455-5600

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

Its Not Too Late to Sign Up for 1 Book 1 Project 2 Transform!

Don't forget that there are still spaces available for 1 Book 1Project 2 Transform!

This event combines a book discussion and a service project, with the idea that we can all be transformed--and can, perhaps, transform others--by what we read and how we participate in our community. Participants will receive a free copy of Steve Lopez’ The Soloist, a book about homelessness, mental illness, and advocacy. Discussion groups, offered at various times and facilitated by various experts on homelessness and mental health, will follow. Then, on October 29, all participants will volunteer at Project Homeless Connect 10, here on the Auraria campus. Through reading, talking, and taking action, we will contribute to transforming our community.

Sign up now for this opportunity to:

• receive a free copy of the Soloist, by Steve Lopez
• participate in a discussion of the book and homelessness
• volunteer at Project Homeless Connect 10, Oct.29th,2010, here on the Auraria campus.
• make a difference in your community!

Please go to our events page by clicking on this link, http://www.mscd.edu/urbanconnect/events/

and sign up today!

Have a Great Weekend!

Rachelle

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections

National Service Initiatives Help Communities Become Problem Solvers

Hi All!

In a time when it is hard to buy anything but essential needs, volunteer campaigns are are the rise in major cities. The mayor of New York City has founded a volunteer corps. He has given grants to a couple of cities, in the hopes to form a coalition focused on service and volunteer opportunities. It is most important to Bloomberg to create these coalitions, since a lot of expenses have been cut as well as beneficial services. By implementing service components into cities and providing initiatives that help individuals volunteer, community issues such as education, the environment and problems that are challenging for the city. Please read more information about these coalitions and help make Denver have a service initiative!

Another interesting article that I found was one about a math professor who is a philanthropist. He works three jobs and has given over 60,000 dollars a year, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy from his paycheck to support charities. By living minimal, he can have a lifestyle where he can give donations to the organizations that spark his passion. Think about how/when or even if you give? How does giving or volunteer affect you, as a passionate person for service?

To access these links please copy/paste it onto your browser.

http://tiny.cc/mw1os

http://tiny.cc/mw1os

Thanks for reading!

Rachelle Lansky

Media/Events Assistant

Center for Urban Connections