A PLACE FROM WHICH IT STARTS AND WHERE IT CAN GO

Noah’s Ark Animal Shelter by Brenda Fernandez

• I chose Noah’s Ark Animal Shelter in my hometown of Trinidad. It’s a small shelter and they have a 100% placement rate of adoptable pets. They also donate food that they can’t use to the homeless shelter for people who cannot afford pet food. Animals are so important to me and my dog Poe is going through radiation therapy and only has one day left of treatment!

Community Food Share by Erika Chirdon

• I picked Community Food Share because eating is a daily source of joy for me. Knowing that for some people it’s a daily struggle tugs on my heartstrings. I get grouchy if I skip one meal. I can’t imagine missing multiple.

Dharma’s Garden by Emily Lawrence

• For April’s donation, I chose Dharma’s Garden. Dharma’s Garden is a half-acre educational garden in North Boulder with volunteer opportunities, workshops, festivals, and a place for community and connection to the earth right in the middle of town. They serve as a model for ethical land stewardship and all are welcome to visit. I plan to volunteer with them this summer (2023), so let me know if any of you would like to join!

Kobu Foundation by Saul Flores

• For March’s donation, I chose the Kobu Foundation. Kobu was founded by three CU students and is still run today by them and a number of other students from CU. In Colorado, more than 566,00 people are food insecure, and 147,120 of them are children. Kobu was founded to help reduce these numbers. Over the last four years, Kobu has been able to deliver more than 200,000 meals. They continue to deliver meals every Friday from Community Food Share right here in Louisville to those in need in and around Boulder County.

Ray of Hope Cancer Foundation Mental Health Support Program by Sarah S.

• Excited to choose Ray of Hope Cancer Foundation’s Mental Health Support Program for February’s donation! The Mental Health Support Program offers therapy to cancer patients and their family members with licensed professionals who have specialized training in psychosocial oncology, medical trauma, health psychology and anxiety, and more. They launched this program last year, and opened it to the whole community starting this year!
• This program is available to all Colorado residents who have been diagnosed with cancer, experience a progression in their diagnosis, or are family members of a person with a cancer diagnosis or who has passed from cancer. A $1,000 donation will provide recipients of the program between 10-14 therapy sessions. A program just like this (in Texas) was invaluable to my sister’s mental health while she was going through treatment!

Epilepsy Foundation of Colorado and Wyoming By Reese Vogel

• For January’s donation I chose the Epilepsy Foundation of Colorado and Wyoming. Around 1 in 10 adults will have a seizure sometime in their life and 1 in 26 will develop epilepsy. In the United States alone around 3.4 million people have active epilepsy, which makes epilepsy one of the most common neurological conditions in the world.
• The foundation focuses on research and education about epilepsy to help individuals and their families, and their mission is to “lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures and save lives.” I chose the Epilepsy Foundation because I know firsthand just how scary epilepsy and seizures are and how disruptive they are in everyday life. I want to give back to help people find the same level care and support that I’ve received.

Mental Health America by Jade Arndt

• “With some help I choose Mental Health America to donate to for the month of December. Mental health, as we all know, is a crucial part of overall health and affects everyone. When those who are struggling are given the right tools and support it makes a world of difference.”
• Their Mission: Mental Health America (MHA)’s work is driven by its commitment to promote mental health as a critical part of overall wellness, including prevention services for all; early identification and intervention for those at risk; integrated care, services, and supports for those who need them; with recovery as the goal.”

Food Bank of the Rockies by Christine Prins

• I choose Food Bank of the Rockies to donate for the month of November. Unbelievably, 1 in 8 people in our Colorado communities are affected by hunger. Food Bank of the Rockies is the largest hunger-relief organization in the Rocky Mountain region, distributing more than 1.5 million meals every week and bringing help to those that need it the most. An important cause always but one that sticks especially close to my heart during this season when we seem to come together more frequently gathering around food (and family) in joy and celebration.

Mother House by Emily Hellwig

• “For our October donation I’ve chosen Mother House. They house and care for struggling and at-risk moms and their babies. They help them get back on their feet and provide support and resources to set them up for success once they leave!”

Western Resource Advocates by John Dicken

• “For our September donation I’ve chosen Western Resource Advocates. Their main office is located here in Boulder, but they work across most of the Mountain West. They primarily work to advance solutions to climate change in the region and to protect our air, land, water, and wildlife. The fall is such a great time of year here in Colorado, and for me anyway, a reminder on how important environmental conservation is.”

The Wild Animal Sanctuary by Emily Rivers

• “The monthly donation for July is going to The Wild Animal Sanctuary. The sanctuary was established in 1980 and now has over 600 residents including tigers, African lions, black bears, wolfs and more. The sanctuary that is open for visitation sits on 789 acres where some of the animals live. The Wild Animal Refuge is not open to the public, but is located on over 9,000 acres and hosts animals in natural habitats. The sanctuary has been rescuing “captive exotic and endangered large carnivores” living in people’s homes, yards, and other areas not fit for such animals. The goal of their program is to place animals in large acreage habitats where they can live out their lives as nature intended.”

• “For our June donation I chose Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley. This amazing organization is located in Longmont. Below is a little information on what they provide:
  Safe Shelter provides a comprehensive system of programs and services to address the needs of individuals affected by Domestic Violence, Elder Abuse, Human Trafficking and Teen Dating Violence. All of our services are free, confidential, bilingual (English/Spanish), bicultural, open and affirming, and available 24/7. We provide a 24-hour crisis line, emergency shelter, individual and group counseling, case management, legal advocacy, community and peer education, information and referrals.”

• “For May I chose International Midwife Assistance as our charity to donate to. Infant mortality rates are still unconscionable high in many parts of the world and women still do not have equal, if any, access to healthcare as well.”

• “I picked There With Care to donate to because it’s a local nonprofit that I’ve been volunteering with since I was 12. They provide services to families with critically ill children (groceries, transportation to doctor’s appointments, professional cleaning services so kiddos with compromised immune systems can safely go home, etc.), sometimes for years on end while kids are sick. They’re a really wonderful organization, and I was so excited to be able to provide them funds from our firm – thank you shareholders for making this happen!”