The "Bottom" Line for Homeless Families

As a parent, I remember those days of potty training my boys that entailed lots of patience, plenty of consistency and encouragement, and of course, lots of M&M's for rewards. We'd make several trips a day to our bathroom right up the hall in our own house. That's how it is supposed to be, right?

But when you are homeless, there is no schedule. There is no ability to be consistent. In fact, there may not even be a bathroom readily available. Add to that the fact that you have no money.

So what happens when a homeless child who should be a long-time potty user isn't potty trained? Well, the "bottom" line is unimaginable for most of us - they walk around in soiled diapers for very long periods of time. This is not only unhealthy but also embarassing and completely uncomfortable!

Yesterday I was speaking to the good folks over at Denver Urban Ministries @DenUMhope about this problem. I am writing to all of you today to ask you to help DenUM build up their diaper donations to give to families experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty. DenUM needs large size diapers, sizes 4, 5 and 6. Maybe you could consider:
1. Bringing DenUM packs of diapers your child grew out of
2. Having a "bottom" line party and collecting diapers for DenUM
3. Telling everyone you know about the enormous need for diapers
4. Doing a diaper collection at your place of business

Last year, DenUM had some diapers they were able to give to families in need. Sadly, each family they served was only able to receive ten diapers. Can you imagine having to get by on ten diapers? People tend to give more diapers for newborns than older children, but it is those large diapers that are needed for those kids who are so sadly waiting for their potty training who need them.

If you are interested in helping DenUM, located on Colfax Ave. and Williams Street in Denver, please go to their website to see the days and times they can accept donations. Go to DenUM's website

Note that they also need many other food items!
Thanks!

Guest Blogger Wanted: Mental Health in Colorado

Recently on PBS, some professionals were interviewed about mental health in the U.S. and what people who knew the perpetrator of the Tucson tragedy should have done to help him. One expert said that citizens can call community mental health centers to report such a person. However, I am questioning whether or not that is true in Colorado.

@ConnectColorado is looking for guest bloggers who can write in response to the Tucson tragedy about how to access mental health services, how to help a person who is displaying mental health problems and not getting help and where citizens can call if they think someone needs help.

I will post your information on this blog and tweet it to the over 6,000 Colorado followers on @ConnectColorado. If you can contribute to this, please DM me. You have to be following me to DM me. If you are unable to DM, send me an @mention.
Thanks

Wanted: Social Good Filmmaker

I volunteer for an organization called the National Organization to End the Waiting Lists - www.noewait.net and @NOEWAIT on Twitter. I don't even know if this is possible, but I know I have many film people following on @ConnectColorado so I am going to ask.

NOEWAIT's social issue is that of people with developmental disabilities who are waiting for decades to receive services all over the country. I created a YouTube video for NOEWAIT which has gotten not only over 10,000 YouTube views, but has been played at several large conferences for people with disabilities and their families. I am obviously an amateur but the project was very successful.

I have this idea that we need a professional documentary film to be produced that follows the lives of people on waiting lists all over the country with the hopes that it could be aired on Public Television as well. The purpose is to help people to understand how devastating it is for the families who are waiting. NOEWAIT has collected large numbers of stories from various states including Colorado and could help the filmmaker to find the right families and individuals to feature.

I am wondering if there are any filmmakers out there who would take on a project like this - but the catch is of course we have no funding whatsoever to do it (sorry). I figured that an experienced filmmaker knows where to get funding, is that right? And experienced filmmakers also know how to get films shown on PBS, right?

If you think you can do something like this, please DM me on @ConnectColorado and I will send you my email address. If you are unable to DM me, follow the link to my website from my Twitter page and email me that way.

Give Twice for Christmas Colorado!

You can give twice this Christmas! The following is a list of ways to give back this Christmas in Colorado.

If you have something to add to this blog, DM me @ConnectColorado (you must be following me to DM me!) I will be updating as time goes on and tweeting it, too!

Photo by: John Lovekin @SanJuanJon

Volunteer and Donation Opportunities for Christmas:

COLORADO SPRINGS

Christmas for needy children: The Bob Telmosse Christmas Giveaway, 7 a.m.- 2 p.m. Mon. Dec. 20. Set up is this weekend at 117 W. Vermijo.
You can volunteer or donate toys and food.
http://santa-bob.org/
Twitter: @toysandturkeys

Colorado Springs Indy Give – Donations, Volunteers, Giving Stuff!
Give! is the Colorado Springs Independent's year-end multimedia and guerilla marketing campaign designed to generate funds, volunteers and applause for the important work local nonprofits perform.
http://www.indygive.com/
Twitter @indygive

DENVER METRO AREA

Care 4 Colorado Toy Drive for the Boys & Girls Clubs!
CBS4 in Denver is collecting toys at area King Soopers to benefit children at Boys & Girls Clubs in metro Denver.
http://denver.cbslocal.com/2010/12/05/care-4-colorado-toy-drive/
Twitter: @cbs4denver and @BGCMetroDenver

Bonfils Blood Center Gift wrapping fundraiser: 12/18 and 19. http://ht.ly/3pSp8
On Twitter: @bonfilsdotorg

Denver Urban Gardens – Adorable notecards as gifts (order online)
Denver Urban Gardens has garden-themed notecards designed by student community gardeners at Fairview Elementary. All proceeds go to Denver Urban Gardens Programs: http://dug.org/garden-note-cards
Twitter: @DUGtweet

Metro Volunteers – Holiday Volunteer Guide
Metro Volunteers produces a Holiday Volunteer Guide which is available on their website at http://www.metrovolunteers.org/. They tell me that many of these volunteer opportunities around the holidays do fill up quickly but they wanted me to convey to you that they don’t want you to get discouraged. There are many ways to volunteer during the holidays such as finding something in you neighborhood to do. Park clean-up, snow shoveling for a neighbor, bringing a plate of cookies to someone homebound are all great ideas. Watch their website for year round opportunities.
Twitter: @MetroVolunteers

FORT COLLINS

Christmas for @Turning_Point kids
Holiday parties for children served by Turning Point, a residential treatment center for kids 11 – 17 years old. Parties to be held Saturday, Dec. 18. The first is at the boys house from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., located at 801 South Shields (across from Moby Gym), Ft. Collins. There are usually 25-30 boys. The second party the same day is at the Girl’s House from 1:00p.m. to 3:00p.m., located at 614 South Matthews St., Ft. Collins, CO. There are usually 16-20 girls. They also need help earlier that morning and/or the night before loading cars to help bring everything to the parties in Ft. Collins from a farm. Contact: Lisa Hatcher
(970) 686-7577.

STATEWIDE

Calendar Fundraiser: XXYY Project
Buy a 2011 calendar celebrating the lives of boys and men with XXYY Syndrome!
http://xxyysyndrome.org/shopforxxyy.html
Twitter: @XXYYProject

Buy gifts, give back to charity

The following companies give a portion of their sales back to charity. Buy your gifts at their stores and give twice!

Monkey Hugz – Golden, CO
Their baby registry allows you to donate 5% of the sales it generated to the non-profit of your choice. They also have a new promotion which will give 5% to a charity: http://fb.me/O9XILgJo and http://www.monkeyhugz.com/

Twitter: @MonkeyHugz

Project Sunshine (buy online)
Is donating Lia Sophia sales and Jewelry to the Rape Assistance and Awareness Program (RAAP) @RAAPDenver through January 31, 2011
http://projectshinecolorado.wordpress.com/highlighted-items-2/

Twitter: @ProjectSunshine303

Idea from ConnectColorado: If you have Kohl's cash sitting around, use it to buy some toys for children in need.

Wanted: One (or two?) Epic, Caring Colorado Companies...

Wanted: A company or two who would like to perform a random act of kindness for an incredible organization.

Yesterday was Colorado Gives Day, as many of you know. @ConnectColorado was helping to promote the event, and we were watching Colorado charities closely. One that stood out yesterday was the Boulder County AIDS Project @BoulderAIDS. They organized events, promoting themselves in every way imaginable. They were up until midnight tweeting at their final event of the evening. As a whole, this organization did such an amazing job. Even when it is not Colorado Gives Day, this organization goes out of their way to promote those who support them. They are very active on Twitter and they thank every company publicly.

Boulder County AIDS Project had a goal of raising $30,000 yesterday. They didn't reach their goal. Although their official tally isn't in yet, it appears they were short about $10,000 or so.

That's where you come in.

Would your company be willing to perform a random act of kindness by making up the difference for Boulder County AIDS Project? Not only will they thank you publicly on Twitter, but @ConnectColorado will as well - several times. @ConnectColorado has nearly 5,900 Colorado followers on Twitter. Your act of kindness will definitely be noticed.

While your donation won't be matched for Colorado Gives Day, it will top off a deserving organization that worked so hard to make the day a huge success.

If you can make up the difference, or part of it, tweet @BoulderAIDS and also @ConnectColorado. I know that Dan @BoulderAIDS is taking a little time off right now after working so hard these last few days but he will see your tweet. Once they receive your donation, we will tweet you up!

Thanks in advance, whoever you are. I truly hope someone comes through for them.

Renee

PS: I don't work for Boulder County AIDS Project. I just wanted to see them rewarded for the enormous effort.

Thoughts on Colorado Gives Day

Colorado Gives Day was nothing short of epic. While we are waiting for the final tally, at last count it raised $8 Million for Colorado charities by 8:00. The goal was $1 Million! Donations aren't the only benefit either. The massive amount of retweets and testimonials about the charities involved and the event itself raised awareness about all of the fantastic Colorado nonprofits that are making our lives better.

On behalf of @ConnectColorado and my company, CommUlinks of Colorado @CommUlinks, we want to thank all of our followers for getting involved. You put up with us flooding your timeline yesterday and helped make Colorado a better place.

@ConnectColorado will now move on to our usual business of tweeting about things that improve your lives and make Colorado such a great place to live. We may have one more thing to do related to Colorado Gives Day, but we will tell you about that later.

Thank you!
Renee & Jim

Colorado is Pulling it Out of Our...

Wallets!

Colorado has something to prove tomorrow on Colorado Gives Day. Our fantastic state ranks 38th in charitable giving among states.

Can we let that stand? No we cannot!

We have an opportunity tomorrow on Colorado Gives Day to bring our ranking way up. The goal of Colorado Gives Day is to raise $1 Million for charity. The Community First Foundation @GivingFirst has made it so simple for us, too. You can go to their site and schedule your donations to several charities if you want. You can search by city and give where you live. It is extremely simple.

On December 8, we also need massive tweets that include the hashtag #COGivesDay. Please tweet about your favorite charity involved with this special day and retweet anything you see that has that hashtag in it. If you see Colorado Gives Day spelled out, you can help by retweeting and adding the #COGivesDay hashtag.

How much do you think Colorado can raise?