Conscious Real Estate Donates to MaxFund

/in , , , , /by

Why Is It Called MaxFund?

In 1988, Dr. Suro owned a large veterinary practice in the Denver area and worked alongside his wife, program manager. Nanci Suro. The practice was thriving and the couple had just expanded to be a 24-hour practice. Immediately, the Suros discovered they had a “problem” on their hands. What should they do with the animals that good samaritans were bringing in? Most clinics and shelters were euthanizing the animals without owners immediately, unable and unwilling to foot the animals’ medical costs.

When “Max” came in one day after being hit by a car, the Suros began a fund from a fishbowl, called on service donations from local vets, held a yard sale and eventually came up with the money. To their delight and surprise, they had collected even more fund than they needed for Max’s successful treatment and so they continued the process for the next animal and so on and so on.

Max!

What Happened to Max?

Max healed and the Suro’s lived with him for 13 more years! Max inspired the Suros to continue and so they did. After some time, they were able to gain press coverage and even had an offer from a large corporation to buy their teeny nonprofit. Well, once the corporation realized how expensive some of the medical procedures were, they backed out. The organization was fully run by volunteers until 1995. Now, the organization relies on the generous support of the public which has come from the legacy of estates, generous living contributions, service donations by local vets, and donations from socially conscious business (yup like us here at Conscious Real Estate!!).

 

Why Do We Love MaxFund?

Well one reason is this sweet little bitty of a pup. Her only problem? Well, she has two in these pictures. Two broken legs. Poor thing. Thanks to MaxFund she was able to get the medical attention that she needed and…well…a donation wasn’t enough for us in this case. Conscious Real Estate owner and founder Allison Parks ended up adopting her to add to her pack. She’s had a lot of happy days since then!

Who rescued who? She’s perfect!

Another amazing fact about MaxFund? Founder Dr. Suro got his own new lease on life when he was donated a kidney from Hillary Rettig who said she chose to donate to Dr. Suro because of all the lives of animals he’s saved!!! – MaxFund

What Does MaxFund Do?

MaxFund offers low-cost medical services for injured and ill animals as well as preventative services like spay, neuter and vaccinations. They also offer adoption services for dogs and cats, including those with special needs. Every animal deserves a home, they say.

 

“We believe in second chances. And, we’ll continue to follow our mission in saving injured animals without owners. No matter how large we become we get, in a real sense we will always be “the small shelter that makes a big difference.” We are growing and have been fortunate to receive many wonderful donations and estates, which we have turned into capital improvements.” – MaxFund

 

MaxFund Needs You + Ways to Give

As usual, there are many ways to give to this nonprofit. You can connect them with sympathetic vets, donate individually, shop through Amazon Smile, volunteer, adopt a pet, or, our favorite – work with us at Conscious Real Estate. We donate 10 percent to a nonprofit of your choice after every sale. Yep, you choose who we donate to! It’s a wonderful way to celebrate your new home and give back to a cause you care about. So far we’ve donated tens of thousands to local and national nonprofits. All you have to do is work with us when you buy your next home. We have a track record of happy clients and are available when you need us. Ready to start?

Conscious Real Estate Donates to Re: Vision

/in , , /by

Despite its urban locale, Westwood, a southwest Denver neighborhood has long been economically neglected.

A thriving community with over 80 percent of its residents identifying as Latino, Westwood is known for its Mexican fare, Asian market, pho options, parks, bike paths and incredible public art murals.

Josiah Lopez, Artist

Yet 30 percent of Westwood families live in poverty and before Re:Vision began its programming, even more families were affected by the compounding factor of Westwood’s status as a “food desert.”

“In the U.S., over 23.5 million people live in food deserts, areas where food is neither affordable nor accessible.” – Re:Vision

When access is limited to quality and healthy food choices due to distance or cost, it causes problems unseen to the casual observer. For example, according to Re:Vision’s latest statistics, 67 percent of Westwood residents are risking obesity and diet-related illnesses. Correspondingly, the health impact affects lifespan. A Westwood resident’s lifespan, on average, is “12 years shorter than surrounding Denver neighborhoods.”

Example of a food desert with limited access to health or fresh foods.

Seeing a problem only getting worse, Re:Vision founders have created a system of community leaders, education programs, backyard gardens and a partnership with the Westwood Food Co-op. The results show that a small group of people can make change when they do it together. At Conscious Real Estate, we’re proud to have contributed to the cause of gaining access to healthy food in one of our favorite neighborhoods in Denver.

Thanks to the generosity of our clients who choose which charity to donate to after every sale, we have been introduced to Re:Vision and encourage you to make a donation if your passion is positive local community growth and wellness.

 

Allison Parks, left, Owner & Founder of Conscious Real Estate with generous Re:Vision client donor

 

Re:Vision is a nonprofit that operates several programs that benefit the Westwood neighborhood:

Re:Farm Program

This program encourages and supports local community men and women training to be a Re:Vision Promotora, or resident leader.

The Promotoras then assist Westwood families in growing their own food in household yards. The bounty? In 2016, Re:Farm’s backyard gardens grew over 55,000 pounds of organic produce. (Yes!) Another shocking fact: Over 90 percent of the backyard garden program participants earn less than $15,000 a year. The amount of food grown at home for these families can keep them out of complete abject poverty and help reduce child hunger. Here’s a map of the over 400 households Re:Vision has helped create backyard gardens for.

Also within the Re:Farm program, Re:Vision has created a three day a week pop-up market, El Mercadito, which allows the purchase of fresh, organic produce. Bonus: They accept SNAP.

The Westwood Food Co-Op completes the Re:Farm program. The local grocery store is community-owned and seeks to help with Westwood’s status as a food desert.

For more info:

www.revision.coop/programs

 

Re:Unite

Re:Vision helps communities thrive by creating spaces and resources for residents to make change and improve their neighborhood.

Community leaders are trained as Promotoras, a concept common in Latino communities where a community leader offers themselves to the public as a liaison for problems and solutions. Promotoras teach nutrition classes, help families cultivate gardens and keep track of the overall wellness of their community.

Part of the success of the Promotora program has been the creation and utilization of La Cocina, a kitchen space with commercial equipment to accommodate cooking classes and family events up to 12 people.  

 

Re: Own

We know well here at Conscious Real Estate how challenging the real estate marketing is right now in Denver. As part of the Re:Own program, Promotoras advocate and assist families faced with displacement due to the current housing market pressures. The Westwood Food Co-op also helps to provide ownership in business and aid in neighborhood employment.

Overall, Re:Vision is making huge strides in increasing the quality of life for people living in Westwood. We love supporting local causes that are making clear strides towards a better whole.

 

About the Author | Conscious Real Estate 

Are you a giver? Consider recommending us to a friend or co-worker who might be thinking about buying a home in Denver. Not only do we help you with the sometimes stressful process, but your favorite cause will get a donation to continue their programming as well as a lot of great karma love. Click here to send us a referral or a heads up to an amazing nonprofit we should know about.

 

  • The Team at Conscious Real Estate

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_________________

For more info on Re:Vision and to make a donation:

www.revision.coop

Conscious Real Estate donates to Project Worthmore

/in , , , /by

I had some recent transplants move back to Colorado and we found them a wonderful home! After closing, these folks wanted to donate to a nonprofit that benefits refugees. After researching some organizations, they selected Project Worthmore located in Aurora.

Project Worthmore provides programs that foster community, self-sufficiency and increase quality of life among Denver-area refugees.

PW accomplishes this endeavor through a multitude of avenues. They provide:

  • English (ESL) classes at no cost to refugees
  • A dental clinic for the refugees who cannot afford dental care. 
  • Fresh and healthy produce for families to attain bi-weekly
  • A family partnership program to help orient refugee families to Denver 

I was particularly inspired by the family partnership program, as this is not just a way to help the refugee families, but to become acquainted with another culture and step out of our comfort zone. I especially think that families with children could receive great benefit by participating in this program. What a wonderful way to expose your children to culture, while helping another family in need!

Here is a video about Project Worthmore’s Family Partnership Program:

Careholder from Project Worthmore on Vimeo.

There are many ways you can become involved with Project Worthmore. You can donate or volunteer. You can follow them on Facebook or Twitter. AND you can attend their upcoming event: Our Neighbors, Ourselves, which is an art exhibit that will take place at Stanley Marketplace on September 24, 2016.

As always, you can donate to Project Worthmore when you buy or sell a home through Conscious Real Estate – we always contribute 10% of our commissions to the nonprofit of our client’s choice! To learn more about this, call Allison Parks at 303-908-9873 or email [email protected].

Conscious Real Estate Broker/Owner Allison Parks with Project Worthmore Executive Director Frank Anello

Conscious Real Estate donates to CWEE

/in , , /by

Our wonderful client Sonya closed on her home, just in time to get settled before welcoming her twin grandbabies! Sonya chose to donate to CWEE: Center of Work, Education, and Employment, because she wanted to support an organization that empowers local families to better their lives and break the cycle of poverty.

CWEE is an impactful nonprofit, based in Denver, that assists low-income single parents to gain employment and create financial security, often to transition off public assistance.

The participants attend CWEE’s program 30 hours per week for an average of three to six month. Participants learn soft skills necessary in employment and then begin building credential-backed technical skills they need to obtain and maintain long-term employment. They also learn such necessary skills as building a budget and finding childcare. After the participants complete the program, they can still access post-employment support as needed.

In 2015, CWEE served 616 participants, with a 62% increase in the number of individuals who gained employment from the previous year, with an average starting wage of $11.36 for full-time employment. CWEE is especially impactful in resolving the disparity in single mothers’ experiencing poverty – single mothers account for 10.7% of families in Colorado, but comprise 42% of all families living in poverty.

Caitie from CWEE, our client Sonya, and Conscious Real Estate Owner/Broker Allison Parks

Caitie from CWEE, our client Sonya, and Conscious Real Estate Owner/Broker Allison Parks

To date, CWEE has assisted more than 13,000 single parents to lift their families out of poverty, which has resulted in an estimated $6 million in wages being invested back into the Denver economy.

In the photo , we are standing in front of the CWEE tree of jobs. Each leaf has a CWEE participant’s name, their new job title, and their hourly wage.

I was thrilled to learn about this organization and to be able to donate on behalf of Sonya.

If you would like to learn more about CWEE, you can follow them on Facebook or Twitter. You can donate money, volunteer, or you can even donate professional clothing or business books! CWEE’s annual luncheon will take place this year on September 22 at Mile High Station, if you would like to honor their successful alumni, outstanding volunteers, foundations, community partners, employers, and corporations.

As always, you can always donate to CWEE if you choose to purchase or sell your home through Conscious Real Estate, since we donate 10% of our agent commissions with every transaction. To learn more about this, call Allison Parks at 303-908-9873 or email at [email protected].

CWEE's Tree of Jobs

CWEE’s Tree of Jobs

 

Conscious Real Estate Donates to TBI:Alive!

/in , , /by

Have you heard of TBI:Alive?

We were lucky enough to be able to donate to this wonderful organization recently, after our clients’ purchased a home and selected this organization to receive a Conscious Real Estate donation!

TBI:Alive is comprised of brain injury survivors, impacted families, and proactive health practitioners promoting cognitive and emotinal fitness through healthy social interaction, enjoyable community activities, and engaging lifestyle tools.

A conscious focus on fundamental physical, emotional, psychological, and community health is essential to realizing stability and happiness post-trauma. Educational and recreational activities encouraging worthwhile self-regard and realistic goal-setting help to build upon each participant’s positive foundation, while sensible affirmations and constructive feedback within an engaging community serve to support ideals of acceptance and evolution following cognitive trauma.

Activities and events organized within this community all share an ardent TBI:Alive philosophy to promote:

A) Psycho-social Benefits

-Consistent group communication and support

-Engaging community activities

tbi-alive-1

B) Somatopsychic (Body-Mind) Benefits

-Promotion of physical health and stability to benefit cognitive function

-Nutritional awareness, education, and resources for functional health in daily life

-Scheduling consistent community physical activities and events

tbi-alive-2

C) Informed Personal Health Awareness through education and support, encouraging:

-Personal abilities and responsibility to encourage healthy function

-Opportunities for conscious health-promotion in every aspect of life

-The value of structured and consistent daily practice

tbi-alive-3

We are incredibly grateful for the work that this organization does in our community and we are happy for the opportunity to help support TBI:Alive! To learn more about this organization, you can follow TBI:Alive on Facebook. You can donate. And don’t forget, Conscious Real Estate always contributes 10% of agent commissions to the nonprofit of our client’s choice, so if you are selling or purchasing a home, come work with us to support TBI:Alive! Contact Allison Parks at 303-908-9873 or [email protected]

Meet Our Rock Star Agent, Kodie Miller

/in , , /by

Meet our Rock Star Agent, Kodie Miller!

She looks like this…

kodie-volunteering

And this…

kodie-headshot

And sometimes, even this…

kodie-laughing

This is what Kodie had to say about a recent home sale with Conscious Real Estate…

“Buying a house is exciting, plain and simple. You finally get pre-approved and your finances are in order. Chances are, you are going through a major shift in your life. Maybe you’re planning space for a new family… maybe you need a home with an addition to start your new salon… maybe you’re downsizing because your 30-year old son FINALLY moved out. (Queue background choir singing.)

Although buying a home is exciting, there are A LOT of moving parts: the inspection, an appraisal, negotiations, extending your appraisal for another inspection, more negotiations… and trying to figure out where the seller put the key to the mailbox.

My recent buyer, Mary Sue, can attest to all of this… We speed dialed each other for a solid 45 days, which was awesome. When I joined the real estate realm, it was assumed that, as a new agent, you should basically accept any business that is thrown in your general direction. To some extent, that holds true. To gain experience, you must work.

This holds true at Conscious Real Estate. However, at Conscious Real Estate, we offer our clients the opportunity to give back to causes that are important to them. By investing in what’s important to our clients, we are investing in who they are – to create a space that’s comfortable, friendly, and competent. We work on their behalf, not just because they chose us, but because it’s a conscious decision to work with one another. (See what I did there?)

For her Conscious Real Estate donation, Mary and her boyfriend, Josh, selected the “Helen M. McLoraine Scholarship for Foster Care and Emancipating Youth” through The Denver Foundation. This scholarship is awarded to youth emancipating or emancipated from the foster care system to attend college, university, or technical school. By providing this support, these young people have the opportunity to improve their future and overcome the pattern of poverty.

I am so proud to have been part of a transaction that helped Mary achieve her goal of home ownership, as well as provide support to such a wonderful cause. As for her new home, she is doing pretty well…. Here are the before and after photos of her kitchen!”

BEFORE:

marys-home-before

 

AFTER:

marys-home-after

If you would like to speak with Kodie about buying or selling a home, you may contact her at 303-­802­-0566 or [email protected].

 

Conscious Real Estate Donates to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Colorado

/in , , , /by

Welome aboard, everyone… This is your Captain, Allison speaking…

The subject heading of this blog is about our company donating to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Colorado, and we did. A client selected this organization after a recent home sale. Rather than discussing the donation, I would like to discuss cystic fibrosis.

cff

Cystic fibrosis is a life-threatening, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and progressively limits the ability to breathe. In people with CF, a defective gene causes a thick, buildup of mucus in the lungs, pancreas and other organs. In the lungs, the mucus clogs the airways and traps bacteria leading to infections, extensive lung damage and eventually, respiratory failure. In the pancreas, the mucus prevents the release of digestive enzymes that allow the body to break down food and absorb vital nutrients.

Today, the median predicted survival age is close to 40. This is a dramatic improvement from the 1950s, when a child with CF rarely lived long enough to attend elementary school. Thanks to advances in medicine, the life expectancy has been increased dramatically.

By pursuing bold strategies, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has built a robust pipeline of potential new therapies that fight the disease from every angle. And, nearly every CF drug available today was made possible because of Foundation support — including therapies to treat the underlying cause of the disease. However, there is still much research to be done. While there has been significant progress in treating this disease, there is still no cure and too many lives are cut far too short.

From discussing this with the directors at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Colorado, they informed me that we may often not know that this is affecting someone who we may work with or know. People aren’t always forthcoming with the information, because they may not want to be perceived or treated differently. The directors at CFF of Colorado also told me amazing stories of the resiliency of the families who have children who are affected by CF.

My takeaway from this meeting was an extreme sense of gratitude… On a personal note, I get stressed about my problems and love to worry about this and that. But when I consider the fear and challenges that other people sometimes must face and the STRENGTH that other people bring to the table when facing these complicated issues, I am reminded to be grateful that I have my health… to not sweat the small stuff… I sometimes think I have “problems,” but there are plenty of people who would be grateful to have my problems.

I also remembered to have compassion for other people. I’ve learned this a million times and I even run a company that donates money constantly, but I still need the reminders. We may not know what the person next to us is dealing with. I learned that many people who have CF may look incredibly healthy, but they’re actually dealing with some extreme health issues.

If you would like donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Colorado, click here. Or, if you would like a fun challenge that benefits this organization, on June 25th, 2016, they will be having the Denver CF Climb, in which you climb ALL of the stairs – 3865 TOTAL – at Mile High Stadium. Sound difficult? I was told that some of the participants who have CF and only have 40% lung function still participate and do the climb! Conscious Real Estate will be hosting a water station at this event, so we certainly hope to see some of you there.

cff-2

Conscious Real Estate donates to the Tennyson Center

/in , /by

tennyson-tim-and-anita

After our recent clients closed on the sale and purchase of their home, they chose to donate to the Tennyson Center for Children at Colorado Christian Home. These clients wanted to donate to an organization that benefitted at-risk youth and wanted to choose an organization which was close to their home.

Tennyson Center for Children at Colorado Christian Home is one of the Rocky Mountain region’s leading treatment centers and K-12 schools for emotionally and crisis-affected children and youth, particularly those suffering from abuse and neglect. They serve children ranging in age from 5-18 and are dedicated to ensuring that these amazing kids having the fighting chance they deserve at a satisfying and fulfilling life.

Having worked with at-risk youth for five years prior to real estate, I very much enjoyed touring the facility. The Tennyson Center utilizes a great deal of effective occupational therapy and traditional therapies to help the youth deal with their traumas.

As you can see from the photo, my clients brought their baby, James, on the tour. Tia, the Tennyson staff member who led our tour, used James as an example for how children can be affected when raised in a neglectful situation. When James became fussy throughout our tour, Tia pointed out how his parents used various techniques to calm and soothe him – maybe holding him differently, bouncing him a bit, or speaking to him gently. When parents use these typical techniques to soothe their baby or child, the child learns trust and eventually learns to self-soothe with age.

When a child is neglected, they don’t learn these ways to calm themselves. When you compound this with abuse, the child is constantly living in a heightened state of anxiety, and can display a great deal of emotional problems and has difficulty functioning in classrooms or other structured environments. Tennyson Center addresses many of these issues in their classroom settings and in their occupational therapy rooms. A child can go to the occupational therapy room and assess what level of intensity their body is experiencing that day and then choose one of the coping methods, such as bouncing on a trampoline or putting their body through the “squeeze machine.” The child can then reassess how they are feeling after their therapy. Over time, the child learns that they can calm themselves down through various techniques, so they will be more adaptive, rather than reactive to life’s situations and stressors.

This is just one of the many wonderful ways that the Tennyson Center helps children who have suffered from abuse and neglect. If you notice the blue pinwheels in our photo (or if you have noticed them around town), these are for recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, which occurs every April. Although it is never enjoyable to learn about the abuse and neglect that happens to young people, it was very meaningful to be able to donate to this wonderful organization during the month of April.

If you would like to learn more about Tennyson Center, you may follow them on Facebook or Twitter. You may also donate or consider volunteering with Tennyson Center.

 

VORP of Denver: The Best Security System

/in , , /by

Maybe you have already heard of VORP, but I pride myself on knowing about all local nonprofits and I had not yet heard of this one, although they have been providing services to Denver youth for over 20 years. I was incredibly inspired by my visit and am grateful that my clients chose to donate to this wonderful organization, so that I could learn about this organization and contribute to their cause.

VORP stands for Victim Offender Reconciliation Program and they keep young people out of jail by restoring the relationships between oneself, one’s family, and one’s community. This is an alternative justice practice, which acknowledges individual experiences and identities. Have you ever heard of transformative justice?

Angell Perez, Executive Director of VORP, almost brought me to tears with the story of Julia…

Julia was a 12-year-old when she was referred to VORP from the Denver Juvenile Diversion Program after receiving a ticket for Assault and Interference with School Staff. She had been handcuffed, arrested, and expelled from her middle school, after spending 5 days in a local “juvenile jail.” Why? Because she got into a fight with another student and when a teacher tried to break it up, she was punched in the mouth by someone who she thought was Julia. Completely unacceptable, right? Sure… but there’s a lot more to the story.

For many months, Julia had been consistently bullied at school by several girls because she plays a lot of sports and dresses like a tomboy. Julia had sought help from several staff members at school and their advice was to “just ignore it.” One day, she finally lost it and got in a fight with one of the bullies. She had been having a terrible time at home. Six months prior, her father had passed away from cancer unexpectedly. Julia had been separated from her siblings, as they were all living with different relatives. She was worried about her little sister, who had been threatening suicide, and since they were separated, Julia could not be there for her. And so the events of Julia’s fight unfolded as they did.

VORP facilitated a Face2Face healing circle with Julia, her grandfather, and the teacher from school who pressed the charges, Ms. Audrey. Ms. Audrey was able to share how much hurt she experienced, both physically and emotionally. She shared that her daughters were students at the school, who saw her get assaulted and were afraid for their mother’s wellbeing. The incident caused so much harm to Ms. Audrey that she had considered leaving her career as a teacher, although she had become a teacher because she wanted to support youth in their education to lead them to better lives.

In this circle, Julia was able to face the harm that she had caused and was able to share her story with Ms. Audrey, so Ms. Audrey could understand the root of Julia’s anger and help her learn how to better deal with it. With the staff and volunteers of VORP, everyone was able to create empathy and understanding with one another.

Ms. Audrey praised VORP’s Transformative Justice Programs and vowed to advocate for calling VORP, instead of the police with school administrational issues. Ms. Audrey also committed to helping Julia get back into school after she had been expelled. Julia completed her community contract to make amends to Ms. Audrey, herself, and her family. She got back into school and finished the school year with all A’s and B’s.

The focus of Transformative Justice is to begin a journey of transformational healing for youth, families, and community by focusing on the root causes of harm (crime.) This is done by addressing generational wounds and trauma caused by societal oppression (racism, poverty, etc.) to inspire youth to empathize with survivors of crime and heal the harm they’ve caused them.

Transformative Justice also actively works to transform systems that cause harm to particular communities, especially communities of color, such as the school to prison pipeline, mass incarceration, and the prison industrial complex. VORP provided programs to 230 youth and their families in 2015. Over 90% were youth of color and 87% qualified for free or reduced lunch.

vorp-zoe-patrick

Pictured are Conscious Real Estate clients: Zoe, Patrick, Aster, and Oriole with myself

I am incredibly grateful to Zoe, Patrick, Aster, and Oriole for choosing VORP for their Conscious Real Estate donation, so I was able to meet Angell and learn about all of the wonderful work that VORP is doing in our community to help young people. We met with them on December 31, 2015 and I couldn’t ask for a more inspiring end to my year. As we were walking out, Zoe mentioned that one of her friends had recently purchased a home from another realtor and was bragging that her realtor had given them a new security system as a closing gift. Zoe responded to her friend, “Our donation to VORP is our security system.”

“We chose to give to VORP because we have seen an increasing pattern of people of color being sent to courts and jails at early ages. VORP sees the factors that schools and courts miss, like trauma, economic, and social factors that make youth more likely to end up in the correctional system. We believe in VORP’s holistic and transformative approach to justice as well as their leadership opportunities that support young people in changing our future.”

If you would like to learn more about VORP and their programs, click here. You can volunteer or donate to VORP or “like” them on Facebook. And as always, when you purchase or sell a home with Conscious Real Estate, 10% of our commission goes to the nonprofit of your choice and we are always more than happy to donate to such wonderful causes. I hope everyone’s new year is going well. – Allison

Conscious Real Estate Welcomes Elizabeth Lord to Our Team!

/in , , , , /by

We couldn’t be more thrilled to announce that Elizabeth (Ellie) Lord has chosen to be our newest broker associate.

She is passionate. She is knowledgeable. She chose to work with us because of our philanthropic business model. Let us tell you about all things Ellie…

ellie-headshot

Elizabeth “Ellie” Lord’s personal mission statement reads; “my purpose is to create a life that is rewarding personally as well as professionally, and in return, enhance it through active community involvement.” She lives this creed every day, and through everything she does.

  Born and raised in Seattle, Ellie grew up surrounded by an amazingly supportive family and a herd of golden retrievers. After eight years in the residential design and construction industry, she moved to Denver for graduate school at the University of Denver. With a graduate degree in real estate and construction management, and a new found love of Colorado, she reestablished her award winning design business, Elizabeth P. Lord Residential Design LLC, in Denver. In addition to her extensive experience in residential design, and her background in construction, she offers her real estate clients the opportunity to use her wealth of knowledge to achieve the maximum value out of their home in preparation of selling, or insight into making a potential house their personalized space with design advice.

In her spare time, Ellie enjoys traveling the world and thrives on experiencing new adventures. After participating in a Habitat for Humanity build in New Zealand, she chose to live a life of gratitude and has continually pursued opportunities to give back to her community. She volunteers with the Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies and the local Habitat for Humanity chapter, as well as donating design services to charitable organizations. She recently purchased a condo in Wash Park, and adopted a Bernedoodle, who will be trained to become a therapy dog.