Well, friends, did you happen to notice that Allison failed to speak in this video? That’s exactly what happened! If you have met Allison, you know she is rarely at a loss for words, but she got camera-shy and failed to speak. Curt had to do all the talking (which we didn’t mind, because he has a great message) and Kim had to jump in and save the day for Conscious Real Estate. They both did a great job, though they may not let Allison live this one down…
We encourage you to learn more about the Art of War Project founded by Curt Bean. This organization is spearheading some truly innovative work promoting well-being for veterans dealing with PTSD, including weekly yoga and meditation classes, as well as a variety of art classes. The Art of War project has a monthly art show for the First Friday Art Walk and puts on a great party at the VFW Post 1 at 841 Sante Fe Drive in Denver Colorado, just a few doors down from 8th Avenue, so we encourage you to stop by and see the great work they are doing.
To learn more about Art of War and their upcoming events, you can follow them on Facebook or Instagram.
Remember, each time you buy or sell a home with Conscious Real Estate, 10% of agent commissions go to the nonprofit of your choice, so you can donate to the Art of War Project with your next real estate transaction and help them continue their great work in our community. If you would like to learn more about buying or selling a home with Conscious Real Estate, please contact Allison at 303-908-9873 or [email protected].
https://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Allison-and-Curt-Donation.jpg24482448Allison Parkshttps://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/logo.pngAllison Parks2015-09-01 19:54:212016-09-18 02:47:12Conscious Real Estate Presents Donation to Art of War
Greetings All! This weekend, Kim Johnson of Faceted Media and I volunteered at the First Friday event with the Art of War Project. While I was there, Erika Righter, owner of Hope Tank (that cool gift boutique on South Broadway, which gives a portion of EVERY item to nonprofits) introduced me to the artists of the VSA Colorado Access Gallery.
The VSA Colorado/Access Gallery is an inclusive nonprofit organization that provides creative and educational opportunities for people with disabilities to access and experience the arts. Each summer VSA Colorado/Access Gallery works with 15 – 20 high school students with disabilities to develop skills and strategies to increase access to economic opportunities. I think these kids are awesome and I think you will think they’re awesome.
A GREAT way to support these teens is through the “We Make Great Pets Project,” through which you can commission a portrait of your pet! The goal is to develop, implement, and support arts-integrated education and employment programs for teens and young adults with disabilities.
Commissioning a portrait of your pet is simple. Come to the gallery at 909 Santa Fe, Denver, CO 80204. See examples and pick three artists whose style you like. They will make every effort to have one of your selected artists complete the piece, and for an additional fee, they can guarantee your top choice. In two weeks, your portrait will be complete. It’s fun for you OR it’s the perfect gift for any animal lover.
It costs $80 for an 11 X 14 portrait of your pet. You provide them with a photo of your pet and a deposit and the artists will begin the portrait. You can commission any animal you choose. The artists are encouraged to use their creative talent, so the painting will be an interpretation of your photograph. (No refunds on commissioned paintings.)
Find the artist that fits your pet’s flair and email them a photo! For more information, call 303-777-0797 or email [email protected], you can stay updated on their events through Facebook, or if you’re feeling inspired, you can donate. I hope you’re all having a great summer! – Allison
https://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Pet-Portrait-5.jpg18972436Allison Parkshttps://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/logo.pngAllison Parks2015-08-09 06:12:012016-09-18 03:46:45Support VSA Colorado/Access Gallery By Commissioning a Portrait of your Pet
With Memorial Day coming up (and just because we love dogs), we decided that Freedom Service Dogs should most definitely be this month’s featured nonprofit. Last week, we got an exclusive tour at their facility in Englewood. It was dog-tastic and we learned a ton!
Freedom Service Dogs began with Mike Roche, a paramedic injured in the line of duty. Together, with his wife PJ, the couple trained what would be the very first Freedom Service Dog, “Oreo”, to help Mike with daily tasks.
Freedom Service Dogs is a nonprofit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by rescuing dogs from shelters and custom training them for individual client needs.
Michael, a lucky boy who received a custom-trained dog put it this way when talking about his new best friend Fender on the Freedom Service Dogs website, “He has become my best friend and given me self confidence. He is also helping my walking. People no longer stare at me because I walk differently. They now look at me and my dog and smile.”
1) Real estate (she can’t get enough of learning about trends, eco-friendly building materials, and the rich history of Denver neighborhoods)
2) Making a difference to nonprofits like Freedom Service Dogs by donating 10% of her commissions to nonprofits of her clients’ choice after every completed home sale.
Allison says, “I like Freedom Service Dogs because it’s one of the few nonprofits that helps peopleand dogs.”
Allison Parks, Conscious Real Estate Owner/Broker, with Lindsay Ganassa, FSD Development Manager and “Cargo”
The dogs are rescued from shelters and trained to become service dogs for people who otherwise would not be able to afford one. Getting a service dog trained is very costly and can cost over $25,000, and these dogs demonstrate how amazing dogs rescued from shelters can be! Also, if you have ever seen a dog work, you know how happy they are to have that opportunity. It’s truly amazing to see these dogs have a second chance at life, happily working to help the people who need them.”
Freedom Service Dogs is thriving. They have expanded by helping veterans with PTSD and traumatic brain injuries by custom training dogs to help children as young as 12 live more comfortable lives – despite such daunting conditions as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and more.
Noticing the extreme PTSD that military personnel were coming back with after fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, Freedom Service Dogs started Operation Freedom to help wounded warriors returning from traumatic conditions abroad.
Freedom Service Dogs Development Manager, Lindsay Ganassa filled us in on some of the details of the program. “Operation Freedom provides custom train service dogs to help mitigate multiple issues. Our clients might be facing PTSD, traumatic brain injury, or mobility impairment. We can teach the dogs to perform room sweeps where they go into each room, turn on the light, scan for intruders, and signal “all clear,” which is important for flashbacks and anxiety.”
Allison Parks, Conscious Real Estate Owner/Broker and “Cargo”
Ganassa told us that their custom-trained service dogs “can find phones in case of emergency, open and close doors, and can learn more than 50 custom commands.”
On average, Freedom Service Dogs rescues between 105-110 dogs per year. Out of that bunch, about 35 dogs are chosen to be trained as highly specialized service dogs. Those who do not make it as service dogs are adopted into forever loving homes.
There are many ways to support Freedom Service Dogs! Our favorite is buying a home with us and choosing to donate to Freedom Service Dogs through our Conscious Real Estate philanthropy program. To date, we have had two clients select FSD after purchasing their homes and we look forward to the opportunity to multiply this number and increase our impact on this fantastic organization!
You can also attend the Ryno & Tracy’s Rally for Freedom on June 13th. Or, you can donate directly, volunteer to walk dogs, foster a service dog, or start your own fundraiser. (Think: dog wash for charity!).
For more information and to learn about all the different ways to give to Freedom Service Dogs, check out their website here.
And, if you’re thinking about purchasing a home the socially conscious way, contact Allison at Conscious Real Estate today to set up a complimentary Q&A session.
Finally, please share! The more you share, the more you care.
Check out more from our tour of the Freedom Service Dogs facility in Englewood, Colorado right here.
https://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Freedom-Service-Dogs.jpg1000750Allison Parkshttps://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/logo.pngAllison Parks2015-05-12 18:32:212016-09-18 03:01:36Celebrate Memorial Day with Conscious Real Estate and Freedom Service Dogs
The Zonta Club of Denver stands up for women worldwide, seeking to improve the legal, political, economic, educational, health and professional status of women, both globally and locally. Since 1927, the group has raised over $2 million toward the cause.
Recently, the Zonta Club held a fundraiser at Sie Theater to raise awareness and highlight a brutal cultural practice that continues to this day – Sati.
In some Hindu communities, a recently widowed woman either voluntarily, or by force or coercion, commits suicide as a result of her husband’s death.
The practice varies in how it is performed and perceived, however in most cases, the woman is thought to have brought upon her husband’s death by negative actions in her previous life or lives. The thought is that if she honorably burns herself to death alongside her husband, she will erase the shame she has brought upon her family and restore abundance and good will in future reincarnations.
Sadly, many of the women are forced into this practice, leaving behind their children and suffering an unthinkable and painful demise.
Zonta Day of Film at Sie Theater in Denver
The Zonta Day of Film brought home this alarming practice in a fictional story of one family who is torn apart by a father’s death and a mother’s sati. Later, hope is restored when bv chance, the mother’s only son happens to find her in a cave while tending his small herd of cattle. She had escaped in the night as the flames began to engulf her and dove into the river. Together, with the help of family members, mother and son were able to escape their community and tell their tale.
Sati was formally outlawed in 1920, however the practice continues to this day. And, in 1987 was brought to the media’s attention when an 18-year-old woman committed sati in the name of her husband.
To set up a free consultation with one of our realtors, please email: [email protected] or [email protected] or, call us at 303-908-9873 and mention this article!
For more information about the Zonta Club of Denver, please visit: www.zonta-denver.org.
https://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/SIE-Film-Center.jpg562750Allison Parkshttps://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/logo.pngAllison Parks2015-03-27 13:33:352016-09-18 03:02:35Zonta Club of Denver : A Day of Film
The Hope House of Colorado really does bring hope to young women, especially 16 – 21 who often lack resource provided to pregnant teens and low-income women.
Sara Littlejohn (left) of Hope House and Kim Johnson of Conscious Real Estate
I found out from a recent tour of Hope House that there aren’t many programs to help teen moms after they give birth. Hope House seeks to provide them not only with outstanding resources, but also a sense of family, community, and strength.
There are two parts to Hope House. One is the residential center where teen moms and their children actually live. I was shocked (utterly surprised!) to find out how much Hope House cares about the girls down to the smallest, special, important details. They actually interview them ahead of time to get a sense of their style and then paint and decorate their rooms based on that interview.
Hope House offers teen moms lots of in-kind donations like diapers, clothes and toys for their children
The moms get their own rooms and their child gets his or her own nursery. It’s not clinical feeling or looking like some would expect. It’s homey, it’s safe, and Hope House makes it theirs.
Hope House also has a separate building, a few miles away, which holds the development and program team. There, teen moms in the Hope House program can get childcare, a meal or snack, activities for bonding (think: pedicure and movie nights!), as well as help with resumes, classes on how to carry yourself in an interview, and free GED assistance (so awesome!).
The GED program is a huge cornerstone of Hope House’s offerings. One of the many goals of the organization is to help the girls and women graduate high school, go to college, or find a career. The ultimate goal is to help these women and girls become self-sufficient and off government assistance.Hope House offers daycare and early learning classes for kids of teen moms in the program
Hope House recently won a substantial grant which allows them to build on a plot of land they had purchased in the same block as the residential program. With help from the grant and donors, Hope House will soon be able to combine both sides of their organization and help even more teen moms become confident, self-sufficient women.
At Conscious Real Estate, we know how important donors are to the health and stability of a non-profit. That’s why we’re committed to donating 10% of every commission when we sell a home to a non-profit or charity of our client’s choice.
We want to urge donors of Hope House to consider us for their real estate needs. The impact is huge. We can help together!
To set up a free consultation, just call us at 303.908.9873 or email us! Expert Realtor, Allison Parks can be reached at [email protected] and Kim Johnson, Sidekick Do-Gooder Extraordinaire, can be reached at [email protected].
We also want to urge our clients to consider Hope House as their beneficiary of choice. Donations from our home sales average between $500 – $2500 (of OUR money, not yours!).
Curious about the impact you could make?
$80 = Counseling (one professional session for a teen mom or child)
$79 = Bus Pass (one-month bus pass for a teen mom)
$125 = GED Test (covers the government fees for GED certification)
$100 = Glasses (Help a teen mom cover vision costs)
$500 = New Tires (Self-sufficiency requires reliable transportation)
$30 = Prepare a teen mom for her first day of work
$75/$300 = Groceries (Feed a teen mom and her child)
https://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Hope-House-2.jpg562750Allison Parkshttps://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/logo.pngAllison Parks2015-03-18 20:40:022016-09-18 03:03:07Nonprofit of the Month - Hope House of Colorado
Conscious Real Estate is proud to announce a partnership with Denver nonprofit, Work Options for Women. WOW is an innovative nonprofit designed to help impoverished women gain the skills and confidence they need to work their way out of poverty and become gainfully and permanently employed in the food service industry. Since 1997, this organization has been using food to change lives.
Take a peek.
There are a lot of great way you can support this organization:
And of course, when you buy or sell your home with Conscious Real Estate, we donate 10% of all commissions to the nonprofit of our clients’ choice, and you can choose to donate to WOW! Call Allison Parks at 303-908-9873 or email [email protected].
https://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/WOW-logo.jpg181186Allison Parkshttps://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/logo.pngAllison Parks2014-04-29 07:47:362016-09-18 03:06:13Conscious Real Estate Partners with Work Options for Women - WOW!
Conscious Real Estate is pleased to announce a partnership with Denver-based nonprofit, S.O.U.L. (Supporting Opportunities for Ugandans to Learn.)
S.O.U.L was founded by Brooke Stern and her father, Kenneth Stern, who set out on a backpacking trip through eastern Africa in 2009. After spending just 5 days in poverty-stricken Bujagali Falls, Brooke’s idea of creating a not-for-profit foundation devoted to helping the impoverished Ugandan community began to take shape. In reflecting on her first visit to Uganda, Brooke states, “In the village we saw hunger but we also saw thirst: thirst for knowledge, thirst for a better tomorrow, thirst for the opportunity to lift themselves out of gripping poverty.”
Brooke returned to Uganda one month after her initial life-changing visit. She immersed herself in the culture and community for 13 months. Like her village neighbors, she lived without electricity, hot water, or the comforts of modern society. She devoted this first year to listening to and learning from the villagers before she realized that the most effective soul-ution for the community would involve accessibility to education. Shortly after that, S.O.U.L. Foundation was born.
S.O.U.L. believes that education is the foundation upon which Uganda will build a stable and prosperous future. Families already struggling within the cycle of subsistence living must pay school fees for every child seeking an education. Often these fees are beyond their means, and as a result, children with motivation and academic potential never see the inside of a classroom.
S.O.U.L. Foundation focuses on creating partnerships with families through a shared approach to learning. To achieve this goal, S.O.U.L. created its Education Program. The foundation contributes 50% of tuition and book fees as well as a daily school lunch for each sponsored student. This provides scholastic opportunities that would otherwise be out of reach while keeping families invested in the academic success of their children.
S.O.U.L. Foundation envisions a world free of extreme poverty and chronic hunger, where people have the economic means to sustain their families. Their Village Business Cooperatives are designed to increase villager’s incomes in a sustainable way, thus allowing the rural poor to meet their families’ basic needs while creating additional income that brings the dream of education and upward mobility within reach.
When you buy or sell a home with Conscious Real Estate, you may choose to donate 10% of your agent’s commission to S.O.U.L.
https://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Soul-foundation-2.jpg612612Allison Parkshttps://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/logo.pngAllison Parks2014-04-29 07:29:372016-09-18 03:07:09Conscious Real Estate Partners with S.O.U.L. Foundation
Conscious Real Estate is pleased to announce a partnership with the Women’s Global Empowerment Fund. The mission of Women’s Global Empowerment Fund (WGEF) is to reach underserved women of Northern Uganda through economic, social, and political programs. Implementing grassroots strategies, marginalized women are given the tools necessary to alleviate poverty thus facilitating sustainable development and empowerment.
Women’s Global Empowerment Fund was founded upon the belief that microcredit loans, when bundled with educational programming, can build social capital and increase the potential for women’s empowerment and success. Clients invest their loans in activities in which they are already skilled – such as farming, food processing and selling, raising chickens and livestock, operating a shop, tailoring, construction, restaurants and tourism. Each borrower must earn enough to pay back their loan with interest, participate in the savings program, and have enough to purchase necessities. When the first loan is successfully repaid, the borrower is eligible to apply for a second loan to expand her business.
Women’s Global Empowerment Fund, in partnership with Literacy Aid Uganda, has developed a program that is relevant and responsive to the educational needs of their clients. When a woman learns to read and write, possibilities and opportunities are created. To date, WGEF has provided over literacy opportunities to over 600 women. In 2011, WGEF had 5 clients run in political races, with 3 successfully taking office.
WGEF clients have experienced empowerment, gained leadership skills, understanding of advocacy, legislative participation and policy development. Women in the program are leading in their communities, speaking out on important issues, advocating for women and families, challenging their leaders and community members to do better, moving their communities forward. Through relevant and meaningful programs, this nonprofit has been able to offer women critical knowledge to transform their communities, creating a brighter and more secure future for themselves , their families, region and nation.
If you would like to donate to WGEF, click here. If you would like to volunteer with WGEF, call: 303-520-7656 or email: [email protected]. You may also follow WGEF on Facebook or Twitter.
Remember, whenever you buy or sell your home with Conscious Real Estate, you can choose to have your real estate agent contribute 10% of their commission to WGEF!
https://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/WGEF-photo.jpg514343Allison Parkshttps://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/logo.pngAllison Parks2014-04-29 06:25:382016-09-18 03:07:53Conscious Real Estate Partners with Women's Global Empowerment Fund
I love helping people create their homes and I love giving back. Not only does it keep me happy, (YES, contributing a consistent portion of my income makes me HAPPY), I receive constant inspiration from witnessing the problems of our world and seeing the creative changes that nonprofits enact in our local and global community. Elephant Energy is such an organization who has sought to implement creative solutions to problems they have identified in the world.
Over 1.3 billion people in the world have no access to electricity. Elephant Energy works to solve this problem by empowering local entrepreneurs to supply affordable, clean, and practical energy technologies to their communities. With operations in Namibia, Africa and on the Navajo Nation in the United States (under the name Eagle Energy), their technologies help reduce household expenditures and health risks associated with traditional lighting and enable children to study after dark, businesses to stay open later, and people to stay connected to news and their families. So, what does this look like in practice?
Meme Felicia smiles, cooking fresh cuts of meat and preparing chips in Oshikango market. She adds another cut of beef to the grill. Customers wait in line and point to the pieces of meat they want, and grab a piece of tripe to chew on while they wait for Felicia to prepare their order. Felicia serves up a plate full of food to a hungry customer, and he pays his bill and begins feasting.
What’s strange about this scene? Its hours after dark. A month ago, Meme Felicia would close her business at sunset because she didn’t have access to light.
Meme Felicia has prepared and sold food in Oshikango market for 4 years. There was no electricity at her business location, so she used candles to keep her business lit. The candles were placed above her so she could illuminate her working area, but wax from the candles would drip on the meat and customers complained. Even with the use of the candles, she would close her business around sunset because the candles could not provide enough light to operate during the night.
Last month, Felicia attended a solar light demonstration in Oshikango hosted by Elephant Energy. At the demonstration, Felicia learned about Elephant Energy’s solar product offerings, including the popular Sun King Pro. As the name suggests, Sun King Pro is powered by the sun. During the day, the Sun King Pro soaks up energy from the sun, and at night, it provides light and also charges cellphones. To those without light at night, it also provides an opportunity to extend activities after dark. And since all of Elephant Energy’s solar products come with a 1-year warranty, including the Sun King Pro, quality is guaranteed. “It didn’t take long for me to decide that this solar light would help my business,” said Felicia. She purchased the Sun King Pro from Elephant Energy a few days later.
She’s now been using the Sun King Pro for a month and in that month, she’s seen dramatic positive changes in her business. Because she no longer uses candles, she saves money on candle costs. The meat she sells is now wax-free and customers compliment her on the quality of the product. Felicia now graciously offers free cellphone-charging services for neighboring business owners. But most importantly, because her business area is now illuminated by the Sun King Pro’s light, she has been able to extend her operating hours so she can sell food to hungry customers hours after the sun has set. “Thanks to my new solar light and extended hours, I have tripled my daily profits,” Felicia exclaims.
I’m inspired. You are too? To learn more about Elephant Energy, take a look at their website. Follow Elephant Energy on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest. Or DONATE.
Remember, Conscious Real Estate contributes 10% of all commissions to the nonprofit of our clients’ choice and we would love to give a boatload of money to Elephant Energy. So, give us a call at 303-908-9873 when you buy or sell your next home, tell your friends, tell your mom. We are ready to make some change in the world!
https://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Elephant-Energy-2.jpg400341Allison Parkshttps://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/logo.pngAllison Parks2014-01-31 07:59:412016-09-18 03:22:26Conscious Real Estate Partners with Elephant Energy
On one of my adventures through my neighborhood, The 80205, I saw the horse barn a couple years ago and thought, “Someone should really develop this. It would make great condos.” Thankfully, someone did develop this building and they had a much better idea than condos!
Denver’s Historic Horse Barn in Curtis Park has been renovated into a hub for local and international development. The Horse Barn was built in 1882 at 33rd and Arapahoe to house the horses and horse cars used for transportation at that time. In 2008, this was the last building standing of its kind, was in major disrepair, and had been vacant for years. The Denver Housing Authority purchased this building intending to scrape it and build housing. Joe Noble of the Curtis Park Neighborhood Association argued that the building has historic value and should not be destroyed – Thank you, Joe!
The barn was developed into the Posner Center for International Development by tres birds design/build firm, which houses over 40 international development organizations, such as Elephant Energy and PowerMundo, as well as the local nonprofit, Denver Urban Gardens. The design accommodates both private and shared work spaces, including former horse stalls transformed into private rooms, and sports an open modern kitchen for fundraisers and Urban Garden cooking classes. The Posner Center also hosts the Curtis Park Neighborhood Association meetings.
https://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Posner-Center-4.jpg570640Allison Parkshttps://theconsciousgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/logo.pngAllison Parks2014-01-28 07:08:592016-09-18 03:26:26Posner Center for International Development
Mary Benoit, President, Zonta Club of Denver
Zonta Day of Film at Sie Theater in Denver
pregnant teens and low-income women.
Sara Littlejohn (left) of Hope House and Kim Johnson of Conscious Real Estate
