Nonprofits Continue to Struggle After the Recession

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A purple button with the word Give on it

While most economists agree that the Great Recession is over, many nonprofits in Colorado and across the nation have not recovered from their fundraising declines that began in 2008.

The Colorado Nonprofit Association reports that while nearly 58% of our state’s nonprofits state that they will meet or exceed their individual donation goals, more than 34% will fall short.  Nearly 77% of Colorado nonprofits have noticed an increased demand for services this year, but 22% had to cut back on programs and nearly 17% turned away clients.

Food pantries have taken a large hit, as the food stamp program benefits have been decreased.  The Colorado floods also hurt many nonprofits, as donors redirected their giving from their usual beneficiaries to the flood efforts.

The Denver post reports experts’ estimate that it will take about seven years for charitable giving to return to the pre-recession levels.  People are reluctant to part with their money unless they think the economy is stable.  On a positive note, Colorado Gives Day raised $15.4 million for Colorado nonprofits in 2012, while 2013 Colorado Gives Day broke a record by raising over $20 million.

Here at Conscious Group, every day is Colorado Gives Day.  We strive to always give back to our local and global community, by contributing 10% of all commissions from home sales and purchases to the nonprofit of our clients’ choice.  Come make a difference with us when you buy or sell your next home – it feels pretty good and you might just have fun!

Conscious Real Estate Partners with Environmental Learning for Kids

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Conscious Group is proud to partner with Environmental Learning for Kids.  ELK is an inclusive non-profit organization that develops inspired and responsible leaders through science education and outdoor experiences for underserved, urban youth ages 5-25.

Underserved, culturally diverse youth in Arapahoe, Adams and Denver Counties do not have the same opportunities to succeed and thrive as other youth. There are far more opportunities in urban neighborhoods to skip school and join gangs than there are to become a contributing part of the community.  Eighty percent of the students that ELK works with in school programs, mostly in Denver, Commerce City and Aurora, qualify for free or reduced lunches.

Through Learning Environmental Activities for Families (LEAF), ELK’s family-based program, ELK encourages parents to experience the outdoors with their children. Parents are invited to attend all ELK activities.  As an additional source of support for students, ELK’s Youth in Natural Resources (YNR) program offers leadership development, mentoring and one-to-one assistance as students prepare for college. To date, ELK has helped secure $70,000 in scholarships for students to attend college.

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Priscilla Alcocer, a 12 year old ELK student said, “I’m only 12, and I know what college I want to go to. I know what I want to do with my life. ELK taught me you’re never too young or old to try something new or think about your future.”

I am inspired by organizations such as this that provide education and better options for our next generation.  You may donate to Environmental Learning for Kids, volunteer, or enroll your child.  Follow ELK on Facebook and Twitter to receive updates about the great work they are doing in our community!

For just $250, one student can participate in ELK activities for a year. A gift of $100 will provide 25 students with the opportunity to experience the outdoors on an ELK field trip.

As always, Conscious Real Estate contributes 10% of all commissions to the nonprofit of your choice, and ELK is a great choice!  Let’s make positive changes together in the community when you buy or sell your next home with Conscious Real Estate.  Call Allison Parks at 303-908-9873 or email [email protected].

Conscious Real Estate Partners with the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education

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Conscious Real Estate is proud to announce a partnership with the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education. CAEE is a professional organization for environmental educators, which facilitates communication, cooperation, collaboration, and coordination among the varied environmental education programs in the state.

Environmental education is a life-long learning process that increases awareness about the environment and its systems while developing critical-thinking skills that enable responsible decision-making.  Environmental education builds knowledge and skills in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities, and allows opportunities to apply those skills.

Environmental education also fosters a connection to the community and civic responsibility by developing environmental literacy, which is the capacity to understand the implications of our actions, to critically think about daily choices, and to make informed and responsible decisions.  Reaching this level of understanding and developing these skills on a large scale is only possible through quality education.

We need environmental education if we continue to expect the people of Colorado to make tough choices about environmental issues (i.e., water use, air pollution, development, transportation, etc.)  We are lucky to live in such a beautiful state, and it’s important to bring environmental awareness and education to our current and future generations.

If you need additional motivation to support CAEE, watch this controversial commercial from Toys R Us which all but denounces not just environmental education, but education in general.  Parents have to compete with such enticing ads to keep their children engaged in healthy activities, as obesity rises in our country and the educational system declines.  Even Stephen Colbert had to take a stab at this one!

Become a member, donate, or volunteer with the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education and follow CAEE on Facebook or Twitter to receive updates on the great work they are doing in our community.

Remember:  Conscious Real Estate always contributes 10% of commissions to the nonprofit of your choice when you buy or sell a home with our realtors, so you can make a generous donation to great organizations in our community like CAEE.

If you can donate any technology items or office supplies, The Wish List for CAEE currently includes:  projector, computer speakers, recent computers and laptops, Adobe InDesign software, Laptop cases/bags, Wireless mouse, laminator, colored paper, copy paper, paper shredder, flip chart paper, easels, Avery labels, Avery name tag holder, Avery name tag inserts, Spray Mount, Post It Notes, Tools (hammer, nails, etc.), Standing lamps, light bulbs, Vacuum, Room Air Conditioner, Fans, Plastic Bins, Tupperware, Set of knives, Folding Tables, Folding Chairs, Cutting Boards, Meeting Space, Small Moving Dollies, and Wheeled Storage for Events.

Please email [email protected] to donate these items.

Conscious Real Estate Partners with PlatteForum

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Conscious Real Estate is proud to announce a partnership with award-winning Denver nonprofit, PlatteForum. PlatteForum is an innovative nonprofit arts, youth-development, and urban artist-in-residence program in Denver that teams underserved youth (K-12) from around the Denver metropolitan area with contemporary master artists in intensive, structured, and long-term creative learning environments.

In 2002, Judy Anderson and Mark Smith (East West Partners) co-founded PlatteForum in Denver, Colorado, to address diminishing access to the arts in public schools and provide a place for artists to have the time and support to create new work.  Youth work side by side with resident artists to collaboratively plan, produce, and exhibit a body of work in an environment in which artistic excellence is highly valued.  Through the creative process, PlatteForum gives hope and direction to underserved youth who collaborate with master artists from around the world.  This experience transforms the lives of the youth, the artists and the community.

PlatteForum welcomes the public to their events, it’s a great place to volunteer, and creative workshops are led by professional artists… with cocktails, or you can make a donation.  As always, you can remind your friends and family that when they sell or purchase a home through Conscious Real Estate, 10% of our agent’s commission can go to PlatteForum to help underserved youth and lend to the vibrancy of our community.

Conscious Real Estate Partners with Yard Harvest

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A good nonprofit seeks to solve problems with creative solutions.  Denver nonprofit, Yard Harvest does just that.  Yard Harvest connects with local homeowners who have a surplus of produce on their fruit trees and vines.  Volunteers harvest the produce, leave a portion with the homeowners, and deliver the rest to daycare centers, homes for the elderly, community kitchens, and other charities that serve people around Denver who are at risk of going without fresh, healthy food.  They also partner with organizations that conduct educational workshops with the produce, providing much needed skills such as canning, cooking, and otherwise preserving and preparing fresh, healthy food.  In 2012, they delivered 3000 pounds of fruit to a variety of organizations.

If you would like to participate in the efforts of Yard Harvest, you can register your yard for harvest, volunteer, or donate.  Or, if you know of a nonprofit who could distribute the fruit to people in need, you may contact Yard Harvest to receive produce.  As always, if you or someone you know is buying or selling a home, Conscious Real Estate contributes 10% of every commission to nonprofits, and we would love the opportunity to support the efforts of Yard Harvest.