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Conscious Real Estate Donates to Colorado Mountain Club

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Adventure!

That’s what I often hear when people are asked why they moved to Colorado. There is so much of it, but truly

one of the greatest adventures is exploring the mountains. It’s long been a thought of Coloradoans and in 1912, the Colorado Mountain Club officially began as an organization dedicated to service and protection of the wilderness and love of hiking the wild outdoors.

Flashback… Hiking in 1912

Let’s just say that these hikers were nothing short of… well, bad-ass (can we say that?). Yes, they sure were. Women and men alike got their hike on with spikes, poles and wool gear. Big change from our moisture wick and poly for arctic hikes and sturdy, yet light summer gear now. Early Colorado Mountain Club leisure adventurers could be imagined in either of these early hiking pictures.

 

Early hikers broadened the outdoor activity and brought awareness and education to the botany and fauna of the land. As a group activity, it was one that encouraged teamwork and also seemed to ignore the fact that so many physical activities were limited to one or the other of the sexes. Many hiking groups were blind except to ability and the sense of adventure.

Since Then…

The Colorado Mountain Club started with 25 service-minded, outdoor oriented people gathered in Denver. James Grafton Rogers was the first President of the club and their very first outing was to Denver’s Cheesman Park, which was was a bit more natural and a lot less urban at the time. Can you just imagine? Their first official “mountain” trip was a hike to the top of South Boulder Peak.

 

The Club grew rapidly and many of its members became the first to climb all of Colorado’s known 14,000-foot peaks. Thus, starting the trend to climb alllllllll the 14-er’s as we call them for short now.

 

And, the Colorado Mountain Club has expanded outside of the U.S. to offer adventure trips. The next ones? Switzerland! Slovenia! Portugal! Nepal! Mexico! New Zealand! Yes. It’s incredible how many amazing hiking trips you can go on through the club. You can also stay semi-local by checking out their “ancient ruins” Utah trip and Bryce Canyon adventures. Today, the club runs over 3,000 activities and trips a year. That’s a lot of smiles, a lot of comradery and lot of nature-lovin’ which we are SO into. Huge thanks to this organization.

 

Passionate About Hiking and the Environment (In the News)

So as we’ve mentioned, we’re totally all about adventure, nature, Colorado and exploring the world. AND, we are huge into protecting the environment. It’s another reason why we love this organization so much.

The Club and it’s volunteers have influenced environmental issues since 1921 when the club spoke out against a proposal that threatened National Parks. They also helped work with area leaders in establishing the Rocky Mountain National Park.

In later years, they worked towards advocating against new dam construction, timber sales and water diversions. Further, in the 40’s and 50’s, they went on a tree planting mission. Today, they continue their conservation efforts through policy advocacy, trail maintenance, their backcountry snowsports initiative, snow preservation, and keeping public land public!

 

Why Donations Are Greatly Needed & How Conscious Real Estate Helps

There couldn’t be a greater need than now to protect the Earth and public lands designated as natural areas. At Conscious Real Estate, we donate 10% of our own commission from every home sale to a nonprofit of our clients’ choice.

Allison Parks, Founding Broker of Conscious Real Estate presents her donation to Colorado Mountain Club

We couldn’t have been more proud to have been able to donate to the Colorado Mountain Club. Here’s Conscious Real Estate founder, Allison Parks, proudly delivering the check to the club. Interested in working with us? Or, are you a Denver-area professional that wants to connect? Click here to send us a note. We look forward to hearing from you!

An Open Letter to My Non-Profit Colleagues

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Greetings Nonprofiteers!

We all know that a strong and vibrant community makes real differences in real lives. That’s why your work to build, sustain, and strengthen our common fabric provides lasting inspiration well beyond the walls of your organizations.

As the owner of Conscious Real Estate – the premier Denver residential real estate brokerage that gives back to our community – I sought to develop brokerage that followed this example.

That’s why Conscious Real Estate, as a standard practice, donates 10% of every commission to a nonprofit of our client’s choice.

Through our work, I have met many of you, donated to some, and endeavor to take common cause with all your efforts.

We here at Conscious Real Estate are grateful to have had the opportunity to do this work over the past three years and watch your organizations grow and flourish. At the same time, we are dismayed by the obvious headwinds facing nonprofits in 2017 and beyond. With that in mind, Conscious Real Estate is committed to redoubling our efforts to sustain your vital role in our community.

A bit about how our brokerage works: When a Client purchases or sells a home through a Conscious Real Estate agent, the Client chooses a non-profit to which we donate 10% of the sale commission. While Conscious is exclusively a residential broker, we facilitate a similar arrangement for commercial real estate transactions through a partner broker, Forte Commercial Real Estate. Put another way – the more we grow, the more we give.

Allison Parks (Conscious Real Estate Founder, left) with Tiana Nelson (President and Chief Operating Officer, PawsCo)

So what are the results so far? In 2016, our average donation per transaction was well over $1000. This is real money for real organizations providing support and development to real communities – our community.

While we have received extremely positive feedback about the impact we have made thus far – feedback that we treasure – we still have significant work ahead of us. Our efforts to continue supporting you rely on your generous referral of Conscious Real Estate to your friends, family, and supporters. At the same time, we know that since your hands are always busy and your time is always short, you can’t regularly engage with Conscious to learn about the work we do.

In our heartfelt effort to keep an open line with our non-profit friends, we created this (occasional) newsletter just for non-profits to speak to only your needs. Through this forum, we seek to establish a tighter bond with you so you know the initiatives we pursue to support your work.

With this newsletter, we will include a toolbox for you that will include pre-written social media posts, pre-written newsletter blurbs, and ways that you can mention us to your supporters. We can also provide fliers, business cards, and other collateral to assist in your outreach efforts. Also, since this is a collaborative effort, we look forward to your feedback about the trends in the non-profit world and how your organizations can best be supported.

Finally – if we haven’t met – let’s meet! Please don’t hesitate to contact me through telephone, text, tweet, or smoke signal. I’d love to make your acquaintance. Again, I truly appreciate everything you do for our community and that’s why I created a business to help support you.

After all, you support our community – and that supports us all.

 

Warm regards,

Allison Parks

Conscious Real Estate Donates to Denver Dumb Friends League

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As part of our core company values, each of our agents donates 10% of their own personal commission to a nonprofit of their client’s choosing. Conscious Real Estate broker Kimberly McAleenan recently had the pleasure of delivering a check to the Denver Dumb Friends League.

As one of the oldest and most widely recognized nonprofits serving animals (and animal lovers), one can expect a top-notch organization focused on reducing animal homelessness, placing adoptable animals in furr-ever homes (see what we did there?), and working with local vets to provide vaccinations and medical services.

So, in this post, we’re sharing some of the unique things you may have not known about this long-standing nonprofit.    

Some things you may not know? Well, cats and dogs are not the only adoptable animals. In fact, the Denver Dumb Friends League has an entire equine department including adoptions, camps, classes, horse rehabilitation facilities and more. Their programs for youths are empowering and teach empathy and responsibility. And, their adoption and rehabilitation programs help horses find “greener pastures” after their youth in the workplace or racetrack.

The DDFL also has an entirely robust small mammal adoption program. Here, individuals and families can browse through pages of pet rats (with and without hair), bunnies of all breeds, mice and guinea pigs. And, while “typical” kitties and pups are also available, the organization even separates “working cats” for cats who are more inclined to the outdoors, specifically as “mousers.”

Another important part of the Denver Dumb Friends League’s mission is to investigate abuse claims.

In very recent Colorado news, the Denver Dumb Friends League has participated in several investigations. In one such Denver case, a dog was shot during a burglary. Polo, the assaulted 12-year-old Labrador Retriever, received injuries costing the family over $13,000.

While the authorities were relieved the family was safe, organizations like the DDFL point out that: “studies show that people who intentionally harm animals may be more likely to commit violent crimes towards people. By taking the time to report what you observe, you’ll not only be helping the animal involved, you’ll be helping prevent future crimes and promoting respect for all life.”

In response to the crime, DDFL has partnered with the Metro Denver Crime Stoppers to offer a $7,000 for information leading to an arrest in the crime.

In another case out of Fremont, Colorado, an investigation by the DDFL, the Colorado Humane Society and local authorities led to the seizure of 63 horses. In reports, the authorities first noticed a lack of food and water. Anna Blake, a board member of the Colorado Horse Rescue said, “We’re very concerned about those horses. It didn’t happen fast, it’s a consistent lack of care over a period of time.”

“One of the phrases that was used in the court was ‘walking dead,’ and this is not thin, this is near death,” Blake said.

And for dearly loved “dumb” friends, they offer end of life support and guardianship.

During your pet’s lifetime, the Denver Dumb Friends League offers behavioral assistance and training referrals (in addition to basic medical services like neuter/spay). And when it gets closer to rainbow bridge time, they offer end of life services such as euthanasia, cremation and interment at the Sheilagh R. Malo Pet Memorial Garde. No one likes to think about this part, but it’s important to know that when you have a friend at Denver Dumb Friends League when the time comes. And, their end of life services are affordable, at $70.

For the unfortunate times that an owner precedes their pet in passing, the DDFL also offers guardianship where they become the legal guardian of the animal. Pets in this program are placed not in a shelter, but in a loving foster family home while the DDFL works diligently for a forever home.

The Denver Dumb Friends League makes life better.

Everyone knows life is better with a dog/cat/bird/lizard/bunny… right??? Well, we sure think so at least, and so do our clients. We love donating to this fantastic organization because they do amazing things like end pet homelessness and human loneliness. We also get excited when we hear stories like the recent acquisition of 79 dogs from Texas into the Denver Dumb Friends League program. Ready for a paw-fect pal? Check out adoptions or attend an event.

Wanting to make a difference and donate a large sum (without doing a thing)? Then, send us a referral for a friend or colleague who might be looking for a home in the Denver area, or contact us here if that person is you! We look forward to hearing from you and even more to the day we get to present the check to your favorite charity. (!!!!)

Conscious Real Estate Broker Kimberly McAleenan (left) presents donation to Denver Dumb Friends League

 

Conscious Real Estate Donates to Steve’s Club

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Steve’s Club is a nonprofit that started off completely grassroots in one of the most dangerous public housing units in urban Camden, New Jersey. The city is in better shape than it was when this news report: 36 Hours in Camden was filmed, but it is still considered one of the most challenging places to live and especially to grow up.

Crime is high, single parent households are common, buildings are crumbling and abandoned, there are hardly any restaurants or supermarkets and many of the residents have lost a family member or friend to violence.

 

Steve’s Club Founder Steve Liberati started the organization in May 2017, donating CrossFit inspired fitness programming to low-income youths in the Centennial Village Apartments public housing complex. Since, then Steve’s Club has grown nationwide, making an impact for at-risk kids everywhere there’s a club in America.

“Our mission at Steve’s Club and its participating members, is to provide a national network of programs through which at-risk or underserved youth of any socioeconomic background can join in the CrossFit Community at a reduced, low or no cost structure.”

 

“We Everywhere”

Imagining Steve’s Club founders saying that to themselves now that the nonprofit has spread from the East to West coasts and everywhere in between. Local communities can start their own Steve’s Club and the CrossFit connection has been extremely supportive.

When kids experience quality leadership, it impacts their lives. Seeing a strong, consistent and health adult regularly in their lives, which, living in Camden, couldn’t have been all too common, must have been an incredible blessing to the community. In our local community, Steve-Club Denver works with at-risk youths here in our community. Using CrossFit and team building, the program gives kids strength both inside and outside.

 

Steve’s Club Denver

Once Steve’s Club took off (pretty much instantly), the need for something nationwide became very clear. Here in Denver, even Five Points and Colfax Street are gritty neighborhoods that can never compare to Camden, NJ, however, the need is here for at-risk kids to have an outlet to get through to adulthood. Steve’s Club is one option for them, and one that we’re extremely proud to have recently donated to.  

The mentors and coaches “foster resilience to stress and aim to improve the lives of all involved.” We love how they explain their mission:

 

“We care just as much about outcomes related to mood stability, decision-making, and social functioning, as we do about more easily measurable variables such as benchmark times, lifted pounds, or total rounds. Our group is passionate about fitness and every factor that is needed to sustain a life with regular exercise. In case there were any concern, we are also fully capable of having a boatload of fun along the way.” – Steve’s Club Denver

 

At-Risk Youth & Health

It’s obvious that without access to healthy food or a place to do healthy recreational activities…any human, teen, or child would feel antsy, perhaps choosing activities that are an outlet of a type, but without the results of a program like Steve’s Club/CrossFit. Simply wearing yourself out helps you sleep, regulates your blood flow, gets oxygen to your brain and allows for incredible stress relief.  Steve’s Club also started as a way to bring healthier food to urban teens in poverty. Whether you’re into Paleo or not, Steve is and we can definitely agree it’s a lot healthier than Hot Cheetos and Takis. He also started Paleo Kits that have also helped improve inner city nutrition. 

 

About Conscious Real Estate

There are lots of real estate brokers in Colorado, we know. But how many donate 10% to charity with every single sale? Not many we’ve found! Our agent, Kimberly McAleenan had the pleasure of delivering the Steve’s Club Denver donation and we are stoked she introduced us to this awesome organization that’s all about strength and empowerment. Giving to good causes is what we’re ’bout.

So, do you have a favorite nonprofit?

Thinking about upgrading, downgrading, moving closer to the mountains, getting more land, or moving into the city? Consider working with Conscious Real Estate and think about that gold star you’ll get when they get their check and another cause gets to continue – because of you!!! (And you’re celebrating in your new home.) Sound blissful? It is! Contact us to set up an interview today.

Conscious Real Estate Donates to Re: Vision

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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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

www.revision.coop

Change the World with Conscious Real Estate

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How much do YOU want to change the world?

Here at Conscious Real Estate, we want to change the world a lot. Let’s talk about what we do… We help people buy and sell houses and we love that!  But we took it one step further and created a philanthropic real estate business model.

We are Colorado’s only real estate social enterprise.  Each time one of our clients buys or sells a home with us, we contribute 10% of our own commission to the nonprofit of our clients’ choice.

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Here is some sad news… On the day of this writing, August 21, 2015, Conscious Real Estate did NOT close on any homes.  Yet a quick look at the MLS states that 299 homes sold on this day in Colorado.  Our owner, Allison Parks, decided to tally up the total sales prices of 100 of these homes.  Taking the total of these 100 sales into consideration and considering that commission is negotiable, our estimate is that if those buyers and sellers would have used Conscious Real Estate on just one side of the deal, that would have generated around $75,000 to $100,000 for nonprofits.  That’s right… we could donate that in just one day of real estate sales.

Imagine what a DIFFERENCE that $75,000 to $100,000 could make in our local and global community from JUST… ONE… DAY of people buying and selling houses with Conscious Real Estate.  And that’s if we only represent 1/3 of Colorado’s home sales from that one day…

Now imagine if those buyers and sellers used Conscious Real Estate for those 100 home sales each day next week, just Monday through Friday.  That would create $375,000 to $500,000 for nonprofits in just one week.  What difference do you think that could make?

In one month, it would create $1,500,000 to $2,000,000 for nonprofits.  What difference would THAT make?

In a year, that would create $18,000,000 to $24,000,000. That is an enormous amount of money to give away and quite frankly, nothing would make us happier.

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Every day at Conscious Real Estate is Colorado Gives Day.

We’re here, folks.  We are willing to do the work.  We are willing to grow as big as we need to, we are willing to hire more people and create jobs, and we will always keep our commitment to customer service our top priority.  We know that, without our clients, we are nothing. We will keep our communities close to our heart every step of the way and implement innovative business practices that increase the greater social good.

If you would like to change the world with us and you have a friend who is planning to buy or sell a home, let them know that they can make a difference with their next real estate transaction if they work with Conscious Real Estate.  For more information, please contact Allison Parks at 303-908-9873 or [email protected].

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