More than 200 Kaiser Permanente Employees to Volunteer in Celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day

CONTACT:

Nick Roper, Kaiser Permanente, nicholas.mark.roper@kp.org

Carolyn Jarvis, SparkTheChange, cjarvis@sparkthechangecolorado.org

WHAT: More than 200 Kaiser Permanente Colorado employees are celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day by rolling up their sleeves in remembrance of Dr. King’s commitment to community service. In partnership with SparktheChange, Kaiser Permanente Colorado employees will volunteer at 15 projects along the Front Range. Projects include building outdoor bike racks for the public and helping with cooking classes. This is the 15th consecutive year Kaiser Permanente has participated in MLK Jr. Day of Service.

WHO: 200+ Kaiser Permanente employees volunteering in Colorado.

WHEN: Monday, January 21, 2019 **see info for specific times for each project**

WHERE: We invite the media to join us at the following three locations; please contact

Nick Roper (303.905.7451) to schedule.

1. Freedom Service Dogs (FRIDAY, JANUARY 18)

7193 S. Dillon Ct. Englewood, CO 80112

9:30a.m. – 12p.m. Freedom Service Dogs unleashes the potential of dogs by transforming them into custom-trained, life-changing assistance dogs for people in need. Volunteers from Kaiser Permanente will clean kennels, paint various structures, and assist in other maintenance projects.

2. Metro Caring (MONDAY, JANUARY 21)

1100 E. 18th Ave, Denver, CO 80218

12:30 – 3:30pm Metro Caring is meeting people’s immediate food needs while sustainably addressing the root cause of hunger: poverty. Kaiser Permanente volunteers will be helping to expand the indoor growing operations and community garden which provide sustainably-sourced food for the community in need.

3. Mount Saint Vincent (MONDAY, JANUARY 21)

4159 Lowell Blvd. Denver, CO 80211

10a.m. – 2p.m. Mount Saint Vincent is the Rocky Mountain region’s premier provider of mental health treatment, foster care services, preschool through eighth grade education, and trauma-informed training — all focused on children and their families. At this project site, Kaiser Permanente volunteers will be painting vibrant murals in rooms, and refurbishing the Mount Saint Vincent club house.

4. Denver Urban Gardens (MONDAY, JANUARY 21)

1031 33rd St. Denver, CO 80205

10a.m. – 2p.m. Denver Urban Gardens’ gardeners grow food, but more than that, they grow community. DUG currently has over 170 gardens in six counties in the Metro Denver Area. To ensure DUG continues to grow, 20 volunteers will sort seeds for future use at this location.

5. GrowHaus (MONDAY, JANUARY 21)

4751 York St, Denver, CO 80216

10a.m. – 2p.m. The GrowHaus is a nonprofit indoor farm in north Denver dedicated to food production, food education and food distribution. For this MLK Jr. Day project, 25 volunteers will help in the hydroponic farm and aquaponic farm, organize the seedling nursery, paint various structures and rooms, and construct storage space in the GrowHaus classroom.

 

About Kaiser Permanente Colorado

Kaiser Permanente Colorado is the state’s largest nonprofit health plan, working to improve the lives and health of all Coloradans for 49 years. We are comprised of the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Colorado and the Colorado Permanente Medical Group—one of the state’s largest medical groups with more than 1,200 physicians. We provide comprehensive care for our 650,000 Kaiser Permanente Colorado members through 30 medical offices across the state—from Pueblo to Greeley and in Summit and Eagle counties. We are also committed to our social mission and in 2017, proudly directed more than $122 million to community benefit programs to improve the health of all Coloradans. For more Kaiser Permanente news, visit kp.org/share or follow us @kpcolorado or like us facebook.com/kpcolorado.

About Spark the Change Colorado

Spark the Change Colorado, formerly Metro Volunteers is Rocky Mountain Region’s leading resource, strategist and partner for volunteerism, service and engagement. We empower individuals, organizations and communities with the knowledge, tools, connections and guidance to become driving forces for positive change. to learn more visit http://www.sparkthechangecolorado.org or call us at 303.282.1234.

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12 Days of Volunteering!

Added to daily until the 25th! 😃 – Spark the Change Colorado

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Day seven is WOW! Children’s Museum! at Marsico Campus.

Volunteers are needed for Noon Year’s Eve! Noon Year’s Eve is one of Denver’s biggest and best New Year activities for young children. Greet guests, count down to the “Noon” Year, facilitate craft projects and more! Volunteer with us for a fun way to engage with the families in our community!

Volunteer Shifts:
Decorating and set-up: Friday, December 28th 9am-1pm, 1pm-5pm
Festival Day: December 31st 8:30 am-1pm, 12:30pm-5pm

Contact Meg McGill or Jaidee Easley at 303-561-0114 or volunteer@cmdenver.org for more information or to sign up.

Can’t volunteer those days? See other volunteer opportunities with WOW! Children’s Museum-
https://bit.ly/2S7XNT4

 

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Day six is National Remember Our Troops Campaign!

Volunteers are needed to delivering Get Well Cards to hospitalized Veterans. Each delivery includes a 15 minute visit with each patient.

For more information, please visit nrotc.org/volunteer
or contact Lisa Sietsma –
Phone: 570-239-7541
Email: Lisa.sietsma@nrotc.org

 

 

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Day five is Severe Weather Shelter Network!

Many Volunteer opportunities are available, from Team Leader to Phone Intake for those interested in providing shelter and ministering to the homeless. Warming Host Sites are located all around SW Denver, Wheatridge, Arvada and Golden.

More information here👇
https://bit.ly/2rMfGvj

Day four is The Hudson Gardens & Event Center in Littleton!

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Volunteers are needed for everyone’s favorite holiday light show, A Hudson Christmas! Embrace the spirit of the season and consider donating a few hours of your time to help bring this family-favorite, holiday tradition to thousands of visitors!

More information here👇
hudsongardens.org/support/volunteer

 

 

 

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Day three is Covenant Cupboard Food Bank in Greenwood Village.

Volunteers are needed Friday the 14th from 12:30-4:30 to distribute food and all day the on the 28th to unload and set-up for cupboard clients from 8:30-11:30 and then again from 12:30-4:30! They also take food donations!!

More information here👇
http://covcupboard.org/you-can-help/

 

 

 

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Day two is Pueblo Zoo!

Volunteers are needed for ElectriCritters🦒🦁🐒 and other fun daytime positions such as, Zoo Ambassador and Gardening Guru! So if you’re passionate about animals, gardening or twinkly lights, check them out!!💕

More information here👇
https://www.pueblozoo.org/volunteer

 

 

 

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Day one is Denver Botanic Gardens!

Volunteers are needed for Santa’s Village🎅 at Chatfield Farms and Blossoms of Light🎄 at York Street! Volunteering involves greeting guests, scanning tickets and helping guest find their way around the festivities!!

More information here👇
Volunteer at York Street: https://bit.ly/2QTlMb4
Volunteer at Chatfield: https://bit.ly/2QsIqbc

Day of Service at The Right Step with Paytronix

On October 12, 2018, 14 volunteers from Paytronix supported, revitalized and beautified The Right Step. The projects are part of an ongoing commitment to give back to the communities that Paytronix resides in, both here and across the United States.  

The Right Step is a non-profit that provides equine assisted activities to individuals with physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioral and learning disabilities.  The mission of The Right Step is to better the lives of people with disabilities through the healing power of horses. 

In total, 91 volunteer hours were dedicated to The Right Step.  

Accomplishments:

Volunteers completed projects all over the facility/grounds, refreshing and improving key areas. Over 200 bulbs were planted in the garden, horses were fed, horses were groomed, a shed was emptied in preparation of insulating and dry walling the walls, feed was stacked, and a storage stall was cleaned out and organized, including cleaning and photographing saddles for sale.  The grounds and operation of the facility were improved by these projects! 

By the numbers, Paytronix volunteers: 

• Planted over 200 bulbs in the planter beds to beautify the facility 
• Emptied the office shed and stored the contents in advance of the shed being insulated and dry walled. 
• Fed the horses 
• Groomed the horses 
• Cleaned and photographed saddles for sale 
• Organized the storage stall 
• Stacked and unloaded feed for the horses. 

Preparing the feed for the horses

Planting flower bulbs

Cleaning Saddles

Grooming horses

Stocking feed

Organizing the storage stall

Senior Companion Program Launches!

In addition to our new name, we also have a new program, Senior Companion Program!

Senior Companion Program

The Senior Companion Program is returning after an absence of five years to these counties: Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Jefferson and Douglas. This vitally important program is part of Senior Corps, a United States government agency under the oversight of the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Senior Companion Program engages individuals 55+ years old to realize the independence of older adults in their home and as a team, continue to be vibrant, contributing members of our communities.

In order to launch a successful Senior Companion Program, Laura Kinder visited the only other one currently operating in Colorado. Since 1990, St. Mary’s Senior Companion Program has served Grand Junction, Clifton, Palisade and Fruita. Throughout 2016-2018 fiscal year, 35 volunteers provided 26,357 hours of service to 285 older adults. Heartfelt appreciation goes to Tanya Finke, Program Coordinator and Susan Nickels, Program Manager pictured here, for sharing their expertise and experiences with Laura.

Learn more: sparkthechangecolorado.org/senior-companion-program

Volunteers needed for the 2018 Healing Justice Alliance Conference!

Volunteers are needed for this week’s Healing Justice Alliance Conference: http://www.healingjusticealliance.org/conference

The Healing Justice Alliance is the annual conference of the National Network of Hospital-based Violence Intervention Programs (NNHVIP), Cure Violence replication sites, and other health-based approaches to ending urban violence and supporting survivors. We invite you to join public officials, gang intervention workers, doctors, nurses, social workers, service providers, violence interrupters, administrators, researchers, philanthropists and community members – all committed to interrupting the cycle of violence and providing healing.

Location: The Curtis, a DoubleTree by Hilton, Denver, Colorado 1405 Curtis St, Denver, CO 80202

Arrival time 7 am

End time 5 pm

Tuesday, September 11th
4 for swag bag stuffing, badge stuffing

Wednesday, September 12th
4 for registration 8am – 5pm (check-in attendees, distribute badges/swag, etc. // possibly help set session rooms with collateral materials)

Thursday, September 13th
5 for registration 7 am – 5 pm (same as above) // will be permitted into sessions when possible
6 for workshop session monitoring (room runner, timekeeping, AV assistance, etc.)
2 for greeting and general assistance

Friday, September 14th
2 for registration 7 am – 5 pm (same as above) // will be permitted into sessions when possible
6 for workshop session monitoring (room runner, timekeeping, AV assistance, etc.)
2 for greeting and general assistance

For more information or to volunteer, contact Alegría Castro, Community Outreach Manager at 213.448.5790 or by email at acastro@homeboyindustries.org

Spotlight on Pro Bono Mental Health Volunteer, Nancy Lee

In Spark the Change Colorado’s, formerly Metro Volunteers’ first year running the Pro Bono Mental Health Program we have served over 512 low income Coloradoans in the Denver area. Our therapists in Pueblo and Denver provided 4,104 hours of pro bono services worth $410,400. On average our volunteers provide over a full work day a month of pro bono services.

This month, we would like to highlight the work of one of our volunteers, Nancy Lee.

What would you like to share about yourself?
I’m a private practice psychotherapist in Aurora.  I was born in Seoul, South Korea.  I grew up in Chicago and moved to Denver in 2000.  I love Colorado because it’s a beautiful state with lots of opportunities for personal and professional growth.

What type of therapist are you? 
I’m an integrative, trauma-informed therapist.  I serve adults, mostly young adult to middle age.  I describe my specialty as anxiety and stress because those are relatable terms that span a range of issues and cultures.  I view myself as a relational, pragmatic, creative, and values-driven person.  That’s pretty much the way I approach therapy.  I mostly use evidence-based therapies like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy.  I’m in the process of learning a trauma therapy called Brainspotting.

What were you doing prior to counseling?
I used to work in nonprofit administration.  My passions are health, wellness, and education.  I’ve done a lot of volunteering in those areas, all the way up to the state level.  In addition, I was a peer support volunteer in a faith-based setting.

What made you interested in the field of mental health?
My interest began with improving my own mental health.  I experienced a lot of early childhood adversity.  I spent my first couple decades figuring out how to navigate the world and get healthy.  Mental health as a profession is awesome because we apply science and humanitarianism to benefit others in creative ways.

Are there any particular areas of interests or expertise that you have?
I don’t market myself as a multicultural counselor or a trauma counselor, but culture, identity, and toxic stress are things that come up a lot in my practice.  As such, I spend a lot of time thinking about how to be culturally proficient in the clinical setting.  I’m always working on one project or another to expand my impact beyond the therapy room.  Lately, I’ve been doing public speaking about parenting.  If we believe our kids are increasingly at-risk, then one piece of the puzzle is figuring out how to resource parents.

What has been one of the most valuable tools in your professional toolkit as a therapist?
Mindfulness paired with self-compassion.  The combination of the two has been life-changing for me.  I’ve seen it soften and shift the way clients relate to themselves.

What is your involvement in the Pro Bono Program?
I have one individual pro-bono client through my private practice.  In addition, I’m in the process of getting set up to provide behavioral healthcare for the Center for Immigrants.  One of the great things about this country is our volunteerism.  Volunteers do everything from relieve suffering to build houses.  It’s pretty profound when you think about it.  Volunteering has opened my eyes and expanded my horizons in ways that paid work cannot.  Volunteering can be a form of self-empowerment because we get to fix problems, break through limitations, and express our values.

Congratulations to our most recent Service Enterprise Member, Butterfly Pavilion

We are proud to announce that Butterfly Pavilion is Colorado’s most recent Service Enterprise! After investing months of hard work into the overall health of your organization, and your community they finished the program on July 2nd. They participated in the second cohort of the Colorado Service Enterprise.

If your org is interested in becoming a service enterprise, please contact-
Rita Mohler // 720-420-3213 // SEI@metrovolunteers.org

Learn More About Service Enterprise Here.

Volunteer Coordinator needed at Boulder County Fair

This position will help in the planning, recruitment, orientation, and engagement activities for volunteers for the 2018 Boulder County Fair, which will occur August 3-12 and attract more than 150,000 people. Several hundred volunteers are needed to support this event, in areas including guest services, vendor relations, and Ag-education.
Behind-the-scenes work begins in May, and post-event work will wrap up in late August. Hours are completely flexible, depending on the Volunteer Coordinator’s schedule. Some committee meetings will take place at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, but much of the work can be done remotely via phone and email. Onsite participation during the entire run of the fair is required.
This is a perfect opportunity for anyone who wants to develop hands-on experience with nonprofit management, event planning, human resources, safety and risk management, and volunteer coordination. Attention to detail, project management, and strong people skills are required. Extensive resources, training, and guidance are available.

If you have any questions before expressing interest, contact Val Purser at 720-420-3215.

Sign up here.

May is Mental Health Month: Spotlight on Pro Bono Volunteer, Pamala Kaiser-Helmick

In Metro Volunteers first year running the Pro Bono Mental Health Program we have served over 512 low income Coloradoans in the Denver area. Our therapists in Pueblo and Denver provided 4,104 hours of pro bono services worth $410,400. On average our volunteers provide over a full work day a month of pro bono services.

In honor of Mental Health Month, I would like to highlight the work of one of our most active volunteers. Pamala Kaiser-Helmick, who remains one of our founding volunteers of the program, has donated over 126 hours of pro bono counseling over the five months she has been volunteering with us. What an amazing contribution. 

From the start of her involvement as a volunteer in our program, Pamala has come with an eager attitude towards helping in as many ways as possible. Our Pro Bono Mental Health Community is lucky to enjoy her growth-oriented mindset and positive energy at all of our events. We value her consistent pro bono services at Safe House and Warren Village, two of our community host site partners. Pamala recently opened up a private practice in Littleton. Prior to her pro bono and private practice work, she established a disabilities case management firm and has worked at the Karlis Family Center, a domestic violence center.

Pamala, tell us a little bit about you. Where are you from? What do you do for fun? What other types of volunteerism do you participate in?

I’m was born and raised right here in Colorado.  My hobbies include: teaching Zumba Fitness Classes (my therapy!), camping, hiking, soaking in several of Colorado’s natural hot springs, gardening, various craft projects, and spending as much time as possible with my 2 sons and husband.  Some other volunteer work I do on a regular basis is fostering puppies from a local rescue, and assisting a friend with a charity she runs collecting clothes, running clothing drives, and organizing special events.

 

What type of therapist are you training to be?

My M.A. is from CU Denver in Counseling Psychology, with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy, but I’m currently working on the hours to complete a LPC.  I plan to obtain my LMFT in the near future as well.

Tell us about your work at your host sites i.e. who are you serving and what type of pro bono work are you offering.

I’m volunteering at Warren Village, a transitional housing program for low income single parents.  I’m a therapist there one day a week. I’m also volunteering at SafeHouse Denver, a homeless shelter for domestic violence victims, as a therapist a couple of hours a week.  I just recently started doing pro-bono work in a private practice setting one day a week as well.

What do you find most rewarding about your pro bono work? What other benefits do you receive from the program?

The most rewarding aspect would certainly be the clients I have met and had the privilege to work with over these last few months.  It’s an honor to be even a small part in their healing process. Most of these clients would not have the opportunity to access mental health services outside of the pro bono program.  While this experience in and of itself is a huge benefit, some of the other benefits include that I am able to complete a large amount of the required hours towards state licensure through the program.  Metro Volunteers regularly offers access to trainings, workshops, and seminars that are educational and beneficial in the field of counseling. I have been matched with an amazing pro bono clinical supervisor through the program.

And you are currently being supervised by another volunteer offering you pro bono supervision? What has that experience been like?

I am!  I cannot begin to tell you how thrilled I am that we were paired up!  Not only has my supervisor been invaluable with her guidance in my clinical supervision, but she has also been beyond helpful with advice and mentoring in the world of private practice and the business aspects of therapy and counseling.  I feel lucky and blessed to have crossed paths with her at this point in my career. She is  compassionate, encouraging, and inspiring.  I have already decided that I will be volunteering in the pro bono program as a supervisor myself a few years down the road.

What would you say to a prospective volunteer or mental health colleague about volunteering?

Do it!  It’s been an extremely rewarding experience and I’ve had the opportunity to work with people through the pro bono program that I likely wouldn’t have had otherwise.  There is a lot of flexibility within the program to meet your schedule and availability. The staff at Metro Volunteers are some of the warmest and friendliest people I have ever worked with.

A warm expression of gratitude to all of our Pro Bono Mental Health Volunteer!

Volunteer at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo this weekend!

For 25 years, the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo has been an educational, recreational, and entertainment venue promoting the welfare, the beauty, and the bond we share with horses in our lives.

The 2018 Expo will take place Friday, March 9 through Sunday, March 11, from 7:00am to 8:00pm (exhibits close at 6:00pm on Sunday).

RMHE is looking for 75 volunteers of all ages to help ensure a positive experience for everyone who attends.

You can view this volunteer opportunity here.

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For questions about volunteering with Rocky Mountain Horse Expo, you can contact Bill Scebbi at bill@coloradohorsecouncil.com