Welcome Laura!

In honor of National Boys & Girls Clubs Week, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver will host three special events the week of April 7 through April 13, each designed to open the doors of Clubs and welcome community members. In conjunction with efforts across the country, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver welcomes the local community to learn about neighborhood clubs and how they positively impact the lives of young people. Nearly 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs throughout the U.S., its territories, and U.S. military installations will open their doors the week of April 7, and offer special events and programs to engage the local community.

Wednesday, April 10 - 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Boettcher Club in Aurora (1523 Boston St., Auorora)

Club members and their families will learn about “Teamwork.” Activities will include working in teams to create artwork while blindfolded in the art room, a team photography scavenger hunt in the technology lab, and team building exercises. At 4:30 p.m., Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan will read a proclamation declaring the week of April 7 through April 13 Boys & Girls Clubs week in the City of Aurora.

Thursday, April 11 - 4:30 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Johnson Beacon Boys & Girls Clubs at Johnson Elementary School in Denver (1850 S. Irving St., Denver)

Join Mayor Michael B. Hancock as he proclaims the week of April 7 through April 13 Boys & Girls Clubs Week in the City of Denver. This event will also feature a variety of activities for Club members, their families, and the local community that are designed to promote health & wellness. Activities will include Zumba and yoga classes, intergenerational cooking classes, and gardening.

Friday, April 12 - 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Jefferson County Club at O’Connell Middle School in Lakewood (1275 S. Teller St., Lakewood)

Club members and their families will join Lakewood Mayor Bob Murphy at 5 p.m. as he declares the week of April 7 through April 13 Boys & Girls Clubs Week in Lakewood. Attendees will also celebrate the word “Wellness” as they prepare the Club garden and participate in healthy cooking classes by Whole Foods Belmar. Kids will also learn about Internet safety, and receive eye and dental health care education.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver 

The mission of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver is to inspire and enable young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Since 1961, BGCMD has been helping kids ages 6-to-18 achieve academic success, live healthy lifestyles, and develop good character and citizenship. The organization operates 14 safe neighborhood Clubs throughout metro Denver, two school-based intervention programs, and a residential summer camp. Learn more at www.bgcmd.org.

1. Make sure what you’re announcing is actually “news.” Press conferences aren’t for every announcement. The best events that get the most coverage are those with an actual news angle and a call to action.
2. Don’t break the news before the press conference. Yup, we’ve seen it happen. A client or partner posts all the details on their website or blog BEFORE the press conference. As PR people working to get media to attend, it really pulls the rug out from under us. If media get all the info they need before the event, they may see no need to attend.
3. Invite your organization’s VIPs…but don’t invite everyone. With limited space and time, it’s best to limit your non-media guest list to your top VIPs, donors and partners. You want to fill the room, but not overwhelm it. They will feel honored to be a part of something exclusive. Have an A list and a B list.
4. Save seats up front for media, speakers and key VIPs. And make sure they know where to sit and when.
5. Have a check-in desk. Some media will be easy to recognize, others won’t. This will help you find your target audience much faster and ensure they know who their point-of-contact is for post-event questions.
6. Have background materials ready. Bring fact sheets, press releases, and other helpful info with you to the press conference. We like to put everything on a zip drive that can be easily handed over to members of the media. It’s green and fun!
7. Be prepared to do interview on-site. The press conference itself will provide a lot of information, but more in-depth details will need to be shared one-on-one. Make sure your spokespeople are identified and briefed.
8. Follow-up. Don’t forget to follow-up to make sure media attendees have what they need to make it a great story.

More than 130 businesses and schools participated in this year’s 8th Annual PJ Day to show their support of Denver’s Road Home and its goal of ending homelessness throughout the city.  The money raised at PJ Day goes to developing affordable housing, providing support, teaching job skills and much more to help the more than 5,200 men, women, children, veterans, seniors and families who are homeless in Denver.

We are proud to have been involved in PJ Day as sponsors this year, and want to thank all of the other sponsors, schools and participants who made it a success. From the $50,000 corporate level to the individual school children who brought in canned goods, PJ Day is the symbol of a community coming together to help our most vulnerable population.

Visit www.pjday.org to learn more.

We are thrilled to help Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver once again promote this exciting fundraiser, as well as the many other programs and services the organization offers Denver youth.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver inspires and enables young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. Since 1961, the organization has helped kids ages 6-to-18 achieve academic success, live healthy lifestyles, and develop good character and citizenship. The organization operates 14 safe neighborhood Clubs throughout metro Denver, two school-based intervention programs, and a residential summer camp. Learn more at www.GreatFuturesDenver.org.

When it comes to job selection, these millennials (people ages 18-34) have increasingly noted their top two criteria for employment as ‘flexible’ and ‘meaningful’.  Just like consumers want companies to provide them with products and services they can feel good about, more and more employees want to work for these ‘good guys’ who incorporate a sense of altruism and purpose into their mission.

So, what’s changed?

With the advent of social media and its ability to spread real-time news across multiple platforms, we have become more socially aware than ever before. This social awareness is not just limited to our circle of friends, neighborhood, city or even country. We now have the ability to know what’s happening around the world almost instantaneously, and are consequently presented with a multitude of ways to respond. This awareness, coupled with a new virtual connectedness, has opened our eyes to the reality that we can actually make a difference in the lives of others, affect the profitability of a company and even inspire social change.

Today’s businesses must understand that the new crop of employees will be looking for something more than just a paycheck and benefits package – they want to feel good about what they do for a living. And if companies want to not only attract but also keep top talent, it is necessary to incorporate corporate social responsibility into their business models. Take the progressive beer company New Belgium Brewery, for example. The company is now 100% owned by its employees, and we have a feeling they’ll be sticking around for a while.

So although it might take some time to find your purpose, when you feel good about what you do, you’re going to do it well.

For more information about the big announcement, read the press release here.

mpowered is the only Colorado-based nonprofit resource for individuals and families in Colorado who want to learn about money management and participate in coaching to achieve an individual definition of financial success. Since 2002, mpowered has provided affordable programs to help more than 40,000 people make informed financial choices. With offices in Denver and Colorado Springs, mpowered is a leader in financial education and champions financial stability as one of the most important components of a healthy lifestyle. Learn more at www.mpoweredcolorado.org.

When approached to be contributors, Sarah and I were instantly motivated to tell the story of what we coined the NOW Generation. We are proud to be a part of this group of 20- and 30-somethings, juggling careers, family and friends. AND we are actively engaged in volunteerism and fundraising. Who wouldn’t want to write about this group??

Check out our article and the debut issue of GIVE Magazine online, and help spread the word about this exciting new endeavor!

Ironically, during the same months I struggled through my name change, our team at Barefoot helped an amazing nonprofit organization through a similar transition. While there was no marriage for this nonprofit, there was a significant shift in messaging.

When we met this organization, they were Byrne Urban Scholars. And today, just three months later, they have changed their name to Denver Urban Scholars – while the name and the look may be new, their mission remains the same: to build the relationships necessary to help students succeed in school and realize their true potential.

Our work with Denver Urban Scholars included an overhaul of their messaging, training for their staff and board, and assistance in getting the word out once the big news was official. See the results of our work on their website – www.DenverUrbanScholars.org.