Colorado Gives Day

December 6, 2021

Community First Foundation and FirstBank will present Colorado Gives Day on Tuesday, December 7th, 2021. This annual statewide movement celebrates and increases philanthropy in Colorado through online giving.  In 2020, the annual statewide movement raised more than $50 million in 24 hours.

Boost your Charitable Giving

Colorado Gives Day not only benefits your favorite nonprofits, but it enables your charitable contributions to go further.  Every organization that receives a donation on Colorado Gives Day will earn additional funds from a $1 million incentive fund. With a few clicks, you can join tens of thousands of fellow Coloradans in giving at www.ColoradoGives.org, where you will discover new organizations aligned with your values, inspiring visionaries, and noble causes. ‘Tis the season for giving!

When:  Tuesday, December 7th, 2021

How: Donate online at ColoradoGives.org on December 7th, 2021

Here at BSW we are proud to bring awareness to a movement that helps Make Life Better for so many people in our community. To find out more about Colorado Gives Day, visit ColoradoGives.org.

BSW Staff’s Selections

1. Boulder Climbing Community (BCC)

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“If you love to hike, climb, or recreate in the Flatirons, Boulder Canyon, or Eldorado Canyon, then you have benefitted from the hard work and grass-roots stewardship of the Boulder Climbing Community (BCC). In 2021, the BCC has added five miles to the Boulder Canyon Trails System, rebuilt and improved the Royal Arch Trail (the most popular trail on Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks), and put in more than 5,000 volunteer hours to restore and maintain these irreplaceable resources. The BCC’s Executive Director, Kate Beezley, is a friend and climbing partner — I know first-hand how tirelessly she and the BCC work. As a proud supporter of the BCC, my climbing partners and I are funding a $5,000 matching gift for the BCC on Colorado Gives Day. Please help the BCC unlock this $5,000 matching gift to care for the places that make Boulder so special! To that end, the BSW team will also be doing a clean-up day for the BCC on Flagstaff Mountain this winter for our annual volunteer day!

 

-David Wolf, Chief Executive Officer

2. American Institute of Avalanche Research & Education (AIARE)

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“AIARE’s mission is simple and powerful: We save lives through avalanche research and education. The 2020-2021 winter posted the most avalanche fatalities in 11 years, including the deadliest seven-day period since 1910. Backcountry usership is exploding — and the need for avalanche education along with it. Backcountry users are also becoming more diverse, and AIARE is making great strides in bringing more diversity to the field of avalanche professionals. I serve on the Board of Directors of AIARE and am also a proud funder of professional training scholarships for avalanche professionals from underrepresented populations (here). My AIARE Board colleagues and I will be matching donations up to $17,500 between now and December 31 — meaning every dollar contributed will have double the impact. Please join in supporting AIARE!

-David Wolf, Chief Executive Officer


3. Community Food Share of Boulder and Broomfield Counties

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Craig sorting cans at Community Food Share (pre-COVID)

Community Food Share is such an important part of our community. Especially in today’s day and age, with costs going higher and wages not keeping up, a family doesn’t need to be impoverished to need a helping hand with food.


My family has been giving our time, money, and home grown produce to the great people of Community Food Share for years. In my mind, a person’s health and a sense of wellbeing are dependent upon a foundation of good nutrition. Until this foundation is in place and stable, anything an individual tries to build on top of it is likely to topple. I like to think about anything I give to Community Food Share coming back to the community exponentially in the form of happy, productive families that can be part of an ongoing, virtuous cycle of Good.”

-Craig Seidler, Director – Public Investments

 

4. Native American Rights Funds

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“Growing up, some of the most beautiful places my family visited – and the locations of some of my most cherished childhood memories, were on Native American reservations.  Unfortunately, Native American reservations have also been victim to egregious human rights violations, and flagrant natural resource extraction.  To help sustain these beautiful places, and promote the rights of those living there, I donate to the Native American Right’s Fund here in Boulder.  Their advocacy work to establish legal precedents beneficial to these wonderful places gives me hope that future generations will be able to enjoy the same magical experiences I was fortunate to have as a child.”

-Brian Lichtenheld, Advisor & Values-Aligned Specialist



5. Denver Urban Gardens

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“Much of my life has been spent in gardens. From an early age I learned the importance of living off the land on my parents’ farm and the wonder of eating something grown from a seed. Community gardens are a place to cultivate not only fruits and veggies, but community, self-reliance and a sense of peace. Denver Urban Gardens focus on reducing barriers to fresh, healthy, and organic food by providing access to space, educational resources, and skill-building in urban growing for all ages.”

-Nicole Zelyez, Director – Marketing

 

6. CASA Advocates for Children

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“After living abroad and returning home to Colorado, I felt disconnected from the community I lived in and wanted to find a way to give back.  That led me to becoming a court appointed special advocate. As a CASA, I speak up for abused and neglected children, advocating for their physical and emotional health, as well as educational needs.  My main job is to ensure that the court and other professionals working on the case, have the child’s best interest when making decisions about the child’s future.”

-Lindy Yoshida, Client Service Manager