Things You Can Learn from Volunteering

Let's face it, we all have very busy lives. But, if we'd take a breather from our hectic schedules to volunteer we could learn a lot of valuable things and improve our quality of life. Here are some benefits in being a volunteer. 

It Does the Body Good 

• Reduces Stress: Focusing on someone other than yourself interrupts tension-producing patterns. 
• Strengthened Immune System: Emotions such as optimism, joy and control are created when volunteering. Those positive vibes strengthen a person's immune system. 
• Physical Exercise: Depending on what type of volunteering you are doing, you can get some great physical exercise. 

It Brings People Together 

• Meet New Friends: Volunteering is a great way to meet new people with similar interests. 
• Strengthens Group Dynamics: Whether it's a church group, family or organizational group, volunteering strengthens trust. It builds teamwork by uniting the group to work towards a common goal. 

It Promotes Personal Growth and Self Esteem

• Increases Relationship Skills: Interacting with your peers or people in different age groups, people with a different socioeconomic status, etc. in a group setting helps foster relationship skills. 
• Increases Self-Confidence: Volunteering can provide a healthy boost to your self-confidence, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural sense of accomplishment.

It Strengthens Communities

• It Shows That People Care: Communities are revised and revamped when people show that they care about the community they live in by helping others with their practical needs. 
• Beautifies a Community: Whether you are volunteering for ECM by cleaning a yard, painting a fence, etc. or volunteering for another organization, you can help make the community more appealing through the community improvement projects.  
• Builds Neighborhood Comradery: Volunteers helping out a particular neighborhood encourage others living in that neighborhood to reach out to each other and lend a helping hand. 

Watch the video and learn what volunteers from Denver Community Church learned from their experience volunteering.

7.12.14 ECM Work Day in Westwood

Denver Community Church

Westwood Unidos

Summary of 7.12.14 ECM Work Day:

• Volunteers Participated - 95
• Projects Completed - 9
• Alleys Cleaned - 8
• Volunteer Hours - 525

ECM Leadership, Keo Frazier

ECM continues to move forward with organizational excellence. We take pride in our leadership and the expertise they bring to the table. Due to the knowledge and experience of our leadership team, ECM is able to move forward with confident organizational and management decisions. 

~Board Member, Keo Frazier

Ms. Frazier has an innovative mindset and is a strategic thinker. She has been involved with a number of marketing, media and research projects that hone in on her skills in market research, market analysis, and strategic marketing implementation. She has worked on brand promotions projects such as the United TED Airline launch and Super Target fresh produce awareness campaign. Currently, Ms. Frazier combines all of her expertise under one name Keos Marketing LLC: Keos Marketing Group and Non Profit Resource. Ms. Frazier is a Colorado native and takes pride in her civic duty of leadership and giving back to her community. 

Why did you decide to become a board member?

I attended an ECM event with ULI and I was immediately taken by the concept of building a community with the people in the community. I am committed to serving my community through any means I can and ECM seemed to be a great fit for my serving goals and the vision of our City.

2) From your perspective, what is the biggest difference ECM makes in the 

communities it serves in? 

Bringing neighbors together to learn to care for each other as they care for themselves. 

July Extreme Endeavors: The Art of Neighboring

Extreme Community Makeover Newsletter  July Extreme Endeavors July 2014

In This Issue We Have a Truck! ECM Fun Day: Sun Aug 10 Foundation Partner: Anschutz Family Foundation Denver Days: Aug 2-10 Amazon Smile June Volunteers Quick Links About ECM  Contact ECM           Donate  Help ECM build stronger communities in Denver through your financial support.     Checks can be made to:   Extreme Community Makeover    and sent to:    Extreme Community Makeover PO Box 102586 Denver, CO 80250-2586 "Thank you so very much for assisting us with our community garden, which has helped mobilize our neighborhood and has fostered the art of neighboring in recent years.  ECM did a beautiful job...and this was a tremendous help to our community; a job we won't soon forget.  We plan to pay it forward...and participate in community wide events."   - James L, West Colfax resident   Notes like this show how projects ECM volunteers complete have a long lasting impact as they inspire others to help their neighbors.  Thanks for the role you have played in making those efforts happen and continuing to stay informed about how you can be involved in Extreme Community Makeover!    Angela Bomgaars, Executive Director  ECM Work Days Click here to view the schedule for all ECM Work Days.  To register a group, click here.  To register an individual, click here.                  Saturday, July 26 @ 9:00 am (Globeville)    Street Kidz - 4496 Grant Street, Denver, 80216       To get involved, please RSVP to Angela and follow the links below to fill out the appropriate liability form.             Kaboom Playground Build: Sat July 19 Kaboom is building a playground for the Savio House in the Barnum neighborhood on Saturday July 19 from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm at 270 Lowell Boulevard.  They still need volunteers, so if you are interested in participating, contact Mary Laidley at 303.225.4010 or mlaidley@saviohouse.org.

We Have a Truck! Thanks to the generosity of many people, ECM was able to purchase a truck last week!  In the first five days of having the truck, it has already taken 40+ loads of trash and debris from the projects ECM volunteers have recently completed, which really helps clean up homes and neighborhoods even more.  If you join ECM for an upcoming Work Day project, you can check out our truck then. ECM Fun Day: Sun Aug 10      Foundation Partner: Anschutz Family Foundation Extreme Community Makeover would like to extend a very special thank you to the Anschutz Family Foundation for supporting ECM with a grant for general operating support and making an impact in Denver neighborhoods while partnering with ECM "one block at a time"!     Denver Days: Aug 2-10 "When I finally got to know my neighbors, my house became a home."  - Harold B, Denver resident  Believing that strong communities create a stronger city, Denver Days was launched as a citywide effort to help neighbors get to know each other and get involved with their communities by throwing block parties, organizing service projects, and hosting neighborhood activities.      The city has paved the way for the second year of Denver Days, which begins August 2 and runs through August 10.  Check out the interactive map to see what Denver Days events are scheduled in your neighborhood by clicking here.  The Aug 9 ECM Work Day and Aug 10 ECM Fun Day will both be Denver Days events you can find on the map.  If you don't see anything in your neighborhood, consider what type of neighborhood activity or volunteer project you could organize to get to know your neighbors better! Amazon Smile If you are a regular Amazon shopper, did you know that 0.5% of eligible purchases can be donated to Extreme Community Makeover?  If not, you do now!  You can access the link from our website by clicking here or go directly to Amazon Smile by clicking here.  June Volunteers June was a record setting month for ECM with 1,100 volunteers in one month!  Thank you to all who participated to reach that milestone and demonstrated how to be a good neighbor.   Bethany Lutheran Church Bible Presbyterian Church College Church of the Nazarene ECM Extreme Teams FCC Service Learning God's Grace Community Church Hillside Church Lockheed Martin PCS Timberwolves Red Rocks Youth RE/MAX RE/MAX of Cherry Creek Restoration Community Church San Antonio Team SOS Outreach Swansea Community Group TASC University of Denver Valley Ranch Baptist Church Youthworks

Thank you for partnering with ECM to make a difference in Denver neighborhoods!       Sincerely,   Extreme Community Makeover

3 Ways to Get Involved with ECM

We want to remind you that there are 3 ways to get involved with ECM. Help spread the word and share our promo video with your family, co-workers and friends. 

1) Work Day

Groups: Adopt a block for a day. Work with your your church, company, family, school, or any other group. 

Individuals: Join a pre-scheduled group to “adopt a block” with them and make new friends while working to change a community. 

2) Extreme Teams

Program Team: Logistics Team, Photography Team, Projects Team and Video Team. 

Strategy Team: Communications Team, Follow-up Team, Fundraising Team, Neighborhood Team, Supplies Team and Survey Team. 

3) Neighbor to Neighbor Club 

Your monthly gift makes a big impact! 

Adopt a Home $10/month
Adopt a Neighbor $10/month
Adopt an Alley $50/month
Adopt a Block $100/month
Adopt a Community $250/month 

ECM is making a difference "one block at a time." 

6.28.14 & 6.29.14 ECM Work Days in Swansea



God's Grace Community Church





Lockheed Martin

 

Restoration Community Church

Hillside Church

Swansea Community Group

Summary of 6.28.14 ECM Work Day:

• Volunteers Participated - 120
• Projects Completed - 12
• Alleys Cleaned - 6
• Volunteer Hours - 570

Summary of 6.29.14 ECM Work Day:

• Volunteers Participated - 55
• Projects Completed - 3
• Alleys Cleaned - 15
• Volunteer Hours - 220