January Extreme Endeavors: Getting Started

Extreme Community Makeover NewsletterJanuary Extreme Endeavors January 2013

In This Issue Thank You: Year End Giving Extreme Teams Jan & Feb Work Days The Big Day of Serving Supplies Drive Free Trees this Spring December 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 Greetings! After the Work Days wrapped up in 2012, we took some time to hear from the folks we connected with this past year, so I wanted to share some of their thoughts..... "Everyone who we were in contact with were so positive and upbeat. We were on cloud nine for days after this enriching experience." "I feel very blessed to have connected with ECM. All the volunteers are the most wonderful people...very special, very kind, and sincere." If you have been one of those volunteers, thank you. Your impact is being noticed in Denver communities. After a great year in 2012, we're looking forward to getting started in 2013 with new projects, exciting volunteer opportunities, and lots of great things ahead, which we will continue to share with you each month. Thanks for being part of Extreme Community Makeover! Angela Bomgaars, Executive Director 2013 ECM Work Days The schedule is set for 2013 ECM Work Days, so you can start planning to get a group together on any of the following dates. Dates can also be found on the calendar on our website by clicking here. April 6 July 27 April 20: The Big Day of Serving August 10 May 4 August 24 May 18 September 7 June 1 September 21 June 15 October 5 June 29 October 19 July 13 November 2

Thank You: Year End Giving Thank you to everyone who made year-end financial donations to ECM, which helped us reach our fundraising goal for the year! We also want to say thank you to Restoration Community Church for continuing as a Church Partner. Extreme Teams If you're looking for a way to make an impact this year, take a look at the Extreme Teams. These teams are comprised of individuals who use their skills and passion to make a difference through ECM by making memories of volunteer projects through photography, capturing stories of resident experiences through video, planning fundraising events, initiating supply connections with local businesses, translating between English and Spanish, and much more. Let us know which team you're interested in through using the form on our website by clicking here. Be sure to get in touch soon though since our Extreme Teams kick-off will take place on Monday, January 21! Jan & Feb Work Days On Saturday, January 26 and Saturday, February 23, we are going to have a couple individual volunteer Work Days (groups are welcome too) where we focus on follow-up with the residents ECM volunteers assisted in 2012 in order to complete an evaluation form about their experience. If you enjoy one-on-one conversations with people, this opportunity is for you. The feedback gained from these conversations informs how we continue to build the Work Days moving forward. The time frame will be from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. The location/target neighborhood(s) will be determined once we know how many people can attend. Please RSVP to Angela if you would like to get involved. The Big Day of Serving The Big Day of Serving is returning to Denver (in addition to 14 other cities across the country) this spring, on Saturday, April 20. Here are a few of the ways you can get involved: Bring a group of youth (6th grade and older) to participate - click here for details Note: super early bird registration goes through February 19 Serve as a volunteer leader for the event - contact Angela for more details Note: we are looking for project leaders, Spanish speakers, and people with trucks Check out or spread the word about internship opportunities available - click here for details Note: the Projects and Public Relations internships are currently available Supplies Drive During the winter months, ECM is holding a supplies drive to gear up for the projects we'll do this year. If you can spread the word and encourage your church, co-workers, school, friends, family members, or anyone you know to pick up some of these supplies to donate to ECM, your help would be much appreciated. Find out all the details here. Free Trees this Spring This spring, Denver residents have 2 options to get FREE trees! Trees must be planted along the street in the public right-of-way if you get your tree through the Denver Digs Trees program with The Park People OR trees must be planted on the west side of your house and may be planted in your front, back and side yards or in the public right-of-way if you get your tree through the Mile High Million Trees program with Denver Forestry. Click here for more details. Submit your application by February 15. Trees will be available for pick-up on April 20. December Volunteers Thank you to Front Range Christian School for volunteering during the month of December!

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

Want to Make a Difference in 2013? Join an ECM Extreme Team!

If you're looking for a way to make an impact this year, take a look at the Extreme Teams with Extreme Community Makeover.  These teams are comprised of individuals who use their skills and passion to make a difference through the work ECM does by making memories of volunteer projects through photography, capturing stories of resident experiences through video, planning fundraising events, initiating supply connections with local businesses, translating between English and Spanish, and much more.  Let us know which team you're interested in through using the form on our website by clicking here.

Program Team

 

Help Work Days run more efficiently by checking in volunteers, selling t-shirts, helping with lunch preparations, cleaning up, and helping with other miscellaneous tasks.

Capture what happens during Work Days through taking photos of residents and volunteers. These photos will be used for multiple communication purposes, including thanking volunteers and creating memories for everyone.

Supervise projects during Work Days while being available to answer questions, troubleshoot problems, and ensure projects are completed, while stepping in as a Project Leader when groups are unable to identify someone for that role.

Tell stories of residents and volunteers working together on projects during Work Days, as well as filming direct interviews to be used in social media and other communication venues.

 

 

Strategy Team

 
   

Create and implement a strategic communication plan that includes print communication, press releases. website, emails, social media, and other forms of communication. The team will also develop a marketing plan.	Develop relationships with the residents ECM works with by getting feedback about ECM, connecting them with resources available in their community, and inviting them to “pay it forward” and help their neighbors.	Create a strategic approach to develop a solid financial foundation for ECM. The team will implement fundraising events and develop other strategies (grants, sponsorships, etc) to build resources for ECM.	Create a strategic approach to community relations to help strengthen the impact of long-term community building efforts. The team will promote future Work Days, while building relationships with neighbors.
Develop relationships with local businesses that can provide project supplies at discounted prices and provide these resources to groups and residents so they can utilize these connections in order to complete projects as economically as possible.	Initiate relationships with community residents and be a resource to the volunteer groups as they are doing the door to door survey to identify projects. Speaking Spanish is a plus! Initiate relationships with community residents and be a resource to the volunteer groups as they are doing the door to door survey to identify projects.  Speaking Spanish is a plus!

End 2012 with a Bang!

Donate Now Checks can be made payable to: Extreme Community Makeover and sent to: Extreme Community Makeover PO Box 102586 Denver, CO 80250-2586 PayPal: ECM charged credit card fees Giving First: Credit card fees waived

Extreme Community Makeover: Our Impact in 2012 ECM has had a full year with expanding to more neighborhoods, mobilizing more volunteers, partnering with more groups who want to be a good neighbor - all leading to more and more families who we are able to help. We need to raise just over $5,500 to meet our yearly operating budget and we would invite you to partner with us in reaching that goal through a year-end tax-deductible gift to Extreme Community Makeover. Your support leads to these tangible results since this is what ECM accomplished in 2012..... 8 neighborhoods targeted 66 Work Days scheduled 232 projects completed 3,160 volunteers participated 15,957.5 volunteer hours invested into Denver neighborhoods These numbers don't share the full imapct behind these projects though: a formerly homeless, single mom of three receiving help sprucing up the home they currently live in; neighbors on a block being introduced to one another for the first time; and an elderly widow trying to remain in her home as long as possible. These efforts are made possible through your involvement and generosity, so thanks in advance for your support of making the stats and stories above possible through Extreme Community Makeover! Stay in Touch www.extremecommunitymakeover.org

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

December Extreme Endeavors: Highlights of 2012

Extreme Community Makeover NewsletterDecember Extreme Endeavors December 2012

In This Issue Follow-Up: Art is in the Air Internship Opportunities Church Partner: God's Grace Community Church Becky's Story Company Support November 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 Greetings! As we near the end of 2012, I thought I would share some of the highlights of this year from Extreme Community Makeover's viewpoint. January - received a "makeover" of our storage space for supplies and tools so they are organized and easy to access February - expanded into two additional neighborhoods: Elyria and Swansea March - kicked off the Extreme Teams with an amazing group of 35+ volunteers that participate in ECM regularly through using their skills in a variety of ways April - mobilized 450 volunteers during The Big Day of Serving event in the Westwood neighborhood May - moved to a new shared office space with BuCu West in the Westwood neighborhood June - started an internship program with 2 amazing interns who worked with ECM for 3 months each July - provided meaningful volunteer opportunities for youth from 17 states throughout the summer August - received a $10,000 donation from Prologis during their annual golf tournament September - welcomed 35 new groups who participated in their first Work Day this year October - facilitated a block party event in the Barnum neighborhood to encourage neighbors to get to know one another November - executed a successful fundraising event with double the participants and money raised in comparison to last year's event December - completed 232 projects with residents in 8 target neighborhoods throughout Denver with the helping hands of 3,160 volunteers Thank you for your involvement in ECM in 2012. I look forward to continuing to make an even stronger impact together in 2013! Angela Bomgaars, Executive Director

Follow-Up: Art is in the Air Thanks to the generosity of everyone who joined us for our "Art is in the Air" event last month, we were able to raise $7,500 to support ECM operations! Raffle and silent auction items were provided by these amazing companies and individuals, listed here; food was provided by King Soopers and Las Fuentes; wine was provided by Tony's Market; and tables were provided by AllWell Rents. Thanks to Artwork Network for providing an amazing space to hold the event as well! Internship Opportunities Many of you have either participated in The Big Day of Serving or heard it mentioned before since nearly 950 people have participated in the first two years of spending an entire day to make a tangible impact in the Westwood neighborhood through cleaning alleys, painting homes and businesses, planting trees, and removing graffiti. In 2013, this event will be held on Saturday, April 20 and we have internship opportunities available in the areas of event management, fundraising, project management, and public relations. For more details and contact info, click here. Church Partner: God's Grace Community Church God's Grace Community Church has been partnering with ECM for the past four years and spent a Sunday service participating in ECM this spring, while volunteering on a Saturday Work Day this fall, building connections with folks in the Barnum neighborhood during both days. God's Grace has committed to continue as a Church Partner for ECM in 2012 through their $1,000 donation. Thank you so much for your support! Becky's Story While God's Grace Community Church participated in ECM this year, they met Becky. This video tells her story about what it meant to her to have volunteers help her with projects at her home. Beecky's Story Company Support One of our goals for ECM this year has been to encourage the churches and companies that volunteer with ECM to help provide financial support for the work we do to make the Work Days possible through providing meaningful volunteer opportunities that engage tangbile community needs. Each of these companies has stepped up to partner with ECM in this way! November Volunteers Thanks to all the groups who volunteered during the month of November and helped us finish up all the projects we wanted to complete moving into the winter! Cherry Hills Christian Middle School Denver Community Church Essex Financial Services Front Range Christian School Turner Construction University of Denver Alumni Valor Christian High School

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

Colorado Gives Day

Colorado Gives Day: Tuesday, December 4 Support Extreme Community Makeover (ECM) on Colorado Gives Day!  On Tuesday, December 4, 2012, Coloradans will come together again to raise millions of dollars for nonprofits like ours.  Last year, a remarkable $12.8 million was distributed to Colorado nonprofits. This is the first year ECM is participating and our goal is to fund 25 projects at $120 per project, which equals a $3,000 goal.    Presented by Community First Foundation and FirstBank, Colorado Gives Day asks you to give to your favorite charities through the website GivingFirst.org.  On this website we share our goals, accomplishments and much more.  Check it out by clicking here.    100 percent of your donation will come directly to ECM since all credit card processing fees are covered by the sponsors.  When you give online, the value of your donation will also be increased by the FirstBank Incentive Fund.  You can schedule your donation for December 4 today and even set up a recurring donation to spread out your gift throughout the year. Donate online here any time to "give where you live!"

Sincerely,   Extreme Community Makeover