Basic Needs
Boulder Shelter for the Homeless
4869 N. Broadway, Boulder, 303.442.4646
Provides safe shelter, food, support services for homeless adults in our community.

Conscious Alliance
2525 Arapahoe Ave., Suite E4-182, Boulder, 720.406.7871

Community Food Share
6363 Horizon Lane, Longmont, 303.652.3663
Improves the lives of the hungry by delivering nutritionally balanced meals each.

Emergency Family Assistance Organization
900 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, 303.442.3042
Provides community safety net for families who can’t meet their basic needs.

Flatirons Habitat for Humanity
2540 Frontier Ave., Boulder, 303.447.3787

Longmont Meals on Wheels
910 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont, 303.772.0540
Provides hot, nutritious meals for seniors and for individuals unable to prepare meals.

Louisville United Methodist Food Baskets
741 Jefferson St., Louisville, 303.666.8812
Delivers food baskets to low-income residents of Louisville and Lafayette.

Boulder County Meals on Wheels
1255 Centaur Village Drive, Lafayette, 303.665.0566
Provides home-delivered meals to the needy.

Outreach United Research Center
303 Atwood St., Longmont, 303.772.5529
Unifies resources to help people with short-term hardships meet basic needs.

Sister Carmen Community Center
701 W. Baseline Road, Lafayette, 303.665.4342
Offers non-discriminatory emergency assistance to area residents.

Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center
11968 Mineral Road, Longmont, 303.652.9131
Serves those with special needs through therapeutic riding and equine activities.

Health
Boulder County AIDS Project
2118 14th St., Boulder, 303.444.6121
Provides support, advocacy and education to those infected with or affected by HIV.

Clinica Campesina Family Health Services
1345 Plaza Court, Lafayette, 303.665.3036 x236
Serves as a medical and dental care provider for low-income families.

HospiceCare of Boulder and Broomfield
2594 Trailridge Drive, Suite A, Lafayette, 303.449.7740
Provides compassionate end-of-life care and education to our community.

Longmont Emergency Unit Inc
1010 Alta St., Longmont, 303.776.6180
Responds to emergencies 24 hours a day, including first aid, extrication and water rescue.

Sense of Security
P.O. Box 6098, Broomfield, 303.480.3558
Provides financial help and enhances quality of life for breast cancer patients.

Dental Aid Inc.
877 South Boulder Road, Louisville, 303.665.8828
Provides affordable oral care for low-income residents of Boulder and Broomfield counties.

Social Issues
Attention Homes
3080 Broadway Suite C, Boulder, 303.447.1206
Provides residential treatment and counseling to at-risk youth in a home-like environment.

El Comite de Longmont
455 Kimbark St., Longmont, 303.651.6125
Acts as a negotiating body for concerns brought forth by the Boulder County Latino community.

Empowerment International
2339 Santa Fe Drive, Longmont, 303.823.6495
Breaks the cycle of poverty and creates lasting change throughout Central America.

First Nations Development Institute
703 Third Ave., Suite B, Longmont, 303.774.7836
Works to restore native control and culturally-compatible stewardship of the assets they own.

Intercambio de Comunidades
2885 Aurora Ave. #36, Boulder, 303.996.0275
Builds bridges of understanding across cultures and creates a more integrated community.

Native American Rights Fund
1506 Broadway, Boulder, 303.447.8760
Defends the rights of Indian tribes, organizations and individuals nationwide.

Safehouse Progressive Alliance
835 North St., Boulder, 303.449.8623, 24-hour Crisis Line: 303.444.2424
Provides safety to victims of domestic violence and strives to end violence against women.

Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley
P.O. Box 231, Longmont, 303.772.0432
Provides safety and support to women and children who are affected by domestic violence.

The Inn Between of Longmont Inc.
250 Kimbark St., Longmont, 303.684.0810
Offers transitional housing and services for the homeless to help them achieve self-sufficiency.

Education
Alternatives for Youth Inc.
24 9th Ave., Longmont, 303.776.8184
Provides services that promote social and academic success for youth and their families.

Boulder County Partners
1430 Nelson Road, Suite 206, Longmont, 303.772.1411
Helps in the lives of at-risk youth by building a positive self-image through mentoring.

Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Center
6252 W. 104th Ave., Westminster, 720.974.1864
Fosters an appreciation of butterflies while educating the public about conservation.

Center for Safe Schools and Communities
450 Tynan Court, Erie, 800.221.4125 x04
Helps disturbed students achieve academic and behavioral success.

Jared Polis Foundation
1725 Walnut St., Boulder, 303.442.1130
Encourages the community to be proactive by supporting education and technology.

Rocky Mountain Equi-Rhythm
7156 Johnson Circle, Niwot, 303.919.3946
Uses the healing power of the horse-human relationship to assist at-risk populations.

St.Vrain Valley Parenting Center
803 E. 3rd Ave., Longmont, 303.776.5348
Provides the building blocks for healthy families through education and support services.

WOW! Children’s Museum
110 N. Harrison Ave., Lafayette, 303.604.2424
Engages families in learning.

Project YES
104 West Baseline Road, Lafayette, 303.926.0306
Provides leadership opportunities for young people through the arts and service learning.

Animals
Birds of Prey Foundation
2290 South 104th St., Broomfield, 303.460.0674
Treats injured and orphaned wildlife, primarily raptors, such as eagles, hawks and owls.

Colorado Horse Rescue
10386 N. 65th St., Longmont, 720.494.1414
Provides emergency relief and care services for abused and neglected horses.

Creative Acres
P.O. Box 1143, Brighton, 303.659.4792
Offers a no-kill free-roam animal sanctuary and training center.

Humane Society of Boulder Valley
2323 55th St., Boulder, 303.442.4030 x655
Protects the lives of companion animals by promoting relationships between pets and people.

Knick O’ Time Horse Rescue & Rehabilitation
9993 N 65th St., Longmont, 303.359.2273
Rescues and finds new homes for abused and slaughter-bound horses and other equines.

Longmont Humane Society
9595 Nelson Road, Longmont, 303.772.1232
Prevents cruelty to animals, and strives to instill empathy and appreciation for animals.

Wild Animal Sanctuary
1946 WCR 53, Keenesburg, 303.536.0118
Rescues exotic wildlife and endangered species such as lions, tigers, bears and wolves.

Environment
Center for ReSource Conservation
1702 Walnut St., Boulder, 303.441.3278
Leads Colorado residents, businesses and governments towards a sustainable future.

The WILD Foundation
3025 47th St., Boulder, 303.442.8811
Works to protect wild places because wilderness areas provide essential benefits.

Western Resource Advocates
2260 Baseline Road, Boulder, 303.444.1188
Protects the West’s land, air and water.

The post Giving Guide appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Candi Ayers lives in a 900 square-foot-trailer in Boulder. She shares it with her three kids, 10-year-old triplets, to be exact. It’s a little crowded, and that’s not to mention the roof leaks and the plumbing could go at any minute.

“We’re constantly tripping over one another,” says Ayers, a single mother who doesn’t have time to work because of her parenting duties.

That should all change by the end of the summer, as construction has just begun on her two-story, North Boulder townhome. The stay-at-home mom is able to afford it through the Flatirons Habitat for Humanity home ownership program. “I keep pinching myself,” the 40-year-old Boulder native says. “We drove by (the construction site), we saw that some walls had gone up—we were squealing.”

Generally, you could chalk this story up as your typical Habitat tale. Family in need of steady housing qualifies for the program, Habitat builds the home (with the help of the soon-to-be homeowner), and everyone lives happily ever after.

But this North Boulder project that will see nine units built for low-income families is being built by green standards, meaning homes will expend less energy, saving resources and a few bucks for the families moving in.

It’s the first environmentally-friendly project, dubbed Harmony Haven, that the Flatirons Habitat has worked on. It is the start of its new, green construction standards that puts it in elite company. Out of the 1,700 some-odd Habitat branches nationwide, only Flatirons and a New York City outfit have made green building a permanent commitment.

“We’re so enviro friendly in this community, it’s just the right thing to do,” says Jan Hawley, Flatirons Habitat development director.

The Harmony Haven homes will feature Energy Star-rated appliances, dual flush toilets, compact florescent light bulbs, tankless water heaters, Xeriscape landscaping and oodles of extra insulation. Homeowners will save nearly $300 a year in utility costs, and the homes will produce 1.3 fewer tons of carbon dioxide and save 3,500 gallons of water annually. All of these upgrades, which only add about 2.5 percent to overall construction costs, give these homes a 91 Energy Star rating, above the state’s typical range of 79 to 83.

“It’s something that we really believe in,” says Bob Wettergren, Flatirons Habitat construction manager.

Flatirons Habitat is in negotiations for three more projects in East Boulder County. Wettergren expects those homes to be even greener—think solar power.

Ayers would’ve been happy just getting a “regular” home but certainly appreciates the upgrades. The cheaper energy bills are a plus, too. “We might actually be warm and comfortable for a winter,” she says.

“It will be nice.”

The post Green Giving appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

There was a time, perhaps in eighth grade, that we all thought we would wind up on “Oprah” for our humanitarian efforts. Four of us, childhood friends, were sure we were going to save the world. Maybe we’d end poverty, feed the hungry, wipe out AIDS. The Queen of the Talk Show Circuit would certainly take notice.

We never really had a plan on how to pull this off. It turns out Justin Baker did—it was just a few years from taking flight.

While we waded through high school, Justin began jogging a path of non-profit work. He’d drag us to Bushnell Park in Hartford on Saturdays so we could help his Food Not Bombs chapter. We’d hand out donated food wrangled from local businesses to the homeless. Lines wrapped around the park’s storied carousel as we passed out snacks to those in need.

In the years since, my non-profit giving has waned, but Justin didn’t stop with Food Not Bombs. His jog has since turned into a marathon. When we came to the University of Colorado, we drifted. I started journalism studies; he continued with Food Not Bombs.

Justin concocted a unique idea for a non-profit of his own. When he formed Boulder-based Conscious Alliance in 2002, he began touring nationally with jam bands, setting up food collection spots at the entrance. The idea was to turn passion for music into passion for giving.

It’s worked.

Over the years, Conscious has been in front of major concerts, national festivals, and CU football games.

Following Hurricane Katrina, Conscious worked Red Rocks for the Dave Matthews Band benefit concert—in four days, it collected 30,000 pounds of food (plus $100,000 in cash from other efforts) for those in need on the Gulf Coast.

That’s actually where we reconnected for the first time since graduation in 2002. While I was helping the cause at Red Rocks by swilling beer (proceeds went to victims), Justin was working the donation stands. We said a brief hello. I followed it with a Google search of Conscious Alliance. That’s when I began to realize how far he’d come. The food he and his cadre of do-gooders have collected helps thousands. They’ve piggybacked on people’s love for music by giving out rare concert posters in exchange for donations (215,000 pounds of food and $92,000 this year).
Most of the food stays local, and cash gets filtered to a food bank Conscious built on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. It’s been running since 2005, providing relief to hundreds in crises.

That’s just the first step. Justin, tired from years of touring like a rock star, literally, wants to evolve. You’ll still find Conscious at bigger shows and festivals, but Justin and his fulltime staff of three will begin focusing on raising money and grants so they can open more food banks on reservations.

His younger brother, Evan, who also attended CU and serves as Conscious’ administrative director, thinks enough of what Justin is doing that he’s even e-mailed Oprah with the hopes of gaining an invitation to the show. Maybe those middle-school dreams weren’t that far fetched after all.

The post Conscious Harmony appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

Before you flip to the Gift Guide in a few pages to start drooling over all the cool gadgets, hip clothes and other luxurious items that will make the best presents this year, think about the giving part of the holidays.

And not the type of giving that will enamor your loved ones. Stop for a moment to consider the countless others in need in the North Metro area and beyond. There are myriad organizations geared toward helping the homeless, relieving hungry, giving shelter to the battered, saving the environment and rehabilitating wild life. Regardless if you are a regular in the charity circuit or not, read up on a few programs you many not be familiar with in our annual Giving Guide.

So when you’re circling that pearl necklace that will wind up in your honey’s stocking or the flat screen TV for his wall, think first about which of the 45 North Metro non profits we feature you should give to this holiday season. Someone you don’t know will greatly appreciate it.

Conscious Harmony

Green Giving

Giving Guide

The post It’s Good to Give appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

A Jew, a Catholic and a pharmaceutical company vice president walk into a bar. The Catholic buys a round of vodka drinks, and the VP cracks a joke of Jewish nature.

It wasn’t that funny.

But the ensuing conversation turned into rousing hilarity, or at least the topic of a sociology paper. It turns out, I was the Jew, the VP was my brother’s boss, and the Catholic, well, umm, that was my brother. This was just a few years back, we were both in our 20s and this was the first time we’d ever realized we sided with different religions despite living under the same roof for nearly two decades. True story.

We grew up in a split religion household. Dad came from a strict Catholic upbringing. Mom’s mom was nothing without her Jewish guilt. But by the time I was brought into this world—almost five years after Big Bro—the rents had figured out that they’d raise us in a non-denominational manner with a side of both religious cultures.

In full disclosure, the Harkins family wasn’t the model of practicing either religion. We did the big holidays. When December rolled around, we’d light the menorah and pick out a Christmas tree too bushy to fit in the living room. As a small child getting both Hanukkah and Christmas gifts, I thought I was the luckiest kid on the block.

There were Easter brunches and seder dinners.

I can remember going to church once or twice with my dad and attending more than a handful of bar mitzvahs when I was on the cusp of becoming a teen. But for whatever reason, whenever prompted, I simply answered, “Jewish.” Many of my closest friends were Jews, perhaps that’s why I sided with my mom’s religion. Or maybe it’s because the Jewish faith follows a matriarchal lineage. Or maybe because I’m a momma’s boy. There’s really no explanation. So basically, I became an Irish-Jew with an extra helping of Judaism, which is about as rare as the Sarajevo Haggadah.

Meanwhile, my older brother coasted through life thinking the menorah was just a tiny piece of our holiday celebrations. He liked the Christmas tree better, dammit!

We’re sitting in an empty nightclub in LoDo on a quiet Monday evening when all of this is revealed. Mike, the VP, was in shock.

How could two brothers—two very close brothers, to boot—never realize this throughout countless conversations, squabbles and family gatherings over the years?

It is a little mind-boggling, but since we were never that religious, it’s not totally surprising. In fact, the holidays were simply about family and giving, so it wasn’t really an issue whether one of us preferred sacrament wine while the other Manishevitz.

If there’s a moral to be taken from this story, it’s this: It doesn’t matter what religion you subscribe to (if you’ve even signed up for one at all), the holidays are a time to celebrate family, give thanks for everything you have and buy a nice little something for loved ones.

Although getting gifts during Hanukkah and on Christmas is still pretty freakin’ cool.

The post A Moment of Clarity appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.