Everything You Need to Know about Colorado Gives Day
Colorado Gives Day unites communities across Colorado in support of some of the state’s most worthy causes. In this article, we look at the event’s history, as well as a selection of the causes it supports.
The 24-hour long fundraiser encourages Coloradans to “give where we live”
The event raises significant funds for local nonprofits within a single day. Additionally, FirstBank and Community First Foundation partnered to offer a $1 million incentive fund, one of the largest in the country. This incentive fund increases the value of every dollar pledged. The fund is shared out proportionately in line with public donations to various local charities. For example, if the Colorado Gerontological Society receives 5 percent of total public donations, it will also receive 5 percent of the incentive fund, boosting funding by a further $50,000.
Colorado Gives Day is scheduled for Tuesday, December 8, 2020
It represents one of the biggest giving days in America. Last year, more than 160,000 people donated to 2,547 separate nonprofits, amounting to a cumulative $35.3 million. Altogether, Colorado Gives Day has raised more than $256 million since 2010.
The whole state enters into the giving spirit, proud that the money raised is ultimately invested straight back into Coloradan communities.
For many Coloradan nonprofits, the event is vital to year-round operations. With more than 165,500 donations pledged, varying in size from $10 to $1.2 million, Colorado Gives Day provides an important cash boost to a variety of local causes.
The partnership between Community First Foundation and FirstBank
Providing a comprehensive range of banking products and services throughout Colorado since 1963, FirstBank maintains more than $19 billion in assets today, operating 115 branches across Colorado, Arizona, and California.
Founded in 1975, Community First Foundation connects generous donors with innovative nonprofits, uniting them to create positive change and improve the quality of life for individuals throughout Jefferson County and beyond. Community First Foundation utilizes leadership and trusted stewardship of financial resources to encourage giving across Colorado. The organization supports donors, seeks new ways to meet community needs, and strengthens local nonprofits.
Colorado Gives Day supports a variety of local organizations
One organization, the Colorado Gerontological Society (CGS), is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides information, advocacy, and assistance to Coloradan seniors and aging professionals.
Founded in 1980, the Colorado Gerontological Society provides seniors and their families with practical support, advice, and assistance, helping assess nursing home options and organize nursing home placement, as well as answering questions regarding health insurance, food supplies, and sourcing geriatric physicians.
CGS counselors consult with individuals to identify problems, prioritize solutions, and arrange services via the organization’s extensive network of staff, volunteers, and partner agencies.
In addition to its counseling and referral services, CGS helps seniors complete forms to access benefits such as food stamps, Social Security, tax rebates, Medicaid, and supplemental insurance benefits. The organization also administers grant assistance programs for eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dental work for individuals over age 60 living in the Denver metro area.
Another organization benefiting from Colorado Gives Day is Hope House of Colorado, which empowers teenage mothers through a range of self-sufficiency programs, including residential, high school, college, and career support services. Hope House also offers early learning programs and classes covering topics such as healthy relationships, financial literacy, health and wellness, and personal growth. Teenage mothers can benefit from certified counseling, preparing them for long-term independence.
The organization relies on a network of volunteers and local business partnerships to carry out its mission. Hope House’s Residential Program provides safe, stable accommodation for mothers who have become homeless or find themselves in an unsafe environment. With a 12-bedroom home providing young mothers with up to a week of respite care, nine months of transitional housing, or up to two years of comprehensive programming, the organization engages and challenges teenage mothers through individual growth plans, helping them to incorporate healthy daily routines into their lives while raising their children in a safe, supportive environment.
Doctors Care, another beneficiary of Colorado Gives Day, is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Littleton, Colorado. The organization is dedicated to helping individuals living on a low income in the South Metro Denver area access affordable health care.
Through its primary care clinic, hospital services, dedicated professionals, and targeted health and wellbeing programs, Doctors Care has helped thousands of people across the region access quality care and support services.
Doctors Care provides four core services:
Doctors Care Clinic - offering quality, affordable care for individuals up to age 50
Doctors Care Advantage - connecting individuals with community-based care and resource programs provided by a network of specialists, care providers, and healthcare resources
Health Navigation - helping individuals access social services and overcome barriers they may face
Connection to Coverage - helping individuals enroll in free and low-cost health coverage, such as Health First Colorado, the Colorado State Medicaid program
