Posts tagged child
Boulder firefighters, Parks and Rec, are really Santa Clauses
Dec 5th
Boulder firefighters and Parks and Recreation team up for fifth consecutive year to brighten local children’s holidays
The City of Boulder Parks and Recreation Department’s Youth Services Initiative (YSI) program is working to brighten children’s holidays this season with help from the community and the Boulder Fire Department’s IAFF Local 900 union.
YSI provides youth from low-income families with opportunities and resources necessary to make positive recreational, educational, and lifestyle choices through after-school programs and community involvement activities.
This year, YSI will host holiday parties for program youth and their families on Thursday, Dec. 8, and Thursday, Dec. 15. Last year’s holiday parties served more than 150 families and delivered nearly 500 gifts to the children.
IAFF Local 900 support of YSI
The Boulder Fire Department’s IAFF Local 900 union will donate money for the fifth consecutive year. Their donations will help purchase gifts for children served by the YSI program who are living at Boulder’s low-income housing sites (managed by Boulder Housing Partners). The firefighters say this is a way to give back to kids in their very own community..
“We are honored to be able to support YSI youth during the holiday season,” said Lt. John Nunez, who has been involved with the department’s toy drive efforts for 19 years. “Sometimes, this will be the only gift a child receives. It is humbling for us to serve families who need a little extra help over the holidays.”
“When we show up in our fire trucks to these holiday parties, the looks on the children’s faces are priceless,” he added.
Community asked to help with donations
If you would like to make a donation to the YSI Program Toy Drive, visit www.BoulderParks-Rec.org, click on the “Youth Services toy drive – Donate today!” link and follow the instructions. A secure PayPal connection is provided and personal information will not be shared. Donations can be made using a major credit card or PayPal account. A small processing fee is deducted by PayPal from all donations. All donors will receive a receipt from PayPal and a Thank You from YSI. Checks can also be made payable to “YSI” and submitted to YSI, Attn: Alex Zinga, 3198 Broadway Ave., Boulder, CO 80304. Toy donation boxes are also located at the three City of Boulder recreation centers.
Additional funding over the amount needed for the toy drive will be placed in the YSI Scholarship Fund, which helps fund year-round recreation programs for low-income youth.
For more information, call Shelly Ruspakka, Parks and Recreation, at 303-413-7214
Boulder County to invest $1-million in community health
Sep 27th
Later this year, funding will include additional resources for emergency services as well as community-based transition age youth services, crisis housing services, parent education and life skills services, and job training and employment support.
Boulder County is investing in priority areas identified through a collaborative, community-wide process built on past strategic planning efforts that will support the community’s safety net by preventing greater dislocation and costlier services for community members.
Agencies receiving funding are: Mental Health Partners ($400,000 for mental health and substance abuse services), Sister Carmen Community Center ($200,000 for Community Resource Center Services), City of Boulder Family Resource Schools ($170,000 for Family Resource School Services), Clinica Family Health Services ($35,000 for dental health services), Dental Aid ($35,000 for dental health services), and the Early Childhood Council of Boulder County ($60,000 for quality child care).
This is the second round of funding provided by the Boulder County Temporary Safety Net tax initiative, or Ballot Initiative 1A, that was passed in last November’s election. The five-year property tax back fills deficiencies in state funding for county human services programs and supports contracts with nonprofit agencies maintaining a safety net for families and children in Boulder County.
“We are fortunate to have the support of the community to deal with the significant impacts of the economic downturn,” said Frank Alexander, Director of Boulder County’s Department of Housing and Human Services. “Only by funding critical services that have suffered serious cuts and simultaneously addressing these critical safety net gaps that prevent greater family crises can we deal with the increased need in community programs with very limited funding.”
Just as human services agencies throughout Boulder County are experiencing tremendous growth in caseloads and increased demand for services, state and federal funding sources have been declining significantly. The funding ensures these critical services continue and that community members are served.
The first round of funding – $503,000 deployed in February – has increased the availability of supported child care, provided support to local nonprofit organizations that provide family and individual crisis services, supported child welfare, child protection and early intervention practices, and has ensured timely access to food assistance, medical care, and essential benefits.
“As human service agencies throughout Boulder County have been stressed to meet the demands of our community during this economic downturn, the Temporary Human Services funds have been essential in our efforts to support families and prevent the need for costlier, future interventions,” County Commissioner Cindy Domenico said.
East Boulder Community Park grand re-opening celebration Aug. 27
Aug 24th
The City of Boulder’s Parks and Recreation Department will host an East Boulder Community Park grand re-opening event on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the East Boulder Community Park and East Boulder Recreation Center, 5660 Sioux Drive.
The free, public event will celebrate the recent completion of major improvements to the park, including:
● Addition of two, multi-sport synthetic turf fields;
● Renovation of the dog park;
● Resurfacing and lighting of five tennis courts;
● Improvements to handball courts;
● Addition of pedestrian and multi-use path connections;
● Renovations to grass open play fields;
● Addition of a parking lot on the south side of the park; and
● Improvements to landscaping, drainage and irrigation.
The re-opening event will feature:
● 8 to 8:45 a.m.: Free outdoor fitness bootcamp behind the tennis and basketball courts in the East Boulder Community Park.
● 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Free admission to the East Boulder Recreation Center; free child care; and free dance, yoga and fitness class samplers.
● 9 to 11 a.m.: Free youth and adult tennis lessons with Gonzo. Humane Society of Boulder Valley volunteers will have information, treats and adoptable dogs.
● 10 to 10:30 a.m.: Ribbon-cutting ceremony on the grassy area between the east multi-sport field and the dog park.
● 10:30 to 11 a.m.: Water-wise turf demonstration garden preview, highlighting different water conserving turf species and irrigation methods. The turf garden will be completed in 2012—but you can get a preview now. It is located on the south side of the recreation center and east side of the ponds.