tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24563245746942818842024-03-12T22:42:04.396-07:00Mi Casa Resource CenterNews from Colorado's largest Latino-serving nonprofit organizationUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-83713333127497389652012-03-13T08:02:00.002-07:002012-03-13T08:08:06.819-07:00Mi Casa's Blog Has Moved!<span style="font-size:130%;">Mi Casa's blog has <a href="http://micasadenver.wordpress.com/">moved</a> to WordPress, so make sure to follow us on our <a href="http://micasadenver.wordpress.com/">new page</a>!<br /><br /></span>Mi Casahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17546960136749965966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-79697262690894309322012-02-27T15:12:00.002-08:002012-02-27T16:52:38.919-08:00Mi Casa Welcomes Four New Board MembersMi Casa is delighted to welcome four new members to our Board of Directors: <br />
<ul><li>Richard Gonzales, GCR LLP</li>
<li>Rafael Medina, Entravision Communications </li>
<li>James Perez Foster, touchPoint Partners, LLC</li>
<li>Debbie Trujillo, KeyBank <b> </b></li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKptv9PiZGv-Feso8y6kCe9c2TplQePQITplZo7a48tLfpvad8eH9T7c8IsuXKDWo-U6z5pcjJ2tm3hqBI0UyAb2-ZikI_GkUBbz7zGJBtKRAVxc4qajt4Y7Q3Wk0aB0j6ki0i74Vmhk/s1600/BOD+photos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizKptv9PiZGv-Feso8y6kCe9c2TplQePQITplZo7a48tLfpvad8eH9T7c8IsuXKDWo-U6z5pcjJ2tm3hqBI0UyAb2-ZikI_GkUBbz7zGJBtKRAVxc4qajt4Y7Q3Wk0aB0j6ki0i74Vmhk/s640/BOD+photos.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRoBrPIp1oSF8F5IbBvHQ4R_BEoyrYhdXI79kl7ruLkiK_cZbHSunzBKIkN7jLBqlqgJckp5iO7CoM2vkC8k_sf8_nIF60yQzbZWQj7JyWv8CN-tYtmNdVB0p926IC_cB9PBjSlq6BecI/s1600/BOD+photos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><b>Richard Gonzales</b> (far left) is a partner at the law firm GCR with more than 25 years of legal experience in the public and private sectors. A graduate of Stanford Law, Richard specializes in public finance, real estate transactions and mergers and acquisitions. Richard was general counsel for Stapleton Development Corp., a public/private partnership that resulted in one of the largest urban developments in the nation. Richard is also active in the American GI Forum, as well as other charitable organizations, including Girls, Inc., El Centro Su Teatro, and KUVO Public Radio. <br />
<br />
<b>Rafael Medina</b> (far right) is the Marketing & Communications Director for Entravision Communications. He manages the marketing, promotions and community outreach efforts for Colorado’s leading Spanish-language television, radio, and online media properties. Entravision’s five TV stations and four radio stations in Colorado deliver more listeners and viewers than the any local competitors – regardless of language. Rafael, a Denver native and first generation American, is passionate about supporting the Latino community and volunteers for organizations that serve Hispanic families. <br />
<br />
<b>James Perez Foster </b>(center left) is an entrepreneur and business executive. In 2004, he quit his job on Wall Street to move to Denver and start a bank to serve the Latino community. After four years and more than $20 million raised, Lakewood-based Solera National Bank opened its doors to the community. Today, Solera is publicly traded and has more than 700 shareholders. James also boasts expertise in new market penetration, board governance, public relations, and corporate social responsibility. James is also actively involved in community volunteerism. <br />
<br />
<b>Debbie Trujillo</b> (center right) is the Vice President of Programs for KeyBank. With over 30 years of experience in the banking industry, Debbie is passionate about building bridges between Colorado’s businesses and the Hispanic community. Debbie is also highly involved in community service. She has been on the Board of Directors for the Hispanic Chamber of Metro Denver for five years and was the board chair in 2011. Debbie is a board member of the Denver/Boulder BBB Foundation and in 2010 was the board chair.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-59680084422707426472012-02-23T17:23:00.003-08:002012-02-23T17:24:59.119-08:00Reflecting on Denver Green Jobs Initiative<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib93ScQmkWJazX3GNSM8E8KI_qwO7m_fVZZ3eVjlSkCLI1QuN464dbBPcqULX9L6bjdZNjQ87pq7BONUQnYU2-JVAcq4w9gA1HdCKgrJ1Qhpv21bNGFH6NnbrCSmz7rK2EO65FfyeRI8k/s1600/LOGO.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 49px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib93ScQmkWJazX3GNSM8E8KI_qwO7m_fVZZ3eVjlSkCLI1QuN464dbBPcqULX9L6bjdZNjQ87pq7BONUQnYU2-JVAcq4w9gA1HdCKgrJ1Qhpv21bNGFH6NnbrCSmz7rK2EO65FfyeRI8k/s320/LOGO.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712506889541036882" border="0" /></a><br />For two years, Denver Green Jobs Initiative (DGJI) has trained Northeast Denver workers for great careers in energy efficiency, sustainable construction, and solar.<br />DGJI was a collaborative project, led by Mi Casa and funded by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), to provide disadvantaged workers in Denver with new opportunities for career path employment. The project ended last month.<br /><br />Though the green industry has not yet produced the volume of jobs once hoped for, DGJI was a huge success!<br /><br />DGJI trained 513 workers, and of these, 206 were placed in full-time jobs. The project was recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor as one of the most successful in 2010-11 for job-placement. As a result, DGJI program strategies were included in DOL's "Promising Practices" resource guide for workforce development.<br /><br />"There is a gap between the skills employers need and the skills most workers have," says DGJI Project Manager Rick Lawton. "Denver Green Jobs Initiative was able to bridge that divide for individuals who face barriers to employment."<br /><br />Dan’nail is a great example. When he sought training at Denver Green Jobs Initiative, he was just a few months out of prison and living in a halfway house. With a felony record and no transportation, Dan’nail applied for many jobs related to his skills in landscaping and warehouse operations, but he didn’t get any calls back.<br /><br />Dan’nail is 35 years old, a native of Northeast Denver. He says he started getting into trouble in middle school and by the time he was 20 he was on probation. Dan’nail cycled in and out of prison until he was 33, serving seven years total.<br /><br />At first Dan’nail’s halfway house was reluctant to let him enroll in training, since immediate employment is preferred. But Dan’nail’s case manager at DGJI advocated for him and convinced his halfway house to allow Dan’nail time to complete DGJI’s pre-apprenticeship program.<br /><br />Dan’nail completed the pre-apprenticeship offered by the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Wo<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOTVXMOQWWB2zzPqfbfYIfXkb5Tv2Lzjh3-vDbkAPDlG8BubAzxp20ci8e8iKeOKpH8dB8rK7P_NykX7AJtOqlkU15c0zB4zk-hcHmeONFv8SJ1CpodBhmyNKddzNc8XiTp-ueIuI-nc/s1600/Danniel+small.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 252px; height: 307px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOTVXMOQWWB2zzPqfbfYIfXkb5Tv2Lzjh3-vDbkAPDlG8BubAzxp20ci8e8iKeOKpH8dB8rK7P_NykX7AJtOqlkU15c0zB4zk-hcHmeONFv8SJ1CpodBhmyNKddzNc8XiTp-ueIuI-nc/s320/Danniel+small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712506994548383986" border="0" /></a>rkers. The union identified Dan’nail as one of their top students, and he moved up the ranks quickly with his eagerness to learn and dexterity with his hands. Within 60 days, Dan’nail was sworn in to the union.<br /><br />“They don’t look at a man for what he’s done,” Dan’nail says. “They look at a man for what he does, and I am not going to waste this opportunity.”<br /><br />Dan’nail is currently working as a second-year apprentice Pipe Insulator earning nearly $21 per hour with full benefits, up from his starting wage of $18. Dan’nail will become a Journeyman Insulator in May 2013.<br /><br />After his release from prison, Dan’nail knew he was ready to work toward a career and a more stable life, and he credits DGJI for giving him that opportuntiy. “Outside of my family and my support system, this program saved me.”<br /><br />Dan’nail’s goal is to continue learning and building his skills so he will never have trouble finding work again. He also wants to be a role model for his two children, ages 13 and 18. Dan’nail hopes his kids can learn from his mistakes and that he can help them find their own opportunities for personal and professional success.<br /><br />Though DGJI training has concluded, Mi Casa continues to focus on Career Development as a central strategy to achieve our mission of economic success.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-91138584994079137262012-02-21T16:15:00.000-08:002012-02-21T16:26:37.749-08:00Mi Casa Video Takes Gold AVA Award!In late 2011, Mi Casa and the Environmental Defense Fund contracted Fireside Production to create a video about the many positive impacts that green jobs are having on workers, the community, the economy and the environment. The final product is fantastic and was recently honored with a Gold AVA Award for Environmental Issue Video Production category. Check it out:<br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0ERMWCaMhNE" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />"Mi Casa is incredibly proud to see this video about our green jobs training program win recognition," says Christine Marquez-Hudson, Mi Casa's CEO/Executive Director. "It's important for people to understand that the green sectors in Colorado are actively improving the environment and simultaneously creating valuable new employment opportunities for workers in need of a boost."<br /><br />Fireside Production specializes in creating videos that captivate and inspire. Fireside Production is a full-service company with award-winning production, videography and editing talent.<br /><br />AVA Awards recognize outstanding achievement by creative professionals involved in the concept, direction, design and production of media that is part of the evolution of digital communication.<br /><br />There were over 1,700 entries in the 2011 AVA Awards competition. AVA Awards is sponsored and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, an international organization comprised of thousands of production, marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, and free-lance professionals.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-18519854204544050692012-01-30T11:31:00.000-08:002012-01-30T11:35:31.657-08:00Taste & Tango Event Raises Most $ in Mi Casa History<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXol0ekf5WhqFm4OJ5cuJ-U_bDCpo_wiaw240T0bglihTUNlbqjb-o3cy1PkGAo4A_CGEMzhOyCosvDHR_ErW4XazSBG_dhfqN4i_1j9Ti4pcGk8MHU9dY_pdjx7tRQ6uTIN5oS65nh0/s1600/Scene.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" 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name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">On Saturday, January 21, Mi Casa held a fundraising event unlike any other in the agency’s history. Mi Casa teamed up with Pat Miller, The Gabby Gourmet, to present an unforgettable evening of Argentine wine, food and entertainment. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">More than 150 people came to the Warwick Denver Hotel to enjoy the event, which featured a live and silent auction, as well as a four-course meal with wine pairings and live tango dancers. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.bravotv.com/top-chef/bio/hosea-rosenberg">Chef Hosea Rosenberg of Boulder, winner of Bravo TV’s Season Five Top Chef,</a> created the courses, and Alamos Winery offered the complementary libations. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Joanne Davidson of The Denver Post did a great write-up in yesterday’s Sunday edition; check it out here: <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><a href="http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_19829364">http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_19829364</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The event raised nearly $50,000 to support Mi Casa’s mission of economic success for Latino families – more than any other event in Mi Casa’s history! </p> <p class="MsoNormal">We are so grateful to our many friends who bought tickets, bid on silent and live auction items, or made a donation to Mi Casa during the live ask at the event.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We could not have had such a successful fundraising event without you! </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Stay tuned for details for the 2013 Taste & Tango event!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-72774489504580755522012-01-26T11:31:00.000-08:002012-01-26T11:39:29.581-08:00Community Learning Exchange Advances Partnership on Lake Campus<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluSV-7M_kRCnzV_F7cM3oxSF_IIRnD64YOXNN_LSeU4tHCoA4MxdULO1vzWn5mxExC5wGJicSuca4Rw4M3D9wTTJ37cJ7jsI2R80-MSCWqJ9bWtfR03teCiQh_efmv_S1AdWJijhpebA/s1600/Cody+and+Karen+in+TX+sized.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 286px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiluSV-7M_kRCnzV_F7cM3oxSF_IIRnD64YOXNN_LSeU4tHCoA4MxdULO1vzWn5mxExC5wGJicSuca4Rw4M3D9wTTJ37cJ7jsI2R80-MSCWqJ9bWtfR03teCiQh_efmv_S1AdWJijhpebA/s320/Cody+and+Karen+in+TX+sized.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702025813708401858" border="0" /></a><p class="MsoNormal">This month, leadership from Mi Casa’s Youth & Family Development programs traveled to Texas to attend a Community Learning Exchange event to support community-building efforts among the three co-located schools on the Lake Middle School Campus. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Mi Casa’s Cody Buchanan (far right) and Karen Fox Elwell attended the event, along with Ryan Kockler (second from right), Principal of West Denver Prep – Lake Campus, and Ronaldo Ortiz (far left), Assistant Principal of Lake International School. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Community Learning Exchange (CLE) events are funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>CLE views communities and people as the most effective instructors and texts for learning and brings together community change agents to share actions, practices, ideas and outcomes with each other. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>They are held three times a year in communities across the country.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The knowledge gained at the CLE events has been essential in Mi Casa’s efforts to build community between the three schools and many partners currently operating on the Lake Middle School Campus. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Lake is a turnaround school and home to a unique model including a charter school co-located with two public schools (one of which is being phased out).<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As a result, developing a shared vision for the Lake Campus and community has been a challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As one of the few organizations that serves students and families from each of the three co-located schools schools, Mi Casa is in a unique position to drive this work. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Attending the recent CLE event in Texas with members of the administration from schools on the Lake Campus was a great opportunity to create a shared vision of community for the children and families at Lake. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">The CLE experience in Texas was a great step forward in the efforts to build a shared community on the Lake Campus.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In addition to strengthening the relationships with school leadership that are the basis of partnership, the conference offered an opportunity to create a shared vision for the Lake Community.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The structure of the event allowed for open discussion of challenges and conflict in a safe way, and when the conference concluded the Lake team left with a vision for future collaboration and an action plan to get there.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Once back in Denver, Mi Casa staff and leadership from the co-located schools on the Lake Campus held the first of regularly scheduled “Shared Campus” meetings.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The first meeting was highly productive and the group addressed several issues that have affected collaboration on the Lake Campus.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Though much work remains to be done, there is consensus that to serve Lake families with high-quality educational and extracurricular activities, all the organizations operating on the campus must commit to strengthening and advancing collaborative efforts. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Mi Casa has learned a great deal from its years of work with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Leadership for Community Change project, which includes CLE events.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Here are a few of the guiding principles supported by Kellogg and implemented around the country to create positive social change: </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Collective Leadership:</span> Collective leadership relies on the strength of relationships with an emphasis on inclusion. Collective leadership is possible when the members of a group, motivated by a common purpose, build respectful relationships with each other and co-construct their shared purpose and work. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Gracious Space:</span> Developing collective leadership for community change requires the capacity to build effective partnerships that operate from a place of caring, connection, and purpose. In order to cultivate these relationships, we need safe, supportive space where trust can grow. Gracious Space provides a container for deepening relationships and having challenging conversations. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Racial Equity:</span> Anyone involved in work that seeks to make communities healthier, more just and inclusive is aware of the effects of racism. Many institutions do not serve people of color well or have been unable to undo the lingering effects of past practices. Carrying out social change in communities requires that we address racial equity.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Youth Engagement:</span> Youth are commonly viewed by adults as future leaders. But some take a different view, believing that youth have important gifts and perspectives to offer now to improve our communities. Adults who partner with youth to work together on critical issues of communities can achieve greater progress.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Learn more about Mi Casa's work at <a href="http://www.MiCasaResourceCenter.org">www.MiCasaResourceCenter.org</a><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-4473714530118127542011-12-29T10:45:00.000-08:002011-12-29T10:49:51.730-08:00Celebrating the Success of Mi Casa's Case Management Program<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWN51nIwyZ_lFcOWQyxZBKngIvFa3mQAzmgh37xFYrH1WHey_LHbew0Sg4iPb4VaSdZ4fAu5kfqV_2OQgIWamefZ5RfbGMgHBszUkQzZdxfoPrV6R36qRuSTGdJ0Dmha9UwQB0UneoMA/s1600/facebook6.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQWN51nIwyZ_lFcOWQyxZBKngIvFa3mQAzmgh37xFYrH1WHey_LHbew0Sg4iPb4VaSdZ4fAu5kfqV_2OQgIWamefZ5RfbGMgHBszUkQzZdxfoPrV6R36qRuSTGdJ0Dmha9UwQB0UneoMA/s320/facebook6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691624426263253938" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5DC2xPeUwzIWKl_vqlFUFBp_SZ45AR4wyuG_XEO7qkBQcmmpjtNSN-hE0O8po3GmdCKFuaEw8BHji06wVsQJdtU5yCYLL-2zBYOq4Ohd-jJKFckXlipch0oTptk3eqBxwE1Y3HkgWCw/s1600/facebook1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc5DC2xPeUwzIWKl_vqlFUFBp_SZ45AR4wyuG_XEO7qkBQcmmpjtNSN-hE0O8po3GmdCKFuaEw8BHji06wVsQJdtU5yCYLL-2zBYOq4Ohd-jJKFckXlipch0oTptk3eqBxwE1Y3HkgWCw/s320/facebook1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691624342793123106" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWnS5ow0cHALfTVhKt_TUIUzCW7FQDic2Mi8M4h6Al3oDJeXAfOAnIaW5bigVD5jbQ0LS7FAwEueOz3wRXnYVKXp5ZBqpBGQn1dzxkKo8Uo66CXf0-6VEPy8lzSuxcSGMGo95UGMwXcMU/s1600/facebook4.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWnS5ow0cHALfTVhKt_TUIUzCW7FQDic2Mi8M4h6Al3oDJeXAfOAnIaW5bigVD5jbQ0LS7FAwEueOz3wRXnYVKXp5ZBqpBGQn1dzxkKo8Uo66CXf0-6VEPy8lzSuxcSGMGo95UGMwXcMU/s320/facebook4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691624062516440498" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhslrGzRmFH5AiSlFULd_9AahoNm2AlcRwUODwvioulO97mtX6o2fev_e69LwORbK6IqK85SuH6lDfvC_pPXZdGWnT8sDZnmdlBqmuBG1xNaLUdrJqBvXRhxEV4bMHEmOHVw_gjsCccY/s1600/facebook5.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYhslrGzRmFH5AiSlFULd_9AahoNm2AlcRwUODwvioulO97mtX6o2fev_e69LwORbK6IqK85SuH6lDfvC_pPXZdGWnT8sDZnmdlBqmuBG1xNaLUdrJqBvXRhxEV4bMHEmOHVw_gjsCccY/s320/facebook5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691623894793034786" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPzw_AoObsPPwUM-tGWktNZ9DZpyMhZ1WYId5DwZXDQREj_vPu7PRiI2B4KRsQOzJvfIFbDdlvmEEA98lYIq-mTiXfuwcX8Rqu-fQI77vqWSbqN1i2u7Hy_aYrZ1GXBRK2AjoMX923mU/s1600/facebook3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPzw_AoObsPPwUM-tGWktNZ9DZpyMhZ1WYId5DwZXDQREj_vPu7PRiI2B4KRsQOzJvfIFbDdlvmEEA98lYIq-mTiXfuwcX8Rqu-fQI77vqWSbqN1i2u7Hy_aYrZ1GXBRK2AjoMX923mU/s320/facebook3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691623982767734514" border="0" /></a>The Mi Casa Neighborhood Center, located at Lake Middle School in northwest Denver, offers afterschool enrichment programs, including case management for kids who need extra support to succeed in school and make positive choices.<br /><br />Recently, the families involved in Mi Casa’s case management program got together for a holiday party, organized by Mi Casa’sYouth Advocates Lauren Brown and Jereme Snidar. Thanks to a partnership with the Denver Police Department, Lauren and Jereme saw to it that each of the 20 families received Christmas presents for every child in the family, as well as a big bad of food to make the holiday meal even more special. In addition to enjoying a delicious and healthy meal provided by <a href="http://www.revfoods.com/browse/home">Revolution Foods</a>, the families decorated holiday cards for kids who had to spend Christmas at Children’s Hospital.<br /><br />Mi Casa collected feedback from families on the impact that the case management program has had in their child’s life. The comments were incredibly positive, proving that the case management program – and the afterschool enrichment programs at Mi Casa – is having a measurable impact in the lives of youth in our community.<br /><br />Here is a sample of results from the survey:<br /><ul><li>92% of parents strongly agree that the Mi Casa case management program is helpful to their child and valuable to them as a parent</li><li>100% of parents agree or strongly agree that their child has shown improvement at home and at school due to participation in Mi Casa’s case management program</li><li>100% of parents strongly agree that Mi Casa’s Youth Advocates are friendly, responsive, and approachable; respectful of them and their children; and highly trustworthy</li></ul>Mi Casa also asked parents to comment specifically on how the case management program at Mi Casa has impacted their child. One parent said she now sees her son thinking before he acts. Another parent noted that social interactions with his child have improved, which makes working together easier. One mom said due to the influence of her children’s advocate, she now has better communication with her daughters; they can talk about problems and resolve them without fighting. Another parent said her daughter’s GPA has improved, and she sees her being more interactive with her teachers and counselors. And finally, one parent observed that his son is not only able to communicate better with adults, but is more able to control his anger.<br /><br />Each case managed youth at Mi Casa is paired with a Youth Advocate that meets with the child several times a week, attends classes with her/him, and develops a relationship with their family through monthly home visits.<br /><br />Mi Casa’s successful case management model relies on these key strategies for youth success:<br /><ul><li>Assess needs of youth and families and develop/implement a plan to meet the needs</li><li>Develop plans to reduce risk factors at home, including helping adults access training, services and therapy</li><li>Provide high-quality afterschool/summer enrichment programs for youth </li><li>Connect youth to tutoring and homework assistance; attend class with students for extra support. </li><li>Provide meaningful incentives for participation, reaching goals, and showing improvement</li><li>Facilitate positive relationships between law enforcement and youth; advocate for youth involved in the court system<br /></li></ul>The Lake Middle School campus is home to three distinct but co-located schools. Administrators from all three of these schools have expressed their appreciation of the support and guidance Mi Casa’s case management program provides individual students and the entire school community.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-33515057875523884562011-10-18T14:34:00.000-07:002011-10-18T14:38:48.666-07:00Keep the Lights On After School!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06WBJTNPWuPbN8TB3LfYEeXqyM3Sq0_LG_2UmN7u_tJV_RWemVvWwmtdNApI5cwmiWM5T4lMi09K6EXKwb6QdkyZJ-KKI8aBy65Empifip54JdBXs_QgAbeNtRGuxITi9rrFF4pSwdiQ/s1600/City+Council+010_small_cropped.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06WBJTNPWuPbN8TB3LfYEeXqyM3Sq0_LG_2UmN7u_tJV_RWemVvWwmtdNApI5cwmiWM5T4lMi09K6EXKwb6QdkyZJ-KKI8aBy65Empifip54JdBXs_QgAbeNtRGuxITi9rrFF4pSwdiQ/s320/City+Council+010_small_cropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664949090974657362" border="0" /></a>Do you remember how important afterschool programs were to you as a child?<br /><br />For many children, afterschool programs focused on sports, arts and crafts, technology, leadership, performing arts, and academic support are an essential extension to the school day – and the school year.<br /><br />And at a time when budget shortfalls at every level of government are threatening the availability of quality afterschool programs, it’s time to fight for continued and increased investment in out-of-school enrichment for Denver’s kids!<br /><br />Research shows that the hours between 3 and 6 p.m. are the most dangerous for youth, and afterschool programs provide a much needed safe and enriching place to go after school for thousands of children who would otherwise go home to empty houses and no supervision.<br /><br />The importance of quality afterschool programs, which keep the school lights on long after the school day ends, is in the spotlight this week as Denver prepares to celebrate National Lights On After School Day on Thursday, October 20.<br /><br />Mi Casa provides <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepf8ylQaLxWmFfJUk5I3iEz1RTI7Hi5AnOX-XY_znx1s32S8LezZd67ny52m6fZaY1RRVoqjH-Us1EXP2IzEzR2QXhLP0DHBH3qvFreSQbtzZ1s4foj0O5nxLXgwpbSWLpUJXigXTeaI/s1600/City+Council+007_small_cropped.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 268px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepf8ylQaLxWmFfJUk5I3iEz1RTI7Hi5AnOX-XY_znx1s32S8LezZd67ny52m6fZaY1RRVoqjH-Us1EXP2IzEzR2QXhLP0DHBH3qvFreSQbtzZ1s4foj0O5nxLXgwpbSWLpUJXigXTeaI/s320/City+Council+007_small_cropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664949214049096098" border="0" /></a>comprehensive afterschool programming for 500 students annually on the Lake Middle School campus in northwest Denver, now home to three separate but co-located schools. And on Monday, Mi Casa’s Director of Youth & Family Development Programs, Karen Fox Elwell, took a group of Lake students to the City Council meeting to make sure Denver’s city leaders understand the importance of quality afterschool programming.<br /><br />“I am one of over 175 youth service providers from over 60 organizations throughout the greater Denver area providing essential out-of-school time programming to over 25,000 youth each year,” Karen told the City Council members.<br /><br />Then she turned it over to three youth from the Mi Casa Neighborhood Center afterschool program. Students Isaac, Miguel and Maya spoke candidly to the City Council members about the impact afterschool programs have on them and their families. Miguel spoke of the new things he learned in Mi Casa’s afterschool program.<br /><br />Maya had her remarks written down: “Hello City Council. I am very happy to be here. I think that it is good to have afterschool programs because it gives kids a chance to hang out and do your homework, play, do projects, and even break dancing. It helps our families because we have somewhere to go after school.”<br /><br />City Councilman Pa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQpUKB112emJ82ctsrQwB-nWABSv5F06-GwOwUEWn2E50fPly2rKX-mIvpmJTs0F6ymwdKs0J8RqkCWYKpJrK0QvoVjQ02UieMxeyTlflQQintsN4-sgMvoTKMZjI7QAcaUuK_pOADLk/s1600/City+Council+002_small_cropped.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkQpUKB112emJ82ctsrQwB-nWABSv5F06-GwOwUEWn2E50fPly2rKX-mIvpmJTs0F6ymwdKs0J8RqkCWYKpJrK0QvoVjQ02UieMxeyTlflQQintsN4-sgMvoTKMZjI7QAcaUuK_pOADLk/s320/City+Council+002_small_cropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5664949355093491650" border="0" /></a>ul Lopez then read a proclamation out loud at the meeting celebrating Denver’s afterschool programs and affirming the City’s commitment to supporting working families by keeping kids safe and engaged in the afterschool hours. Councilman Lopez then visited briefly with the Mi Casa students and congratulated them.<br /><br />The events leading up to National Lights On After School Day continue throughout the week and culminate with a celebration to decorate the City and County Building with handmade luminaria bags crafted by children in Denver afterschool programs.<br /><br />For the Mi Casa students who got to address the City Council, Karen said, it was an unforgettable experience. “It was a thrill for these students to see government in action and have the opportunity to address the City Council on issues that are important to them.”Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-33441523691671217422011-08-22T15:28:00.000-07:002011-08-22T15:33:33.519-07:00Strong Start to the School Year!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtg0isN3X8lk2BKTAVLsVzGR1TaQK-BE0sRBwNNK9WIX4UNXe0w3Hc58HXWVoDLiLB0yErxMOTIj-zvqHe2TVyz9yqiPPKMxM83EDQIEK68PJPsUAThUAEdurbX1HAr8NaCcRZO0yYpQ/s1600/0137_MiCasaFamilyNightFeb15.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXtg0isN3X8lk2BKTAVLsVzGR1TaQK-BE0sRBwNNK9WIX4UNXe0w3Hc58HXWVoDLiLB0yErxMOTIj-zvqHe2TVyz9yqiPPKMxM83EDQIEK68PJPsUAThUAEdurbX1HAr8NaCcRZO0yYpQ/s320/0137_MiCasaFamilyNightFeb15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643812117977983682" border="0" /></a>
<br />The new school year has gotten off to a great start, and considering strong improvement in student achievement in northwest Denver middle schools, the year promises to get even better!
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<br />Mi Casa operates comprehensive afterschool programs for students who attend the three co-located schools on the Lake International School campus in northwest Denver. And we are delighted to report that according to the latest CSAP standardized test results, schools in northwest Denver, including Lake, are leading the charge in terms of improvements in student achievement.
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<br />Last year at this time, sixth-graders in northwest Denver posted CSAP scores of 39% proficient or better in reading, 34% in math and 26% in writing. This year, among sixth-graders in the new schools in northwest Denver – including the schools on the Lake campus – those scores rose to 45% in reading, 45% in math and 43% in writing. <span style="font-weight: bold;">WOW!</span>
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<br />The credit for these extremely impressive gains in student achievement is well-deserved by the hardworking teachers, administrators, students and families in northwest Denver, and we tip our hats to your incredible accomplishments!
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<br />But we would be remiss to not toot our own horn (just a bit) for the role Mi Casa’s wonderful Youth and Family Development programs played in supporting students’ success at Lake. Studies have indicated that while education is a critical pathway out of poverty for students, the school day is not sufficient to provide youth with tools they need to be successful. In short, a coordinated effort is required to address the holistic needs of youth and families, and an integral part of this work is providing quality afterschool programs – like those offered through Mi Casa – that offer enrichment during out-of-school time.
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<br />To show you what we mean, here are a few of the 2010-11 outcomes from Mi Casa’s youth and family programs:
<br /><ul><li>544 youth served in out-of-school time programs</li><li>Core participants (who attend programs 30+ days per year) increased to 156</li><li>22 youth and their families received intensive case management services</li><li>62% of case-managed youth increased their GPA and 100% advanced to the next grade
<br /></li><li>17 youth successfully completed the rigorous Digital Connectors technology and career exploration program</li><li>Digital Connectors students performed 700 hours of community service to bridge the digital divide in our community
<br /></li></ul>Among Mi Casa’s 156 core youth participants:
<br /><ul><li>60% increased their GPA over the course of the school year</li><li>97% advanced to next grade level
<br /></li><li>66% achieved 90% or better school-day attendance throughout the year</li><li>78% decreased or maintained zero suspensions during the school year </li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-32836242318086399082011-08-11T16:34:00.001-07:002011-08-11T16:38:02.043-07:00Free Help for Job Seekers at the Career Center<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7deeX_WLBPrs6U7REUk9FckVxsg0FdSXGrxknqIUCdur6Ucver8EtV2NHYoYJL8eeiW9RvcQQIcAZL_Y9Us2Lmd1MDMOrAzRdu_QDEvnZj2P5ihiMGSn_YiFq4woVv3JNrZx59hv6FSw/s1600/photo+for+blog+post+8-11-11.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7deeX_WLBPrs6U7REUk9FckVxsg0FdSXGrxknqIUCdur6Ucver8EtV2NHYoYJL8eeiW9RvcQQIcAZL_Y9Us2Lmd1MDMOrAzRdu_QDEvnZj2P5ihiMGSn_YiFq4woVv3JNrZx59hv6FSw/s320/photo+for+blog+post+8-11-11.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639746715777586290" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">
<br /></span>Posted by Martha Tesfalidet, Mi Casa Intern </span>
<br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">As friends of Mi Casa, you have gotten a glimpse of Mi Casa’s many programs – including career training, business development, and programs for youth and families. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Another great program Mi Casa offers that you might not be familiar with is the Career Center, a free resource for job-seekers where they can work one-on-one with a career coach to improve their resume, prepare for interviews, and hunt for opportunities online. The Career Center is located at Mi Casa’s main location at 360 Acoma Street and is utilized by our many program participants, as well as their friends and family and other members of the community. In keeping with Mi Casa’s mission to advance the economic and educational success of families, we provide individualized assistance to anyone wanting help with their job search and application process. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">After setting an appointment with one of Mi Casa’s Career Coaches, job-seekers are then asked what they would like to gain from the one-on-one sessions. Many participants opt for assistance with resume revision or creation and often utilize the Career Coach to help them apply for jobs during the meeting. While Mi Casa cannot guarantee job placements, we do all we can to ensure Career Center clients have all the tools they need to be successful during the job search. </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">An added plus is that all services provided in the Career Center are free of charge!</p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto">Call 303-573-1302 and find out how easy it is to get individualized help with your job search from Career Coaches at Mi Casa! </p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-132475844388331072011-07-26T11:51:00.000-07:002011-07-26T11:54:14.471-07:00Mi Casa Leaders Attend NCLR Conference, Hear Obama Speak<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6DLtcV2B9AW96zNdKE9UaPZuTcPJhOw-2uLzctT99-C5xA60_idEAi8Bnd_IsojRIxTkgKkbK2ayY1t2jE2J5Oca6vDbkbzIAnMFCTQelG9EopJSC95QnlXLFIMfsBzw3d_ChGSxnv4/s1600/NCLR+shot.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6DLtcV2B9AW96zNdKE9UaPZuTcPJhOw-2uLzctT99-C5xA60_idEAi8Bnd_IsojRIxTkgKkbK2ayY1t2jE2J5Oca6vDbkbzIAnMFCTQelG9EopJSC95QnlXLFIMfsBzw3d_ChGSxnv4/s320/NCLR+shot.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633736161785285938" border="0" /></a><br />Mi Casa’s Executive Director and Program Directors spent the weekend in Washington, D.C. at the annual National Council of La Raza (NCLR) conference, which featured President Obama as the keynote speaker yesterday.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Picture: Director of Career Development, Karen Stran (left), Director of Youth and Family Development, Karen Fox (center), and Executive Director, Christine Marquez-Hudson, show off the wristbands that served as their tickets to hear the President speak. </span><br /><br />The NCLR Annual Conference represents the largest gathering of the nation’s most influential individuals, organizations, institutions, and companies working with the Hispanic community. The NCLR Annual Conference provides a forum for people in the business of social change to learn about ongoing and emerging issues in the Hispanic community, connect with community leaders, and generate partnerships with Hispanic community-based organizations.<br /><br />Mi Casa leaders attended a full weekend of conferences including these seminars:<br /><ul><li>2011 Legislative Update: How Will Congress Make a Difference in the Latino Community?</li><li>Finding Their Voice: Empowering Latino Youth through Service Learning</li><li>Parents Supporting Children: A Model for Engaging Latino Parents in Education</li><li>Bridge to a Better Tomorrow: Strengthening Workforce Integrated Training Programs</li><li>The Business of Developing the Future Workforce: A Model for Entrepreneurship, Cultural Diversity, and Increased Earning Potential<br /></li></ul>Additionally, Karen Fox was on a panel to offer insight during a seminar titled, Dollars and Sense: Sustaining Learning and Enrichment Beyond School Hours.<br /><br />When President Obama took the stage, he addressed the issue of immigration and the growing concern within Latino communities that comprehensive reform has now fallen to the bottom of the President’s list of priorities. Yet, the audience was invigorated to hear this strong promise from Obama regarding his intention to reform the nation’s immigration system:<br /><br />“We need a movement that bridges party lines, that unites business and labor and faith communities and law enforcement communities, and all who know that America cannot continue operating with a broken immigration system. And I will be there every step of the way.”Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-63949686030058568872011-06-23T13:18:00.000-07:002011-06-23T13:20:29.187-07:0017 Youth Complete Program to Bridge the Digital Divide<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T8o_tUR6P4U/TgOf565E2jI/AAAAAAAAAAQ/_UeaV1Hpqoc/s1600/DC%2Bworking%2Bon%2Bcomputers.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T8o_tUR6P4U/TgOf565E2jI/AAAAAAAAAAQ/_UeaV1Hpqoc/s320/DC%2Bworking%2Bon%2Bcomputers.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621512577298520626" border="0" /></a>Mi Casa is proud to announce the graduation of the second class of Digital Connectors! These 17 youth ages 14 to 21 successfully completed this rigorous nine-month digital technology training program, and their achievement was marked by a celebration on June 4.<br /><br />The Digital Connectors program engages youth to bridge the digital divide – the gap between those with access to digital technology and those without – by educating youth about digital technology, financial literacy, and leadership and encouraging them to share their knowledge with the community. During the 2010-11 school year, Mi Casa’s Digital Connectors performed nearly 300 hours of community service, which benefitted nearly 400 community members.<br /><br />The graduation ceremony was another opportunity for the Digital Connectors to share the skills learned in the classroom with members of their own diverse communities. Over 60 people attended the event, which included a screening of <a href="http://vimeo.com/channels/micasadigicon">the students’ final video projects</a>. These videos showcase unsung heroes and leaders in the Connectors’ lives who were identified and interviewed to produce a final video testimonial project. Though the videos are as unique as each Connector, common themes include encouraging people to recognize their own inner hero and the joy of paying it forward.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5TDSSF0Zktk/TgOf6e_lFrI/AAAAAAAAAAY/Cvcscqe5ynk/s1600/DC%2Boutside%2Bposed.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 163px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5TDSSF0Zktk/TgOf6e_lFrI/AAAAAAAAAAY/Cvcscqe5ynk/s320/DC%2Boutside%2Bposed.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621512586989475506" border="0" /></a>The 17 students who graduated from the Digital Connectors program this month all earned a financial literacy certification from EverFi, as well as a Cisco Authorization diploma. Armed with these valuable certifications, Digital Connectors graduates are poised to capitalize on the leadership and career-readiness skills they gained in the program to excel in school or in employment.<br /><br />In recognition of their hard work, all Digital Connectors graduates receive a new netbook computer, a flip camera, a USB drive, and a $250 stipend. The Digital Connectors program is made possible by a collaboration between Comcast Foundation, One Economy Corporation and Mi Casa Resource Center.<br /><br />Congratulations to the Digital Connectors Class of 2011!Mi Casahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17546960136749965966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-78229292736949099742011-06-02T16:18:00.001-07:002011-06-02T16:19:51.576-07:00School's Out for Summer!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja17zKKSVCbR-A9S12iF__X0-vdQ8Gbj2afpqJOeWhxZemCoF8J_KO8nNjZsqMvY6-V43zxWQcQTZPw4XpVNWPMHDEJP1X45SIJAp0AcijpiyF5t5ZRu-rIh5TKaSMjaMSgTzH7M-BZgE/s1600/Picture+159.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja17zKKSVCbR-A9S12iF__X0-vdQ8Gbj2afpqJOeWhxZemCoF8J_KO8nNjZsqMvY6-V43zxWQcQTZPw4XpVNWPMHDEJP1X45SIJAp0AcijpiyF5t5ZRu-rIh5TKaSMjaMSgTzH7M-BZgE/s320/Picture+159.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613765910514168402" border="0" /></a>The Mi Casa Neighborhood Center at Lake Middle School held its Summer Orientation BBQ today (June 2) for youth participants in Mi Casa's summer programs and their families. More than 35 families attended and enjoyed a lunch of hamburgers and hotdogs and hot sunny (if a bit windy) weather.<br /><br />Mi Casa has 100 youth participants registered for summer programs with a waitlist already started for other interested youth. Following a Denver Public Schools turnaround strategy, Lake Middle School is now home to three seperate but co-located sch<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavdx1e_L1ucmVzWoFsDJqGAtb-xpX12tnyehKDNDYNkZkr3AVhlQ11vcJOoWOlPGEaFMEXuOyCLHNk_pWAx-xeSXONoJ79t3hXkfaRxxOyHPmk5sPfWr-yDZfUORmmdbqxoAb_I01sOI/s1600/Picture+061.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavdx1e_L1ucmVzWoFsDJqGAtb-xpX12tnyehKDNDYNkZkr3AVhlQ11vcJOoWOlPGEaFMEXuOyCLHNk_pWAx-xeSXONoJ79t3hXkfaRxxOyHPmk5sPfWr-yDZfUORmmdbqxoAb_I01sOI/s320/Picture+061.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613765906793934322" border="0" /></a>ools - West Denver Prep, Sixth Grade Academy, and Seventh/Eighth Grade Academy. The Mi Casa Neighborhood Center is a fun, safe place to go afterschool for children who attend all three co-located schools. Despite the big changes at Lake, the afterschool hours have become a time for building connections and friendships among students from the different schools.<br /><br />Now that the school year is over, summer programs at Mi Casa are set to begin on June 6! Today's BBQ celebration was to welcome families and kick off the summer in fun fashion. Arturo Jimenez, the represe<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVeeW6ToNdXwq_BFWzNp-PLrh5iG0-Tjrjt1tMM3quV1t2bl8_XxwkxVkgaPfcv6_cjd2NaPbnIpYKJ0KpEGXErImdIhyGeVX3PQhqAcWvWtvCPiD9n_lPJ_D82j1Ochv3UzSYXOHtBg/s1600/Picture+158.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 168px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVeeW6ToNdXwq_BFWzNp-PLrh5iG0-Tjrjt1tMM3quV1t2bl8_XxwkxVkgaPfcv6_cjd2NaPbnIpYKJ0KpEGXErImdIhyGeVX3PQhqAcWvWtvCPiD9n_lPJ_D82j1Ochv3UzSYXOHtBg/s320/Picture+158.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5613765912941626658" border="0" /></a>ntative on the Denver Board of Education for Northwest Denver, stopped by to chat with families and grab a bite.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-17100630622722668322011-04-28T17:05:00.001-07:002011-04-28T17:07:40.808-07:00Celebrating the Last Family Night of 2010-11 School Year<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXFnRpqyslaT2zhy0eOP40lBe4RfwPnXIv9oMrazBFev2rEL4GWVcJ4DvO2ReiP50FNUYFmTWjRJWT-yhljFTO0HzI7r24Ic6fVRySiMAQoFN_TqVZpzpQVmgjUbVYRUb_N3EaLbAb9g/s1600/0133_MiCasaFamilyNightFeb15.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXFnRpqyslaT2zhy0eOP40lBe4RfwPnXIv9oMrazBFev2rEL4GWVcJ4DvO2ReiP50FNUYFmTWjRJWT-yhljFTO0HzI7r24Ic6fVRySiMAQoFN_TqVZpzpQVmgjUbVYRUb_N3EaLbAb9g/s320/0133_MiCasaFamilyNightFeb15.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5600790193824803474" border="0" /></a><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Posted by Katie Ehrlich, Mi Casa Intern<br /><br />T</span>his Wednesday, April 27, the Mi Casa Neighborhood Center hosted its third and final Family Night of the school year. Mi Casa’s Family Night events are generously sponsored by Target.<br /><p class="MsoPlainText">The family and friends of Mi Casa’s afterschool program participants enjoyed bean-bag tossing games, face painting, balloon animals, and a dinner catered by Revolution Foods. Nearly 150 people attended, 43 of those were families of Mi Casa’s afterschool program participants. Everyone got to see the kids’ clubs “Foco y Movimiento” (Focus and Movement), “College 4 U”, “Paint the Town”, and “Mouse Squad” perform, and there were some smaller student talent showcases as well. Mi Casa also gave out 14 awards to the students and five door prizes, including two $50 Target gift cards.<br /></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">When asked about her time at Family Night, one student named Fernanda said, “It was really fun and the Family Night was really respectful and nice because everyone participated in decorating it.”<br /></p> <p class="MsoPlainText">Another former “Student of the Month” award-winner named AJ commented, “The best part was just to be with family and share a meal together.” Everything went smoothly, and everyone is looking forward to the next Family Night, which will take place next school year!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-47985874275969787582011-04-15T14:34:00.000-07:002011-04-15T15:02:59.022-07:00Mi Casa and Friends Celebrate Solar Energy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisooufwZa1fUgv3hiO6-yWZHsg24S6WloWh9dFvATvONmas1bp8Nyf-EQGmjO25mWNH8ynCPq3LeXbV8lSBwP9qxRf8qRhtKnyP2Z_O1VS5JKR7QiSTxx-NVAnSP1H5PyGLaTkHmwQFas/s1600/DSC_5857.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisooufwZa1fUgv3hiO6-yWZHsg24S6WloWh9dFvATvONmas1bp8Nyf-EQGmjO25mWNH8ynCPq3LeXbV8lSBwP9qxRf8qRhtKnyP2Z_O1VS5JKR7QiSTxx-NVAnSP1H5PyGLaTkHmwQFas/s320/DSC_5857.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595933654633409506" border="0" /></a>Mi Casa Resource Center welcomed friends and partners today to celebrate the completion of Mi Casa's 40.5kW solar energy array, which will offset 24% of the agency's total energy use at our Acoma Street home.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBdeELx251QPG-ZmqluKWBCZ9eSKEDUlaasghToaQTXcm6BvDRRvCup9TnzygBda_pbxP5oOy3DsTp3I8MyD3fifaGaJTyHqEa9qEEQU_GLoPhE6XUIfS2JEt9iqA5d9DJcCKIjFGcXY/s1600/DSC_5861.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBdeELx251QPG-ZmqluKWBCZ9eSKEDUlaasghToaQTXcm6BvDRRvCup9TnzygBda_pbxP5oOy3DsTp3I8MyD3fifaGaJTyHqEa9qEEQU_GLoPhE6XUIfS2JEt9iqA5d9DJcCKIjFGcXY/s320/DSC_5861.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595933659791760882" border="0" /></a>After a program including remarks from Stacey Simms of the Governor's Energy Office, Doug Wells of Renewable Energy Ventures, Michele Weingarden of Greenprint Denver, Christine Marquez-Hudson and Benita Duran of Mi Casa, and G<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wNA-24ljMdLrWR74PErv0RKBDtmf3IxRFzRjV7gQGfmch4kwdM7MKSxZg1uj5wiLMPMd37XCkADBb7uQ4hiSmUsMzeYmmMLGHXqO41mrh71gmjOCueL8H75OlwTQhOBSi6ozCKJ7OWM/s1600/DSC_5874.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-wNA-24ljMdLrWR74PErv0RKBDtmf3IxRFzRjV7gQGfmch4kwdM7MKSxZg1uj5wiLMPMd37XCkADBb7uQ4hiSmUsMzeYmmMLGHXqO41mrh71gmjOCueL8H75OlwTQhOBSi6ozCKJ7OWM/s320/DSC_5874.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595933662818823778" border="0" /></a>eronimo Adams, a graduate of Mi Casa's Green Construction and Energy training program, we headed to the roof.<br /><br />It's not easy to put a ribbon across 180 solar PV panels, but we tried! At first we hesitated to take the group up to the roof - the only way up and down are ladders, which aren't to be combined with high heels and dress clothes on a normal day. But our group was not to be deterred.<br /><br />And the ribbon was cut on a beautiful, sunny Colorado day, with our panels pumping out energy in the background!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THANK YOU to the funders who made this project possible: </span><br />Governor's Energy Office<br />American Recovery and Reinvestment Act<br />Doug Wells, Renewable Energy Ventures<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mi Casa would also like to thank: </span><br />Jon Sullivan, 303 Solar LLC<br />Mike Pardun, Renewable Technology Partners<br />City Electric<br />Geronimo Adams<br />Shawn Larson<br />Josh Simpson<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-32446694532558228802011-04-12T15:38:00.000-07:002011-04-12T15:42:12.616-07:00College Friday at Mi Casa Neighborhood Center<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-style: italic;" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipt4GZXDfsgZdZ_h7IHeuTcnQUWcAOw1_kQf8BZHLKMM-EDtkXaGr_Fte2-IK1NTzX-5oO0rmGftNO_KX2UUVOjeKLgdS3vpoBTaNYB8hYwkv4TOwqHdda3nBXSRlqHUBNFgKpQRx-VcM/s1600/Picture+028.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipt4GZXDfsgZdZ_h7IHeuTcnQUWcAOw1_kQf8BZHLKMM-EDtkXaGr_Fte2-IK1NTzX-5oO0rmGftNO_KX2UUVOjeKLgdS3vpoBTaNYB8hYwkv4TOwqHdda3nBXSRlqHUBNFgKpQRx-VcM/s320/Picture+028.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594830941089451250" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Posted by Naia Posniak, Program Assistant</span><br /><br />The Mi Casa Neighborhood Center celebrated College Friday Lake Middle School on Friday, April 8, with students and staff wearing their favorite college gear.<br /><br />Joel Orozco, a student at Metropolitan State College of Denver and President of MCSD's chapter of Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, spoke to the students in Mi Casa's afterschool program about the barriers he faced as an immigrant student getting accepted to and especially paying for higher education. Joel stressed that plenty of resources are available for the students who seek them out and encouraged students to start thinking about and preparing for college.<br /><br />After Joel’s speech, some students were asked what they thought of his experiences:<br /><br />“It made me think he’s right," one female student mused. "It’s never too early to think about college. I also thought it was cool that he was the first person in his family to go to college.”<br /><br />“I liked that he was from Chihuahua," one young man observed. "That’s cool because that’s where I am from.”Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-75920543084113079722011-03-31T16:03:00.000-07:002011-03-31T16:09:36.910-07:00U.S. Census Shows Continued Growth Among U.S. Latinos<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIutznlKZGjabqBSZogT1F_6mHV7UJrHPmcTZGqq4JdDcLvJGfqk2RFk6HdxRf9LzLT3Tyl1-Y_iy-iohEVfUAVnikm9EsCsG1P9ysuQ7qxqsj-S7FbQXNPtbjbMKn-E4E9RIqYkCUMg/s1600/census.bmp"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIutznlKZGjabqBSZogT1F_6mHV7UJrHPmcTZGqq4JdDcLvJGfqk2RFk6HdxRf9LzLT3Tyl1-Y_iy-iohEVfUAVnikm9EsCsG1P9ysuQ7qxqsj-S7FbQXNPtbjbMKn-E4E9RIqYkCUMg/s320/census.bmp" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590385134022108226" border="0" /></a><br />Let’s take a moment to step back and think about why Mi Casa Resource Center does what it does. According to the newly released 2010 U.S. Census data, the Hispanic population in the United States is now 50.5 million, or 16.3% of the total population.<br /><br />In fact, Hispanics account for 56% of the nation’s total population growth in the last 10 years (2000-2010). Yet, the unemployment rate for Latinos is far higher than that of the population at large. Hovering around 13%, the Hispanic unemployment rate is far higher than the current rate in Colorado of 9.3%. In Denver, 27% of the Hispanic population lives below the poverty line, and only 6% of businesses in the state are Latino-owned.<br /><br />Discouragingly, statistics clearly show that women of all walks of life in this country continue to earn an average of just 75% of what men take home. And in Colorado, fewer than 30% of businesses in the state are owned by women, meaning fewer women are harnessing the power of business ownership and self-employment.<br /><br />Despite these sobering statistics, Mi Casa continues to work towards closing gaps in economic achievement and business ownership for Latinos, women, and any other member of our community who needs a business- or career-related boost. For 35 years Mi Casa has been a part of efforts to address these disparities, and we plan to work for at least 35 more years toward our mission of economic success for Latino and low-income families.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-77447732102168861542011-03-10T16:37:00.000-08:002011-03-10T16:45:15.439-08:00Solar Energizes Mi Casa's Career Training Programs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_PrKVaCVLZrK6PAQdHBjwwexhgS7pE1MT1Y9Z9hJ4I68OoZXXMTofWkLFa4NqCetVqSUlpM9nYWzkWJKH2jvD9nXlYZop4Coe2wY9QlHzMtVHWy1oqG_GKkCPaj0G0-ITDfcDNYjW94/s1600/IMG_2877_smaller.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5_PrKVaCVLZrK6PAQdHBjwwexhgS7pE1MT1Y9Z9hJ4I68OoZXXMTofWkLFa4NqCetVqSUlpM9nYWzkWJKH2jvD9nXlYZop4Coe2wY9QlHzMtVHWy1oqG_GKkCPaj0G0-ITDfcDNYjW94/s320/IMG_2877_smaller.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582615806614134594" border="0" /></a>The cash flow from the federal economic stimulus may be drying up. But the solar array being installed at Mi Casa - funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) - will have an enduring positive impact in the form of hands-on experience and employment for jobless individuals and cost savings for the organization dedicated to training disadvantaged workers to participate in Colorado’s new energy economy.<br /><br />The 40.5kW photovoltaic array at Mi Casa is the result of a close collaboration between public, private and nonprofit resources with the support of the Governor’s Energy Office.<br /><br />“This project is a perfect example of public-private partnership where multiple goals are accomplished - carbon emissions and fossil fuel consumption are offset by electricity generated from renewable sources, private investors supply capital to jump start projects that would otherwise be delayed or never happen; and local jobs are supported for installation labor, engineering and design,” says Doug Wells, President of Renewable Energy Ventures, the private firm investing in Mi Casa’s solar array as part of a power purchase agreement.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6pYg9vh23KdYAUt7wHyQabvFSUjr6DANvHY_JVE8i2sLtxXAKcHBPWSVPKn9Pml36YUdpnaAffpYl3AbbPzt2kjn54UKvcyGYEpM-0qxxckqdNhuJ39P2d6jx2Fz0DEZPgbL7idTw_SA/s1600/IMG_2842_smaller.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6pYg9vh23KdYAUt7wHyQabvFSUjr6DANvHY_JVE8i2sLtxXAKcHBPWSVPKn9Pml36YUdpnaAffpYl3AbbPzt2kjn54UKvcyGYEpM-0qxxckqdNhuJ39P2d6jx2Fz0DEZPgbL7idTw_SA/s320/IMG_2842_smaller.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582615804038301090" border="0" /></a>One of the jobs supported by this project belongs to Geronimo Adams, a Mi Casa graduate who will be working to install the solar array. Geronimo (below, far left), a single father who shares custody of his six children, completed Mi Casa’s Green Construction & Energy training program in December and is looking for full-time work; he was laid off from his job as a commercial plumber in January 2010. Because Geronimo is currently receiving unemployment and the installation job at Mi Casa is temporary, he will work as an intern on the Mi Casa array to bank some experience and hopefully, leverage the experience into a full-time permanent position. “Mi Casa has provided me with a lot of support as I work to advance my situation,” Geronimo says. “I am honored to be a part of this project because ultimately it will create opportunities for other people who need training to make a career change.”<br /><br />Christine Marquez-Hudson, CEO/Executive Director of Mi Casa, adds: “Mi Casa’s solar energy – as well as energy efficiency upgrades performed in anticipation of solar – offset increasing energy bills, and the cash savings will help sustain Mi Casa’s career training programs that assist workers with limited skills and education to launch promising careers in growth industries, including jobs in energy efficiency and renewable energy.”<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OtDozBgb-UrlmmAN1FBCa1r1_RaBv2MpCdzY4T8umvSoFiYARb0YBCYGWB_eCijus_eUKFZKH64IWaMMkMeOGD3ylx4mnqxOqeYmpN-rJ5Q_46fZJhHfrilVfiopS2pXERUUCkYxamI/s1600/IMG_2824_smaller.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1OtDozBgb-UrlmmAN1FBCa1r1_RaBv2MpCdzY4T8umvSoFiYARb0YBCYGWB_eCijus_eUKFZKH64IWaMMkMeOGD3ylx4mnqxOqeYmpN-rJ5Q_46fZJhHfrilVfiopS2pXERUUCkYxamI/s320/IMG_2824_smaller.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582616772097770258" border="0" /></a>“We believe that Mi Casa’s solar array, which will be visible from the street, will be a powerful symbol of our commitment to green jobs training and helping all Coloradans participate in the new energy economy,” says Marquez-Hudson.<br /><br />Mi Casa’s 40.5kW solar array will produce an estimated 53,330 kWh per year, which will offset roughly 24% of Mi Casa’s total energy consumption. Mi Casa also invested in wide-ranging energy efficiency performance upgrades to maximize the savings from solar energy. Through Energy Outreach Colorado, Mi Casa was wrapped the hot water heater, installed a direct digital control system, replaced six old AC units with Energy Star units, insulated HVAC equipment, and replaced 112 light fixtures and ballasts with CFL bulbs and energy efficient ballasts at the agency’s headquarters at 360 Acoma Street.<br /><br />The partnership with Renewable Energy Ventures, which allowed Mi Casa to take advantage of both the federal tax credit for renewable energy, as well as the Xcel Energy Solar Rewards Rebate, which was recently scaled back. Renewable Energy Ventures will own, operate and maintain the solar array; Mi Casa will pay a subsidized rate for the energy it produces.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">###<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oijhQLfriD9uxV_gFNidjxV3v6e6udiUvxB4wRkZeql0RjQbeDFYIGr6unFTUxWor_-NJN_AlM_Zk5a9jGAMMisNvQ_qgZmCIag-qyC-8CzVNSNKW8sblbqHaivdBdTnAbol-17DXm0/s1600/IMG_2849_smaller.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oijhQLfriD9uxV_gFNidjxV3v6e6udiUvxB4wRkZeql0RjQbeDFYIGr6unFTUxWor_-NJN_AlM_Zk5a9jGAMMisNvQ_qgZmCIag-qyC-8CzVNSNKW8sblbqHaivdBdTnAbol-17DXm0/s320/IMG_2849_smaller.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582616121003907218" border="0" /></a>Mi Casa’s <span style="font-weight: bold;">Green Construction & Energy career training</span> program is a nine-week course to help workers launch careers in the renewable energy, energy efficiency and green construction sectors. Core curriculum focuses on sustainable construction, safety, efficiency and performance upgrades, solar energy technology, as well as soft skills and work readiness training. Mi Casa’s approach to workforce development is based on best practices for putting disadvantaged individuals back to work. Mi Casa utilizes a sector-focused approach to career training, which relies heavily on the input of industry experts and employers, from the design and implementation of the curriculum through the placement of graduates in full-time jobs.<br /><br />A <span style="font-weight: bold;">power purchase agreement</span> (PPA) is an operating agreement whereby a third party entity can own and operate a solar array located on a host property. In other words, the building owner provides the location and the system provider installs, owns and operates the array. The electricity generated by the array is then sold back to the property owner. This type of arrangement allows renewable energy through solar to be implemented with reduced or no capital expense on the part of the property owner. Capital costs are recovered over time with the electricity generated.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8cCUOkI6DfbSSk9Yxyc7atRJgWE5G3dIXtxJGOGfl95HWg2V9Ufr1cRnXYYuKEWcHDTUcmyyxHJMSPuG03aHzdvKEm5PgwjqJG8goPYCtoIm_FxIzIlVkqarwPXoWM03e9g6n8taBzA/s1600/IMG_2851_smaller.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr8cCUOkI6DfbSSk9Yxyc7atRJgWE5G3dIXtxJGOGfl95HWg2V9Ufr1cRnXYYuKEWcHDTUcmyyxHJMSPuG03aHzdvKEm5PgwjqJG8goPYCtoIm_FxIzIlVkqarwPXoWM03e9g6n8taBzA/s320/IMG_2851_smaller.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582616777401892082" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-84744133325190000272011-02-18T08:48:00.000-08:002011-02-18T08:50:39.493-08:00Family Night at Mi Casa Neighborhood Center<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ckLferVpIRwU3kXFvf-1c4_c9TpdBwmzw-pI4S9P-aGxX9mDjSLR6bm-UZahXbFu397ltvISR4ql5spA64iKAOypIW3-Oka5t0BjUnfBVxm50IfzarmnYSaG7RURRzFrL7znnEHoW30/s1600/Family+Night+2011+500pxls.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 305px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ckLferVpIRwU3kXFvf-1c4_c9TpdBwmzw-pI4S9P-aGxX9mDjSLR6bm-UZahXbFu397ltvISR4ql5spA64iKAOypIW3-Oka5t0BjUnfBVxm50IfzarmnYSaG7RURRzFrL7znnEHoW30/s320/Family+Night+2011+500pxls.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575072828246420226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Posted by Katie Ehrlich, Mi Casa Intern</span><br /><br />Mi Casa Neighborhood Center at Lake Middle School hosted its biannual Family Night on Wednesday, February 16. Family Night is all about giving the kids a chance to showcase what they’ve been up to in the afterschool hours at Mi Casa. It also gives parents a chance to access neighborhood resources including health services offered by Denver Health, career and business training offered by Mi Casa Resource Center on Acoma Street, and Bright Beginnings for parent readiness. But the best part about Family Night is just spending time playing, eating, and enjoying the company of family.<br /><br />Mi Casa afterschoolers familiar with the Family Night events were teeming with excitement for the evening's festivities to begin. Through the support of a Target donation, we kicked the night off with a resource fair and activities for families including advice from health and financial companies, a photo-booth, paper flower making, and cookie decorating. Then everyone took their share of the enchiladas, rice, and salad provided by Revolution Foods, an organization dedicated to bringing healthy foods to school lunch tables.<br /><br />Then it was time for the afterschool clubs to present their talents: Shake It Up club sang songs about life, love and social justice. Attack of the Robot club showed off their Wi-Fi powered robot (it can move back and forth, in a full circle, and bob its head up and down!). Fresh club showed off the break-dancing moves they learn every Monday. Each performance was followed by student awards to encourage the amazing attitudes and positive work we have seen in our participants throughout the year. Finally, it was a clean-up party in which everybody from staff to parents to kids helped out!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-74176887680264996062011-02-14T15:16:00.000-08:002011-02-14T15:19:40.952-08:00Strengthening Families Program Helps Kids and Parents Bond<a style="font-style: italic;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaajRxoqi-CvdYK2ZbhZg4uYWDbVM-n054lWhLAgNf19Jqv88U5VjZchUOnrWoJfpPtMWe8Qd6sqvIixUHnRYLvp_vXHxHDupfTVc2kE9sQpxpvRFv3jGjpqJBxrecjvj4w1uWZAqXz8/s1600/0801micasa_LoRes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqaajRxoqi-CvdYK2ZbhZg4uYWDbVM-n054lWhLAgNf19Jqv88U5VjZchUOnrWoJfpPtMWe8Qd6sqvIixUHnRYLvp_vXHxHDupfTVc2kE9sQpxpvRFv3jGjpqJBxrecjvj4w1uWZAqXz8/s320/0801micasa_LoRes.jpg" alt="" 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table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";} </style> <![endif]--><span style="font-style: italic;">Posted by Katie Ehrlich, Mi Casa Intern</span>
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<br />Mi Casa’s Youth & Family Development department just launched a new program called <span style="font-weight: bold;">“Strengthening Families”</span> in partnership with the Denver Office of Drug Strategy. Each Thursday evening (6-8:30 p.m.) through March 24 parents and children ages 10 to 14 can come to Mi Casa for workshops on cultivating and maintaining strong family bonds.
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<br />Through <span style="font-weight: bold;">Strengthening Families</span>, Mi Casa aims to help prevent teen substance abuse and other behavioral problems, strengthen parenting skills, and build strength in families. In the past, this program has helped with typical adolescent problems like aggression, substance abuse, and peer pressure, while it has helped parents and legal guardians to create and maintain healthy relationships with youth under their care.
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<br />The program is limited to 13 families and consists of two parts. For the first hour, youth and parents meet separately to discuss themes and learn skills specific to their role. During the second hour, families practice the skills they learned, play games, and do collaborative projects.
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<br /><o:p></o:p>Mi Casa’s first Strengthening Families event went great, and several families of children from our afterschool program participated. The kids made cardboard posters mapping out what they want to be when they grow up and what is important to them for a successful life. The kids also learned what their parents wanted to be when they were young. Mi Casa is excited to be a part of strengthening family connections over the next six weeks.
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<br />Call the Mi Casa Neighborhood Center for more information on the Strengthening Families program – 303-571-1881. <o:p></o:p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-15758901652735759902011-02-08T12:47:00.001-08:002011-02-08T12:49:11.216-08:00Turning Passion for Design into a Thriving Small Business<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic9QNuRsWpLruYT48ZXLgc4y2PmCW_HzhPszpXvbcK_Gth2wF8Jt_TwE4difTxBteYwURFOdJhAWVd3cS1kOil2LoAdUojnAo6c5vpWuyT_goMFYwYOOJYpG2CSCPUrSTsavkYD0Rq184/s1600/0044MiCasaNov3_LoRes_cropped.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 319px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic9QNuRsWpLruYT48ZXLgc4y2PmCW_HzhPszpXvbcK_Gth2wF8Jt_TwE4difTxBteYwURFOdJhAWVd3cS1kOil2LoAdUojnAo6c5vpWuyT_goMFYwYOOJYpG2CSCPUrSTsavkYD0Rq184/s320/0044MiCasaNov3_LoRes_cropped.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571423315623911682" border="0" /></a><br />Gabriela Martinez studied fashion design at the Universidad Regional del Norte in Chihuahua, Mexico. By the age of 22, Gabriela operated a modest boutique in Chihuahua where she sold hand-sewn clothing from fabrics imported from Los Angeles and New York.<br /><br />In 2001 Gabriela moved to the United States to take her fashion design dreams to the next level. Her English was very limited when she arrived in Denver, and Gabriela spent most of her time sewing patterns and sketching designs in her apartment. Gabriela read about Mi Casa’s Éxito Para Negocios (Business Success) entrepreneurial training program in the newspaper and she enrolled - as much to make friends as to learn about business ownership in her new country. Through Mi Casa, Gabriela made valuable contacts and learned information that not only made her feel more at home in her new city, but also helped Gabriela convert her business aspirations into a brick-and-mortar business – Gabriela Designs Denver – with a steadily growing clientele.<br /><br />“Mi Casa helped me grow my business and I continue to turn to Mi Casa for counseling and advice,” she says. “Mi Casa helped me see that my market was actually much larger than I originally thought.” Gabriela realized that her largest constituency – upscale shoppers who appreciate fine, handcrafted clothing – was located close to downtown, so she recently moved her business to 321 West 11th Ave. “I found my niche with customers who are looking for unique designs and people who value handmade fashion.”<br /><br />From bridal gowns to dramatic shawls to leather handbags, Gabriela prides herself on high-quality materials and unique designs for men and women. Gabriela also creates patterns and prototypes for other fashion designers, in addition to doing alterations and filling custom orders. For her handbags, Gabriela works with interior designers to collect scraps of fabric, which she uses in her one-of-a-kind creations.<br /><br />Gabriela saved up to invest in second hand industrial sewing machines so that she can work with any kind of fabric. Gabriela also has a quilting machine, which enables her to work with interior designers to produce pillows, drapes and other home furnishings.<br /><br />Gabriela joined local fashion associations including Fashion Denver and Fashion Group International, which quickly recognized Gabriela’s talent and invited her to participate in fashion shows. The 2010 Fashion Fest featured 18 local Denver fashion designers, and Gabriela, the only Latina competitor, <a href="http://villagerpublishing.com/2010/fleurish/flair-%E2%80%94-fashion-fest-in-the-heart-of-summer/">nabbed the first prize </a>with her sophisticated black evening gown with intricate beadwork, sheer sleeves and an attached scarf.<br /><br />“I think my success has come from the passion behind my business plan,” Gabriela says. “My advice to other entrepreneurs is to follow your passion and don’t let anyone or anything take you off course. If we don’t risk anything, we won’t ever get there.”<br /><br />Gabriela, 36, wants to begin a women’s sewing group at Mi Casa to introduce more people to the craft that has been her passion since she was a teenager. Her long-term goal is to distribute her line of clothing and accessories nationwide. And one day, Gabriela hopes to grow her business to the points that she can hire women to bring her designs to life. In the meantime, Gabriela likes the idea of sharing her craft with other women in need of a boost.<br /><br />“I truly believe that in times of great distress the act of creating something with your own hands is good therapy and a positive way to rise above bad situations.”Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-54025087594787130882011-01-24T08:58:00.001-08:002011-02-14T15:21:30.961-08:00Brer Rabbit of the Flobots visits Mi Casa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDX-D28mDKeKEcN6haPUYQlB_rGreFKJuLmMiXdsgF6OtMM8M6gUxbfigUOOidOLp70zK0ir6Iwwhq5KT8wPrL7H77q3rUhBWO8lpF42lRzTN0iFEu3YW06bwwxiOqDujS97oCSOwbrI/s1600/flobots3.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" 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mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoPapDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; margin-bottom:10.0pt; line-height:115%;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">Posted by Katie Ehrlich, Mi Casa Intern<o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">On Friday, January 21, the Mi Casa Neighborhood Center at Lake Middle School welcomed Stephen Brackett, aka Brer Rabbit, singer for the Colorado-based band the Flobots. From the moment Brackett’s 6’5” frame darkened the doorway of the Neighborhood Center, both staff members and afterschoolers could barely contain their excitement.
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<br /><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Brackett opened his presentation to the kids by asking them to breathe like Darth Vader. One of Mi Casa’s faithful afterschool frequent-flyers A.J. gave the group a rather life-like (or should we say movie-like) impression. Then Mr. Brackett had all the kids follow suit, getting them to beat their chest in between breaths and weaving a rap off their beat. Then he had all the kids sit in a circle around him and opened the floor to questions. We found out that Brer Rabbit has a Nissan Cube; started his band in 1994 when he was in high school; is about to go to Israel; has a busy and sometimes lonely life as a rock star (all that traveling!); that he in fact has <em>not</em> met Justin Bieber; and that he has gone to the bathroom with famous people before.
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<br /><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">As a closing thought, Brackett asked who in the room is in college and plans to go to college. He answered the multitude of raised hands with a smile and a brief pep talk on how his music is meant to inspire kids like the Mi Casa afterschoolers to reach for a successful future. With that, the circle dispersed, and Brackett was immediately engulfed by a group of girls. Tons of the kids (and even our own staff member Cody Buchanan) got autographs, some recited songs and poetry to Brackett, and some just chatted.
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<br /><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Brer Rabbit left the Mi Casa Neighborhood Center amid a flurry of handshakes, smiles and well-wishes. His visit was a rare and special experience for the kids and adults at the Neighborhood Center. Mi Casa would like to express our deepest gratitude to Mr. Brackett who--despite an impossibly busy schedule--found time to offer inspiration to the great kids who participate in Mi Casa’s afterschool programs.<o:p>
<br /></o:p></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-32695857962782139562010-12-29T13:31:00.000-08:002010-12-29T13:38:29.719-08:00Mi Casa CEO Visits Argentina, Meets with Women's Microfinance Group<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhwlsq5U9s2__k-gAJ3CPwXqF14yhS7IMKxxtm6dax-weXnOGvA3mAXFpEtGsnnBf9jy1zmmBvEicwaDSevb3HpWgQSby0FXJ6E_gjGxu8UKgTXtVhvoSyH-JKLtA_0ASv8Ix-eF02NE/s1600/Mujeres2000.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 125px; height: 145px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivhwlsq5U9s2__k-gAJ3CPwXqF14yhS7IMKxxtm6dax-weXnOGvA3mAXFpEtGsnnBf9jy1zmmBvEicwaDSevb3HpWgQSby0FXJ6E_gjGxu8UKgTXtVhvoSyH-JKLtA_0ASv8Ix-eF02NE/s320/Mujeres2000.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556220285999618418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Christine Marquez-Hudson, Mi Casa’s Executive Director, recently traveled to Buenos Aires as part of her </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.micasaresourcecenter.org/media/EDocs/Christine_Marquez_Hudson_Receives_Livingston_Fellowship.pdf">Livingston Fellowship, a leadership program funded by the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation</a><span style="font-style: italic;">. Here she writes about her experience visiting with a nonprofit called </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.mujeres2000.org.ar/">Mujeres 2000</a><span style="font-style: italic;">, which provides micro loans to low-income women to start a business:</span><br /><br />Microfinance is a strategy toward economic development and poverty reduction that has been proliferating across the globe. Here in the U.S. it’s an important tool to get small businesses started—especially among low-income entrepreneurs. During my visit, I observed a class at a local church/community center attended by three women. One operates a kiosk out of her home; another was launching a home-based beauty shop; and the third sells clothes. They are learning about fixed and variable costs and how to budget. Afterwards, the instructor, Horacio, and I took a walk around the neighborhood. It’s a poor community with few employment opportunities, and Horacio explained that most of the women are single, and all struggle to find work and care for their children. Self-employment is a way for women to make an income with a flexible schedule and even work from home.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6k6MufByNxeI5ogFIrGqiKx-Oe0_1kwIsb5sSuJTW6c4u09oUdDwoBDVfqI3IvNNvrwn8Mo1WM1KU1x2PtPki_y1bvi2if7hMdl8RuBF01J8w4iKgodb52D7Z5P2C-PJoRkUfywuILa8/s1600/buenos-aires-236x300.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6k6MufByNxeI5ogFIrGqiKx-Oe0_1kwIsb5sSuJTW6c4u09oUdDwoBDVfqI3IvNNvrwn8Mo1WM1KU1x2PtPki_y1bvi2if7hMdl8RuBF01J8w4iKgodb52D7Z5P2C-PJoRkUfywuILa8/s320/buenos-aires-236x300.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556221497318933378" border="0" /></a><br />I asked what made the Mujeres 2000 program successful. “Mutual responsibility,” Horacio replied. To access their first loan, women go through an enterprise design phase where they develop their business concept. Next, they form a group of five and each woman receives a loan based on her business model and is responsible for repaying her portion. However, the group assumes joint liability for all five loans, and a member can only obtain new credit if all members return at least 80% of the original loan.<br /><br />This solidarity model is fascinating – people coming together to support one another’s success has profound implications for social, economic and personal development. What I saw in Argentina also taught me about shared leadership - everyone has something to offer, everyone contributes, and everyone benefits. These concepts of shared responsibility and leadership are ideas I plan to explore here at Mi Casa in order to strengthen our programs and maximize our positive community impact.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-54157330733246385802010-11-24T09:41:00.000-08:002010-11-24T09:44:03.564-08:00A Thanksgiving story from Mi Casa - Charles<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjri5ikx7r3gp6NNXylqNOE8xOj1_50CA8w927MzsuZ2Fbu02Fi_2QJWx-M7eQWVk_hYp1WREA5HlIhPN4TDRvv1_vGuznumT7jNQ730m9z-ZevscjnjfY5GeUv8rH8B3Mr25BBz76PTy0/s1600/Charles+Garcia_color+altered.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjri5ikx7r3gp6NNXylqNOE8xOj1_50CA8w927MzsuZ2Fbu02Fi_2QJWx-M7eQWVk_hYp1WREA5HlIhPN4TDRvv1_vGuznumT7jNQ730m9z-ZevscjnjfY5GeUv8rH8B3Mr25BBz76PTy0/s320/Charles+Garcia_color+altered.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543173290389463714" border="0" /></a><br />Mi Casa served more than 1,200 people in 2010. One of those people was Charles, a single father of five boys, who found himself in a desperate situation when he lost his job at the end of 2009. Charles is no stranger to struggle, but when he injured his back in 2009 and lost his job at UPS, he found himself on the brink of homelessness and urgently in need of help to get his career back on track.<br /><br />No longer able to perform the type of physically demanding labor that was once his bread and butter, Charles heard about Mi Casa’s Green Construction & Energy training program and seized the opportunity to launch a career in the fast-growing industry of energy efficiency and weatherization. “Mi Casa gave me the opportunity to build a new skill set from the ground up,” says Charles. “Everyone has struggles inside them and scars from the past. But Mi Casa helped me see my strengths, which helped me start my career – this is much more than a job to me.”<br /><br />With Mi Casa’s help, Charles secured two interviews and finally secured stable housing. It wasn’t long before Charles accepted a job offer from Veterans Green Jobs to work as an installer on weatherization projects. Though Charles is not a veteran, the nonprofit hired him to work under a state grant to provide home weatherization services to low-income families in Denver. He’s already gotten a raise, and now Charles is training to move up – eventually he wants to be a certified energy auditor.<br /><br />While at Mi Casa, Charles met U.S. Senator Mark Udall, who visited the Green Construction & Energy class. Charles asked that Congress do more to expand opportunities for ex-offenders once they have paid their debt to society. Speaking for himself and many of his classmates with non-violent felony convictions, Charles pointed out that in a country purportedly in favor of second chances, many ex-offenders struggle the rest of their lives to find work. The conversation ended with Sen. Udall vowing to investigate ways to remove the barriers ex-offenders face, including providing incentives to employers who hire them.<br /><br />Charles recalls his conversation with the Senator as a highlight from his time at Mi Casa. But the real reward for Charles’ hard work and commitment to Mi Casa’s career pathway program in Green Construction & Energy is undoubtedly his success in launching a promising new career that will enable him to create a better life for his five sons. “It means everything to me to be independent and able to care for my boys the way they deserve to be taken care of,” Charles says. “I’d do anything for Mi Casa, and someday I plan to support them in the same way they supported me.”Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2456324574694281884.post-80850013951402961232010-11-04T10:11:00.000-07:002010-11-11T10:23:37.897-08:00Tim Marquez Offers Encouragement to Local EntrepreneursTim Marquez, Founder/CEO of Venoco, Inc., was the keynote speaker at Mi Casa's November 3rd Business Networking and Resource Fair. He spoke about his humble upbringing in southwest Denver and how he managed to build a billion-dollar company out of an initial equity stake of $3,000. "I could list 100 things I didn't have going for me," Marquez said of his early years at the helm of Venoco. "But I'm hard headed, tenacious and persistent - that's what I had going for me."<br /><br />Marquez went on to say that he thinks starting a business to get rich is a terrible idea. "You have to start with something you are passionate about and build an organization around other people who are fired up and care about what they do," Marquez told the crowd of about 130. "It was two years between the time I started Venoco and when I closed the first deal," Marquez said. "There was a lot of pain and rejection along the way."<br /><br />"I made a lot of mistakes in business - I continue to make mistakes," said Marquez. "But that's OK, because as long as you don't make the same mistakes, you're good." Marquez encouraged the entrepreneurs in attendance to continue to take advantage of the small business resources offered by Mi Casa and take every opportunity to network with each other and seek advice.<br /><br />Here are a few photos from the event:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkbQTajL0LMnNR4MtbNbtL_lgyPQWj7YIfHuMMHhAj0SCorZsIVqy0_amBJ70chBLfiFcUVijHu44yjIdtOC2YbNtbYtqzmrmj3toN1uJ5DfJfWqIDqvI0BjtaQF8yLoIPjOxrKw1qIU/s1600/0033MiCasaNov3_HiRes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIkbQTajL0LMnNR4MtbNbtL_lgyPQWj7YIfHuMMHhAj0SCorZsIVqy0_amBJ70chBLfiFcUVijHu44yjIdtOC2YbNtbYtqzmrmj3toN1uJ5DfJfWqIDqvI0BjtaQF8yLoIPjOxrKw1qIU/s320/0033MiCasaNov3_HiRes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538359323001066194" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTTMS5Kag_IDfivxVzVb3g5qqdg2rqEJPver4pnrNx8q4AkKL7mMZz_FlyPSxFmKsT7Jd-5e7d64MJWqfJ7nK01vLy3duR7yjSemNj3m4YtwNqpKFiYh_inufFypzQHTCcUFHEvACMVM/s1600/0027MiCasaNov3A_HiRes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTTMS5Kag_IDfivxVzVb3g5qqdg2rqEJPver4pnrNx8q4AkKL7mMZz_FlyPSxFmKsT7Jd-5e7d64MJWqfJ7nK01vLy3duR7yjSemNj3m4YtwNqpKFiYh_inufFypzQHTCcUFHEvACMVM/s320/0027MiCasaNov3A_HiRes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538359315976439410" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2C1N9W7JUsfQMWvKpPWRLLrhBO9P-OLRBHTiqIPcjVkquUgVGoMw4bDSsrWK4hoSJCaivMlJhpn3UbhLKDwmn7pyDCr6xQpnT060EdLZxiswb35lj8pFpLcfadMDMCVqxWvsSALydpo/s1600/0024MiCasaNov3_HiRes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 221px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM2C1N9W7JUsfQMWvKpPWRLLrhBO9P-OLRBHTiqIPcjVkquUgVGoMw4bDSsrWK4hoSJCaivMlJhpn3UbhLKDwmn7pyDCr6xQpnT060EdLZxiswb35lj8pFpLcfadMDMCVqxWvsSALydpo/s320/0024MiCasaNov3_HiRes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538359314794652914" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQs9AUjCn00RTugQ1jz3L1vqNWEOGQTcFLjjAxnX39dXFlzOpZgFpv5cHMW-AL5CGHqSOl4oKOnfV4mV3ZwjeQ3iMVbkdVjOFbl4FSfWtpDeyUM1BuhNE7eGPTcCb-COrfJCgCWkGUi9k/s1600/0005MiCasaNov3_HiRes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 222px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQs9AUjCn00RTugQ1jz3L1vqNWEOGQTcFLjjAxnX39dXFlzOpZgFpv5cHMW-AL5CGHqSOl4oKOnfV4mV3ZwjeQ3iMVbkdVjOFbl4FSfWtpDeyUM1BuhNE7eGPTcCb-COrfJCgCWkGUi9k/s320/0005MiCasaNov3_HiRes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538359307401133666" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0