Rosedale Harvard Gulch Community Answers Call to Help Homeless
On February 6th, the Rosedale Harvard Gulch Neighborhood Association hosted a community meeting with the City of Denver's "Road Home" program to discuss logistics for south Denver's turn in the City's rotating system of one month temporary homeless shelters. Located at the Harvard Gulch Recreation Center, the shelter will operate outside recreation center hours from February 11th through March 13th. The City's temporary homeless shelter serves approximately 150 homeless men during cold winter months by transporting them in the evening from the Denver Rescue Mission in Downtown to a temporary facility for the night. Early the next morning, they are transported back to Downtown where they can receive social services and assistance.
While no community seeks to play host to a homeless shelter, albeit temporary, they have nonetheless offered their assistance and resources by setting up a community clothing drive to help those in need stay warm and dry during their stay at the Harvard Gulch Rec Center. Through March 13th, the Rosedale Harvard Gulch Neighborhood Association is asking neighbors to drop off the following items at the Harvard Gulch Rec Center:
Underwear* Socks* Hats*
Gloves* Jeans Coats
Sweaters T-shirts Shoes/boots
Backpacks Books Toiletry articles
Non-perishable snacks
*Most-needed items
For questions, or if you need to arrange a pick-up of your items, please send an email to harvardgulchcares@gmail.com.
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Denver to Start Extending Library Hours
Thanks to the efforts of Denver voters, Council District 7 residents will soon begin to see library hours extended at their local neighborhood library branches. The extended library hours are thanks in part to the approval of Measure 2A, which was overwhelmingly passed by Denver voters in November of 2012 to restore funding for library hours and other critical City services throughout Denver. With the passing of Measure 2A, the Denver Public Library plans to increase their 2013 service hours by approximately 40% upon final approval of the 2013 budget, and all branch libraries will be open a minimum of 48 hours per week.
"We are extremely thankful to Denver residents for voting for 2A, which allows us to better serve our community after years of budget cuts and reduced library hours," said Shirley Amore, City Librarian. "We expect to implement all the expanded library hours by the end of April."
For more information on extended library hours, click here.
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Denver Heating Assistance Still Available for Low Income Families
Winter came late but it is clearly here and you've probably seen an increase on your utility bill. If you're having trouble meeting those costs, there is an energy assistance program offered by Denver that helps qualified families afford their home heating costs. The program is called LEAP, and the application process is quick and easy. Simply call 1-866-HEAT-HELP, request an application, fill it out, and mail it back to us. Hurry, as the last day to apply for this heating season is April 30. For more information, please visit www.denvergov.org/leap.
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Want to Reduce your Energy Bills Permanently? Take the Denver Energy Challenge!
On a Friday last month, Councilman Nevitt took the Denver Energy Challenge to see how his own home stacks up when it comes to saving energy. As a part of the challenge, an "energy advisor" toured the Councilman's house and provided useful guidance on how to make it even more energy efficient - making it both more comfortable and more economical. The Councilman does have some work to do, but his residence still received good marks. The visit from the energy advisor was quick and easy, and most importantly, the Councilman gained invaluable information on how to keep his home more comfortable while saving on utility costs at the same time. And it was absolutely FREE.
Now that Councilman Nevitt has taken the Denver Energy Challenge, it's your turn next! The Denver Energy Challenge is a free program offered to all Denver residents, and it includes professional guidance and consultation from a professionally-trained energy advisor on how you can cut down on energy bills and make your home more comfortable. The Denver Energy Challenge also offers low-cost energy loans for energy improvements. These loans are only available for Denver Energy Challenge participants, so call 720.865.5520 and see what your options are. The only thing to lose is wasted energy, so sign up for the Denver Energy Challenge today by clicking here!
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Denver Police Department Partners with Nextdoor to Enhance Neighborhood Watch Programs
In an effort to facilitate a virtual neighborhood watch program and help foster neighbor-to-neighbor communications, the Denver Police Department has partnered with Nextdoor (www.nextdoor.com) - the private social network for neighborhoods - to share information about neighborhood safety issues, local events, school activities, upcoming garage sales, lost pets, and everything else important to our communities. As a part of the new partnership, each Denver neighborhood will have its own private Nextdoor website, accessible only to residents of that neighborhood. Residents can use their Nextdoor website to get to know their neighbors, ask questions, and exchange local advice and recommendations.
The Denver Police Department will also be able to post important information, such as crime updates and statistics to Nextdoor sites within the city. However, the Police Department will not be able to access the residents' websites, contact information or content. Nextdoor does not share personal information with third parties and sites are password protected and cannot be accessed by those outside the neighborhood, or found on Google or other search engines.
On the launch of the new partnership with Nextdoor, Police Chief Robert White noted "Our main goal is to prevent crime, and with the additional eyes and ears of members in our community we will be safer. We encourage our community members to work together and look out for one another."
Denver has been mapped into 126 different neighborhoods participating in Nextdoor. Those interested in joining their neighborhood's Nextdoor website can visit www.nextdoor.com and enter their address. If you have questions about your Nextdoor website you can contact DPDPublicAffairs@denvergov.org or help.nextdoor.com.
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St. Paddy's on Pearl
Paddy's on Pearl is back! Come one come all on Saturday, March 16th from noon until 8:00p.m to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. The 1500 block of South Pearl will be hosting street food, vendors, toe-tapping Irish bands such as Mulligan Stew, JIMO & the Piper, The Parker Brothers, and Celtic step-dancers. Be sure to catch this fun event for the whole family to revel in Irish pride!
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Denver Community Forester Program Looking for Volunteers
Do you want to help Denver's urban forests expand and thrive? Do you love Denver's beautiful tree canopy and want to be a part of keeping our city tree-friendly? If so, then sign up for The Park People's "Community Forester" program. The Park People's Community Foresters distribute and plant trees, canvass neighborhoods for new tree planting opportunities, conduct tree health checks, perform young tree pruning, and serve as tree advocates in their neighborhoods. Don't know how to do all of that stuff? The Park People will teach you!
The following sessions must be completed to become a Community Forester. If you don't have that kind of time, but still want to help, you can take Trees 101 and at least one other class to become a "Tree Steward."
- Trees 101, prerequisite for all other classes, Sat, Mar 2, 9am-1pm.
- Tree Planting and Health, Sat, Apr 6, 9am-1pm.
- Tree Pruning, Sat, May 4, 9am-1pm.
- Tree Identification and Inventory, Sat, June 1, 9am-1pm.
- Volunteer Leadership and Management, optional, Sat, July 13, 9am-12pm.
Visit www.TheParkPeople.org for prices and more information.
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Annual Greenway Foundation Spring River Sweep on April 27th - Sponsored by CH2M Hill
It's that time of the year for the South Platte River's own spring cleaning! Come join your neighbors, the Greenway Foundation, and hundreds of other volunteers for the annual Spring River Sweep, sponsored by CH2M Hill to help keep our river system clean and beautiful for all to enjoy. This year's Spring River Sweep includes two clean-up projects; Fishback Landing Park at 950 Water Street (for volunteers age 13+) and lucky District 7's own Johnson-Habitat Park at 610 South Jason Street (for volunteers with small children). The event is FREE, but space is limited. Click here for more event and registration details.
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Registration Now Available for Greenway Foundation's Spring Break Camp
Looking for a way to get your kids outside and active this spring break? Do you want them to keep learning and discovering during their time off from school? If so, then the Greenway Foundation's SPREE Adventures is just for you! From March 25th through the 29th, your camper can get a first-hand look at everything our prized South Platte River ecosystem has to offer. More importantly, the program helps foster and develop a future generation dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of our beautiful greenways and river systems. For more information on the camp and registration details, please visit www.spreeweb.org. Save $10 on registration by signing up now and use the promotion code chatter. See you on the river!
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"Summer" in the Parks Recreation Program Registration Starts on March 4th
Wondering how to keep your kids active and entertained this summer? Sign them up for Denver Parks and Recreation's "Summer in the Parks" program! This licensed child care program provides kids 7-12 with trained recreation instructors who lead games, sports, field trips, and activities (including swimming) in the parks. Click here for more information.
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Help an Underserved Child Have a Brighter Spring through GIVE Denver
The GIVE Denver Spring Basket Drive is underway at Denver Human Services. Each spring, social workers nominate a child in need to receive a gift basket to make their day a little brighter. GIVE Denver is seeking the following donations: baskets, candy, small toys, coloring books and crayons, tooth brushes and toothpaste, grass filler, preassembled baskets and monetary donations. Please drop off donations by March 4th at the GIVE Denver Center, 1200 Federal Blvd., Denver, CO 80204. Checks should be made payable to Denver Human Services. For more information, visit www.denvergov.org/give or call 720-944-GIVE (4483).
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Denver Recycles "Action Network" Seeks Community Volunteers
If you are a committed recycler who wants to get your neighbors more involved in recycling and waste reduction efforts, then the Denver Recycles Action Network (DRAN) is for you! DRAN is a volunteer program for residents who want to help educate others about the importance of waste reduction.Being a DRAN volunteer is a great opportunity to help increase Denver's recycling rate by using your own enthusiasm and creativity to inspire and educate those around you about the Denver Recycles programs and how they can participate.
To become a member of the Denver Recycles Action Network,attend our group training on Saturday, April 20th from 9am to 11am in the education room of the Gary Price Building, 1271 West Bayaud, Building 2. You'll gain the knowledge you need to be an effective advocate for Denver Recycles and you'll meet other committed recyclers in Denver with whom you can share your ideas and experiences. Space in the training is limited, so please RSVP by Friday, April 12th in order to secure your spot. You can RSVP by calling 720-865-6810 or sending an email with your first and last name, home address, and phone number to DenverRecycles@denvergov.org (Please note: Participants in the Denver Recycles Action Network must be at least 18 years old or accompanied by a parent or guardian).
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FREE Income Tax Preparation The Denver Asset Building Coalition (DABC) offers FREE federal and state tax preparation for families earning less than $51,000 and for individuals earning less than $35,000 annually. The service is available from now until April 15th. For a list of centers and locations near your neighborhood offering free tax preparations services, click here.
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