2021 Member Service Highlights
Alongside our Community Shares Coffee-Break series: Where Are We Now? we are highlighting our member nonprofits' work through our #memberservicehighlights marketing campaign. You have the chance to be highlighted to your fellow members and the broader community via weekly Friday emails, social media posts, and on our website!

Today's Member Service Highlight features League of Women Voters of Colorado, and Out Boulder County. Keep reading where they are a year into the pandemic and how you can support!
Learn more and get connected with more of our member nonprofits through our Community Shares Coffee-Breaks.
Join us for our next and second session in our Coffee-Break series: Where Are We Now highlighting two member nonprofits (to be announced) in the area:
Working for a Just Society - Advocacy in COVID times
League of Women Voters of Colorado
Since 1928, League of Women Voters of Colorado has been providing nonpartisan voter education and a platform for advocacy to empower voters and defend democracy.
How have your programs have grown, changed, or evolved to become a key community service during this time?
The League of Women Voters of Colorado provided nonpartisan election education to approximately 12% of our state's voters during the November 2020 election, up from 9% during the 2018 election. Our drafting and promotion of legislation eliminating partisan gerrymandering in Colorado passed with overwhelming voter support in 2018 and is currently being implemented.

Have any unexpected opportunities arisen for your organization's work in this past year?
Being forced to move exclusively to Zoom has allowed us to add geographic diversity to our board and committee membership.

What can the community do to help?
1. Attend a League or any other program on (a) promotion of civil discourse, (b) understanding and identification of information bias, and (c) civics education;
2. Use your Constitutional ability to question authority and advocate for what's important to you, your family and community;
3. Vote every chance you get and encouraging everyone you meet to do the same.
4. Volunteer to advocate for or against legislation affecting our democratic systems. People are needed to calmly share vetted information with people who trust them.
5. Donate. Funds are always needed to support education and advocacy programs and general operations.
Out Boulder County
We educate, advocate and provide programs, services and support to Boulder County's LGBTQ communities.
How have your programs have grown, changed, or evolved to become a key community service during this time?
Out Boulder County has stepped up to be a leader in the state to support LGBTQ individuals the resourses they need during the pandemic. We are currently in the third round of Direct Aid Funding which will result in $105,000 in funds directly sent to community members. This funding has supported over 120 people to pay for their rent, health care expenses, child care, utilities, etc. Furthermore, we are working with our recipients to help connect them with resources including car repairs, free bicycles, free laptops & tablets, as well as connect them to other community organizations for further support. To continue our work in equitable care, we conducted a vaccine hesitancy survey directly aimed at our LGBTQ communities; this survey has begun a nationwide conversation showcasing the lapse in oversight for the distribution of the vaccine to our communities. You can find our survey covered in US News and other national publications. Our final major push is to create a fully LGBTQ inclusive health care resource designed to create a sense of safety when searching for both physical and mental healthcare.

Have any unexpected opportunities arisen for your organization's work in this past year?
Most of our projects aimed to support our community through the pandemic have arisen solely due to the lack of the support we saw for the community. We saw the gaps which was a call for us to provide and to supply what is needed.

What can the community do to help?
We are still seeing many in our communities struggling to pay rent, to find stable housing and work, and to find general security as the economy slowly recovers. Connecting marginalized communities to our support network is a great place to start supporting us, but the best way to support us at this time would be by donating to our General Operations budget so we can allow staff to expand our work to support the community at large.
Designate a gift to these incredible nonprofits and support the amazing work they do to serve our communities even during difficult times.
Community Shares of Colorado
303.861.7507 | www.cshares.org
Community Shares, 789 Sherman Street, Suite 230, Denver, CO 80203