In this time of need, more than $100,000 will go to the metro Denver community thanks to the 7,600 runners and walkers who participated this morning in Mile High United Way’s largest fundraiser on Thanksgiving Day.

Presented by Qwest, the Turkey Trot benefits Mile High United Way’s investment in three life-changing initiatives: School Readiness, Youth Success and Adult Self Sufficiency.

“It was an amazing show of the collective generosity of our community to see so many people come out on Thanksgiving morning,” said Christine Benero, Mile High United Way president and CEO. “Especially during this critical time when so many families are struggling just to make ends meet right here at home. What happened here today will make a big difference for those families and for all of us.”

To learn about Mile High United Way, the people we help and our work in three life-changing initiatives, visit www.unitedwaydenver.org.

Race Results
The top three finishers for women and men in the 4-mile timed race include: (The public can see their results by 3 p.m. today at www.onlineraceresults.com.)

4-Mile Run Top Three Women Finishers
1. Clerc (pronounced Clair) Koenck, age 22, from Monument, CO
2. Cassie Ficken, age 24, from Morrison, CO
3. Kelly Couch, 31, from San Mateo, CA

4-Mile Run Top Three Men Finishers
1. Greg Reindl, age 24, from Denver, CO
2. Andres Urbina, age 22, from Fort Collins, CO
3. Russell Slade, age 25, from Morrison, CO

Fun Facts:

• 39 states represented at the race today; people visiting Colorado relatives for Thanksgiving.
• Our 35-year-old Turkey Trot mascot was officially named Gobbles this year, through a fun contest on our website.
• 250 volunteers helped put on the race this year with some volunteering for more than 25 years in a row.

Child abuse in our country is a silent epidemic. Colorado ranks among the top third of states in the nation with the highest rate of child abuse fatalities.  Each child we fail costs our community one million dollars, according to 2007 studies on adult outcomes for former foster youth (Pew Foundation, Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiatives, Chapin Hall Center for Children.) There are people, like Shari Shink, however, who tirelessly fight against this atrocity. 

Shari founded the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center (RMCLC) 27 years ago to provide high quality legal services for abused and neglected children in Colorado. Today, RMCLC has grown into a multi-faceted, life-saving machine that includes therapeutic programs and significant public policy reform in addition to legal representation. Shari, along with her dedicated staff and 150 pro bono lawyers, fights for kids every day.

 Since its inception, RMCLC has saved the lives of more than 8,000 children, provided resources for more than 27,000 crisis callers, recruited 800 volunteer attorneys to advocate for children, achieved dramatic system reform through over two dozen public policy initiatives, trained and empowered 3,000 foster parents to advocate for their foster children, and protected more than 3,300 child victims of domestic violence. 

“Abused kids can’t speak for themselves, so we speak for them.  We are advocating for decisions that will affect the rest of their lives, and essentially, we’re saving their lives.”

In 1985, four years after the organization was established, funding started to disappear. “Mile High United Way was the only funder that would stand up for us and keep supporting our efforts,” said Shink. “They gave us critical support that helped us get where we are today.”

Mile High United Way supports Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center through our Youth Success initiative. The life-changing initiative empowers at-risk youth to overcome obstacles and graduate from high school. RMCLC receives specific United Way funding for their core service to the community:  legal representation of maltreated children.

The stories are incredibly emotional, especially when told by the endless advocate, Shari:
One little boy was removed from his mother’s care at the age of 7 and put in the foster care system until he was 14. He went through 18 different foster homes until he ended up in a group home. During his time in the group home, he assaulted the staff and ended up cutting himself quite a bit. He was acting out his anger about his situation. As a result, he faced the possibility of lock-up for two years in Youth Corrections. This is when I was appointed by the court to represent him.

This young person was so bright and had been kicked around so much, that I knew I had to reach deeper and take a different approach in representing him. Youth Corrections was not working. Through a series of meetings with him, I learned that he liked horses. I convinced the judge that instead of going back to Youth Corrections, he should go to a ranch that was willing to let him help every day from 9 to 5. He went to that ranch every day, worked, learned and rode horses for a summer. Long story short, the therapeutic approach was a success. He stopped cutting himself, stopped his violent behavior and became a dramatically different kid. He went back to living with his mom, graduated from high school and saved the State of Colorado a lot of money in youth corrections costs. This is the approach we take with every child that we serve. Every one of these kids has been through things that are so unspeakable, the least we can do is go that extra mile for them. 

Youth awarded a scholarship are from families in financial need who would not otherwise be able to afford to attend a high-quality after-school program. Each youth also received a $50 JCPenney gift card to use for school clothing and supplies.

The $94,000 will be designated for Mile High United Way’s Youth Success Initiative, which supports quality after-school programs for youth in metro Denver through the Lights on After School partnership.

“We know that a quality after-school program can make a big difference in the life of a child,” said Christine Benero, president and CEO of Mile High United Way.  “The after school hours are typically when a child begins to engage in drug use, crime and other risky behaviors.  Attending a fun, high-quality after-school program can keep a child focused on success and graduating from high school.”

JC Penney’s gift will be distributed by Mile High United Way to six after-school program community partners:

• 20 scholarships will be used by Denver Public Schools Department of Extended Learning for the Kaleidoscope Corner program,
• 62 scholarships for Denver Public Schools – Fairview Elementary School,
• 30 scholarships for the Department of Parks & Recreation’s  SOAR Program at Valverde Elementary School ,
• 28 scholarships for the Annunciation School After School Program,
• 40 scholarships for the Grass Roots Visions Program, Prodigal Son initiative at Park Hill Elementary School, and
• 30 scholarships for Monaco STARS After Schools Program, Intergenerational Learning Center.

Mile High United Way’s Youth Success Initiative focuses on helping at-risk youth overcome obstacles and successfully graduate from high school. 

Lights On After School in Denver is a partnership between Mile High United Way, the City and County of Denver, Denver Public School Foundation and Denver Public Schools.  Lights On After School is aimed at reducing the dropout rate and increasing academic performance in Denver Public Schools.

In celebration of fitness, children from all eight branches of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver participated in a “Fun Walk” at INVESCO Field at Mile High Tuesday, October 14th, as part of the NFL Hometown Huddle program, an annual partnership between the Denver Broncos and Mile High United Way.

Mile High United Way partners with the Boys & Girls Clubs under its Youth Success Initiative, which provides after-school activities and other programs geared toward helping youth graduate from high school.

Thank you Broncos! Please click here for a great article and video by DenverBroncos.com.   

Rising cost of living, the roller-coaster stock market, the subprime mortgage crisis, and the government bailout have combined to create national unease and a very real squeeze on our pocketbooks.
 
But before the $700 bailout deal ever took center stage, the needs of our community have always been immediate. Research shows us that in the last year: 

• One in five families in our community were not earning enough income to afford even the basic costs of living. 
• Half of all of Denver’s 9th graders are not expected to graduate. 
• One in three Colorado children are not prepared to learn when they get to kindergarten. 

If it was hard to get by before, the rising cost of gas and food and just about everything else is making it increasingly difficult to make ends meet now.  That’s why it’s so important to support Mile High United Way. We support our community’s safety net of services, and create lasting solutions to help individuals and families achieve long-term financial stability and self sufficiency.
 
The time for a strong front at home has never been so critical.  It’s up to us all to take care of our families and our communities.  When we reach out a hand to one, we influence the condition of all. These changes have benefits that ripple out to the community as a whole.
 
By leveraging the generosity of local businesses, foundations and individual donors, your donation goes farther with Mile High United Way.
 
Show your support for Mile High United Way and encourage your friends and family to join you.