The DAA Collective newsletter keeps Denver's afterschool community connected to resources, professional learning and networking opportunities. Learn more about us.
SAVE THE DATE!
The DAA Collective Leadership will host an event to kick off the fall semester on Thursday, October 5th!
Details and RSVP to follow!
Are You Interested in Joining the DAA Collective Leadership Team?
Are you looking for opportunities to connect with and support a variety of OST providers and organizations? Are you ready to take advantage of new resources and opportunities, and join an amazing community of dedicated, likeminded OST professionals from across Denver?
Then the DAA Collective Leadership Team might be right for you!
We are currently looking for new leadership team members! If you are interested, please reach out to Miranda Cook or Erma Cerda.
Free Diapers Available for Families!
Marisol Family (previously Gabriel House Project) serves Colorado families by providing material assistance, support services and family education. Specifically, they assist expectant moms and families with young children by providing them with diapers, wipes, formula, baby supplies, young children's clothing and family education programs. With their new truck - Marisol Miles - they are able to deliver diapers and supplies to families at various locations across the Front Range!
Are you interested in learning more about the Denver Afterschool Alliance'ssystem of continuous quality improvement? Curious about how to measure program quality? Quality Counts is a zero cost to provider system where tools, training and resources are provided to support organizations and their site teams to continuously improve the quality.
Join us to learn about our system and how it might benefit you and your organization! We would love you to join our community of over 17 organizations at over 100 program locations in Denver.
Denver Afterschool Alliance's Quality Counts Information Session
Friday, August 4 · 10:00 – 11:00am
Google Meet joining info:
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/jts-zddu-qjj
Or dial: (US) +1 781-514-9518 PIN: 844 122 483#
Zero Fare For Better Air 2023!
During the months of July and August, RTD will offer ZERO fares across the entire system as part of the Zero Fare for Better Air initiative! Experience the many benefits of RTD at zero fare while we all do our part to reduce ground-level ozone and increase transit usage across the region.
FREE Summer Meals For Youth!
Youth, ages 5 - 18, are invited to enjoy FREE breakfast, lunch, supper and/or a nutritious snack, all summer long, all over the city of Denver! No ID or registration is required.
23 new locations have been addedas Tasty Food Sites, so make sure you check out the updated Summer Tasty Food Site schedules: English Spanish
To find a Tasty Food site near you, please visit the website HERE
DAAconnect Updates
2023 OCA Awardees: Want to get a jump on your summer award reports?
The DAAconnect team invites you to attend an open working session in August to work on your summer attendance rosters and award reports. Sessions will be offered virtually and in-person, and a DAAconnect team member will be on hand to support you throughout the process, as needed. While the “open” session format allows for you to work on your reports alongside fellow awardees, we will be offering the option to pop into a “break out” room or to have individualized assistance. These sessions are entirely self-guided and you can receive as much (or as little) help as you desire!
It's not too early to enter your program schedules for fall! Take a moment to visit our Youth Program Locator and make sure your fall programs are listed, so that families can easily find you! If you need to update your information, pleaselogin to DAAconnect today!
Passive House For Everyone is an environmental advocacy organization that offers fun, pro bono, hour-long workshops to students K-12. They are currently offering virtual workshops to Denver-area schools this August and September in advance of theInternational Passive House Conference taking place in Denver this fall. Selected schools and student work will be showcased at the conference and all participants will receive a comprehensive video compilation of all the class work + workshop. For more information about hosting a workshop, check out the website HERE.
Hands to the Future is an organization that is doing timely and important work to support the education-to-career journeys of immigrant and refugee students in Colorado. To learn more about Hands to the Future, and how they are changing lives (directly from students and board members) please join them for a virtual event on August 4th from 9am - 10am.
To register to attend, click HERE (you will receive a link to the event before August 4).
REQUEST FOR GRANT PROPOSALS Release Date August 7, 2023
On August 7, 2023, Gary will release requests for grant proposals in three focus areas:
Credentials of value in high school, co-released with Ednium: The Alumni Collective
Youth-to-youth peer support for BIPOC and/or 2SLGBTQ+ youth
Mitigating the effects of childhood poverty through parent supports & increased family income
Gary Community Ventures looks forward to partnering with organizations that have a focus in these areas and a commitment to advancing the promise and potential of kids and families from low-income backgrounds and BIPOC communities in Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, and/or Jefferson counties. Organizations new to Gary and BIPOC-led organizations doing work aligned to the proposal focus areas are highly encouraged to consider applying. Proposals will be due at 5:00 pm MT on September 1, 2023.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS August 7: Requests for Proposals (RFPs) released at garycommunity.org/rfp August 10 at 11am: Optional Informational Webinar on the RFPs* August 23-25: Optional Office Hours (via Zoom)*
August 23 at 3pm (Youth-to-Youth Peer Support)
August 24 at 10am (Credentials of Value in High School)
August 25 at 10am (Mitigating the Effects of Childhood Poverty)
September 1: Proposals Due October 20: Grant Awards Announced *Visit garycommunity.org/rfp for details and zoom links
As we prepare for a new school year, many of us experience a large amount of stress and often describe it as “overwhelm.” Below is Brené Brown’s definition of overwhelm and the difference between that and stress (Read full article here).
“Overwhelm means an extreme level of stress and emotional and or cognitive intensity to the point of feeling unable to function,” Brown says. “So I think the big difference is we can function in stress, we really can't function in overwhelm.”
One strategy to practice when experiencing stress is to take a “Purposeful Pause.” It is intentional and provides a brief moment of grounding which can recharge you and prevent overwhelm.
Purposeful Pause Strategies:
Take a short walk
Engage in deep breathing exercises
Feel your feet on the ground and notice each part of your body
Close your eyes and focus on the “why” you are doing your work
Stand up and stretch
Eat lunch or a snack away from your work space
Smile and laugh!
Take a short nap
Listen to your favorite song
Create your own…whatever works for you!
Practice and share these strategies with your colleagues and the young people in your programs!
