Denver Transit Partners Fills Backpacks for Local Students
The following Member Spotlight was submitted by Denver Transit Partners.
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The school year is in full swing, and thanks to B:CIVIC member Denver Transit Partners, many disadvantaged kids entered their classrooms with fresh school supplies.
According to the National Retail Federation, the average family spent $670 on back-to-school costs in 2014. For families struggling to pay the bills, it’s difficult to pay for classroom essentials like pencils, paper and backpacks. Denver Transit Partners saw an opportunity to help solve this issue with the local nonprofit, A Precious Child.
The Fill A Backpack program at A Precious Child supplies disadvantaged and displaced children with backpacks filled with school supplies to help them be better prepared to perform in school. Denver Transit Partners joined forces with the Fill A Backpack program to donate backpacks, school supplies, and ultimately help A Precious Child exceed their goal of providing 7,750 filled backpacks this year.
“I am most proud of my fellow employees at Denver Transit Partners for their commitment to serving the community,” said Aaron Epstein with Denver Transit Partners. “Big thanks to DTP for helping the Fill A Backpack program distribute a total of 8,447 backpacks this year!”
B:CIVIC is proud of Denver Transit Partners’ work in the community!
Learn more about A Precious Child click here.
Member Spotlight: DPS recognizes PEAK Resources as Small Business Partner of the Year
Denver Public Schools (DPS) recently recognized B:CIVIC Founding Member PEAK Resources as its “Small Business Partner of the Year” for dedicating generous time and money to the Fairview Elementary Community Garden.
PEAK provided 12 volunteers – that’s more than 25% of the company – on several occasions and also provided a significant donation of tools and materials including fencing, shovels, hoses, hoes, rakes, and clippers to help get the garden ready for students and planting in the summer and fall.
In addition to teaching kids gardening skills, Fairview Elementary Community Garden instills customer service and business skills in 5th grade students through the Youth Farmers Market every Sunday in the summer. It also provides fresh produce in an area that would otherwise be known as a food desert, meaning it is an urban neighborhood without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food. It is also a site for celebration, as it hosts the Harvest Festival every autumn.
Learn more about PEAK’s admirable accomplishment that benefits Fairview Elementary and the surrounding community in this ColoradoBIZ Magazine article.
B:CIVIC Member Spotlight: B-Lab
B-Lab Inspires Tech Companies to Make an Impact With B Bold! Event
On a snowy Wednesday earlier this month, B-Lab held an event in conjunction with Rally Software in Boulder to share information on how tech companies can focus on impact and win in the marketplace. Four panelists offered their unique perspectives on why using business as a force for good can ultimately benefit employee engagement, public perception and the bottom line of tech companies, and how Benefit Corporations are shaking up the tech market and attracting major attention from the VC world.
The following individuals spoke on the panel:
- Ryan Martens, Founder and CTO at Rally Software, Founder and Chairperson at Entrepreneurs Foundation of Colorado
- Seth Levine, Managing Director at Foundry Group
- Kat Rhodes, Director of Corporate Marketing at Simple Energy
- Matthew Elliott, Partner and UX Humanitarian at Super Humane
Panelists spoke to a full room of engaged and inspired attendees who had the opportunity to ask questions afterwards. Every attendee also received a B Lab Handbook to begin applying lessons they learned immediately.
The week after this event, B-Lab held a Hackathon to help any attendees who were interested in becoming a B Corp begin the application process to join the ranks of more than 1,000 companies redefining success in business.
Learn more about B-Lab and its mission at www.bcorporation.net.
Do you have a story you’d like featured in B:CIVIC’s Member Spotlight? Email info@bcivic.org with all the details! Photos are encouraged.