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Pepper’s Senior Dog Sanctuary
Older dogs and those with special needs in overcrowded animal shelters are often overlooked in favor of younger dogs or puppies. Opened earlier this year on a picturesque 50-acre ranch near Littleton, Pepper’s Senior Dog Sanctuary provides a haven for these aging dogs who might otherwise be euthanized. Think of it as a dog retirement community—one that encourages applications for volunteers wanting to provide comfort and compassion to cuddly canines who now get to live out their days in paradise. Sign up to volunteer your time at PSDS.org.
There With Care
Volunteering at There With Care is one of the best ways to impact this nonprofit, which provides basic needs, food, housing stability, transportation assistance and more to Colorado families and children facing critical illness and medical crises. Since launching in 2005, more than 10,000 families have been served and close to 161,000 pounds of food have been provided. Last year, nearly 7,000 care packages were delivered by volunteers. Interested in getting involved? Visit ThereWithCare.org/Volunteer to fill out an application.
Money
AeroAngel
For over 13 years, Denver-based nonprofit AeroAngel has provided free private jet flights for critically ill children throughout the country who require travel to distant, life-saving medical care. Medically fragile children typically cannot fly commercially because it poses severe health and safety risks. All AeroAngel flights are conducted on business jets flown by a crew of professional pilots who volunteer their time. From hospitals in New Orleans and Cincinnati to Seattle and Salt Lake City, AeroAngel has helped children as young as two years old receive the care they need. Donations are the best way to support, as 97 percent goes directly to the flights. To learn more and to donate, visit AeroAngel.org.
Anchor Center
From rare genetic disorders to premature births to abuse, blindness in children is caused by a range of heartbreaking factors. Anchor Center, the only nonprofit pediatric blindness organization in Colorado, provides crucial early intervention services for children from birth through age five. With all of their specialized early childhood education programs—occupational therapy, music therapy, home visits and an on-site eye clinic, to name a few—the center serves up to 250 visually impaired children and their family members every year. Donations to Anchor Center are imperative to providing children with the care they need. Go to AnchorCenter.org/Get-Involved/Donate to learn how you can give.
Resources
Donor Alliance
Unless you have a personal connection, organ and tissue donation might be an unfamiliar cause. Headquartered in Denver, Donor Alliance is a nonprofit organ procurement organization and accredited tissue bank that serves Colorado and most of Wyoming in facilitating donation and recovery. Currently, about 1,500 people in these two states are on the waiting list for a lifesaving organ transplant. Donor Alliance’s core mission is to save lives, ultimately by raising awareness about the importance of signing up as an organ donor at the driver's license office, or online at any time. The heroic choice to become a registered donor demonstrates that even with great loss, great hope is also possible. Visit DonateLifeColorado.org to read inspiring stories of hope and to sign up as a donor.
SAME Café
So All May Eat (SAME) is the mission of this donation-based Denver restaurant that dishes up healthy, nourishing food to all, regardless of the ability to pay. How it works: When you order from the price-free menu (crisp salads, hearty soups and inventive plates like pesto veggie pizza), you must sign up to volunteer, donate money or give fresh produce. All meals are made possible by donated ingredients, including organic fruits, vegetables and foraged mushrooms. To give produce to SAME Café, simply review the guidelines and fill out the form online at SameCafeDenver.org/Give-Produce.