September 2024 Newsletter
Mission Moment
A glimpse into what we do and why we do it
Some of the Z-Place staff and I were waiting in the lobby after Program for a caregiver to arrive for pick-up. I was talking to the sibling/cousin pair about their summer and if they returned to Africa this year. They went on to tell me that there is war in their home country right now.
One of the youngest family members ("Z") said, "Why is there war?"
Z-Place Assistant Site Leader, Kyara, responded "Sometimes it is when people don't get along or agree on something and they start fighting".
I reinforced her sentiment by connecting it to what we do: "You know how we do Social Emotional Learning in Program and talk about our feelings, learn to use coping skills with big emotions, and communicate with others? We do that so when you are able to manage yourself and so you don't turn to fighting."
Z thought for a second and responded, "So if everyone in the world came to this program, there would be no more war?"
I smiled. What a wonderful connection to make.
Aimee Alcorn, Senior Director of Beyond Dreams Therapy
Dreamer of the Month
Melisa Sadaoui, Class of 2026
College & Career is excited to highlight Melisa Sadaoui. Melisa joined CDF High School programming as a 9th grader and has been a vibrant part of after-school ever since. In school, Melisa partakes in clubs such as weightlifting and Dungeons & Dragons. If you attended either the 2023 or 2024 Galas, you likely got to meet Melisa in person as well!
Never one to shy away from meeting new people, Melisa is often a ready volunteer at CDF events. Most recently, she joined us to present to youth at DSST: College View and share her experience with CDF programming.
In her time speaking, Melisa shared "One of the great things about Colorado Dream Foundation is that it gives you a lot of opportunities. Not just college visits or field trips, but opportunities like this, to speak in front of crowds. I get nervous public speaking, but Colorado Dream Foundation has taught me to persevere."
September Updates
Power of Choice / Westwood, Grades 3-8
Taylor Vaughn, Site Leader - OST, 3-8 at Westwood Opportunity Center
Afterschool Program for both sites is off to a strong start this year! With a focus on literacy and leadership, our youth at Westwood (pictured here during a brain-break) are engaging in a new offering this year: clubs!
Two days a week, youth are participating in academic clubs. For those with specific needs, the team assigns them to a matched experience such as a reading or math support group. For others, they can self-select where they would like to focus their work and growth.
For the other two days, each youth is participating in a club of their choice. The club topics were determined by the youth, so we are sure they are bound to be a success. Examples of clubs for this semester include arts and crafts club, cooking club, gaming club, and sports club.
Leadership and Choice are in full force this year at Westwood and you can feel the positive impact of this!
College & Career / High School
Summer Wimberly, Director of College & Career
High School programming at CDF began on Wednesday, September 4th. At that time, the youth completed in-class presentations about their summer vacations. And, wow - they had exciting summers!
Many youth took the opportunity to travel with their families or schools and ventured to locations such as Vietnam, India, and Costa Rica. Other youth took time to work in areas like coding camps or started internships with local organizations like the Museum of Nature & Science & MC2 with Denver Health.
In the upcoming weeks, 9th & 10th grade youth in Program are preparing to attend a collaboration session with Colorado Young Leaders at MSU and 11th grade youth are preparing to attend their first college fair!
Outside of the classroom, the College & Career Department is actively recruiting for after-school programming as well as the 6-week career series with Saunders Construction. We have been active in both the Westwood & GVR communities and have attended morning meetings, back-to-school nights, and larger neighborhood events.
Beyond Dreams Therapy
Aimee Alcorn, Senior Director of Beyond Dreams Therapy
The start of Fiscal Year 2025 has been a time of significant growth and achievement at Beyond Dreams Therapy. Our newly launched brand and website have solidified our identity and clearly articulated our program offerings, differentiating us from our afterschool program.
We've expanded our team by welcoming five additional Clinical Interns (both in social work and counseling), bringing our total to nine this year, from seven different universities and colleges. We've also added two new Behavioral Health Therapists who are provisionally licensed in Colorado, and one of our Assistant Site Leads is pursuing her clinical licensure and seeing clients.
To reach more clients, Aimee has continued strengthening our partnerships with organizations like Sims Fayola, Colorado Afterschool Professionals, Second Wind Fund, Centennial Peaks/Highlands Behavioral Health, Antelope Recovery, and Well Nourished, LLC.
To accommodate the growth, we’ve added two therapy rooms on the first floor of our Grant Street office and are gearing up to offer at least three therapeutic groups within our communities targeting skills like social skills, anxiety, identity, and parent support!
Moreover, we've joined the Colorado Health Service Corps and are now part of Metro State's National Council for Mental Wellbeing cohort. These affiliations will enhance our ability to recruit and retain top-tier therapists as we continue to grow!
Our team has been hard at work ensuring that clients move off the waitlist quickly and maintain a high attendance rate. We're excited about the progress we've made so far this year and we are eager to continue this great work providing more high quality mental health services to the greater Denver community!
We’re Growing! / Personnel
Stephanie Dreiling, Vice President of Operations
We continue to be busy with staffing and hiring across the organization. Beyond Dreams Therapy added eight new interns this quarter and welcomed two back (Toni Herr and Lissette Uribe)! In addition, they brought on two part-time therapists whose caseloads are already filling up to the point that we’re planning they will both reach full-time capacity by December.
On the Administrative side of things, Colin Kaiser joined us as Individual Giving & Stewardship Manager on Monday, 9.23.24. We’re thrilled to have him on board and to grow our giving team.
Clinical Interns:
Akilah Martin - Counseling - University of Denver
Alyssa Karrasch - Counseling - The Chicago School
Essence Benson - Social Work - Metropolitan State College of Denver
Giuliano Jones - Counseling - Prescott College
Lissette Uribe - Social Work - Metropolitan State College of Denver
Maddie Bashaw - Social Work - Ohio State University
Mike Adam - Counseling - Bellevue University
Rahel Girma - Counseling - Bellevue University
Toni Herr - Social Work - Baylor University
Behavioral Health Therapists:
Anthony Rice - Counseling Candidate
Megan Gianinetti, LSW
September Happenings / CDF Around Town
Kaye Taavialma, President & CEO
September was a busy month! With many opportunities and partner celebrations, I spent much of the first two weeks on the move. It was such a joy and pleasure to be in the company of such an amazing array of supporters though. From those who are just getting to know us to partners spanning multiple decades, the first weeks of the month were high energy and engagement!
My whirlwind tour kicked off with an early morning spot on KOA’s AM Program with Marty Lenz. What a gift it was to be invited onto one of the longest-running Denver radio shows to share our work with their audience. Stay tuned as this was just the beginning of our work with KOA!
At the suggestion of Ian Andrews, son of long-time CDF Dream Investor and Champion, Doug Andrews, Standard Interiors selected us as their charity of choice for their first annual Fly-Fishing Tournament. Held in Bailey, Colorado at the scenic Rawhide Ranch, 24 anglers spent the day casting and reeling all to benefit our youth.
Many thanks to Becky Mancero and Cooper Cohen, Development Committee Co-Chairs, for attending this event with me. We are incredibly grateful to Anne & Rob Hemple for all their work coordinating this event and being Dream Makers!
On a beautiful Thursday afternoon, I joined Board Member, Jim Stambaugh, and several members of the Rotary of Southeast Denver (Bill Donahue, Larry Bass, and Steve Warner) on the beautiful Pinehurst Golf Course for a round of golf to support CDF. Don’t worry, I didn’t pick up a club (we’d have been there past dark)!
Alvarado Restaurant Nation invited us to speak to their leaders during their 40th Birthday Party at McGreggor Hotel. Our relationship with the Alavarado family goes back as far as our beginning in 1988 but really grew roots when Rob Alvarado joined our board in 2005. Over the last 20 years, we’ve been lucky to have their continued support of our youth and programs.
Denny O’Malley and Cooper Cohen attended Party on the Plaza on September 12th. An annual fundraiser for IMA Foundation, a longtime supporter of CDF, the afternoon boasts a ping-pong tournament of legendary status on Union Plaza. We’re hoping to see CDF enter its own team in 2025!
