Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Local nonprofits work to increase community involvement by launching “Get Connected”

Mesa County, CO – There’s a new community effort to connect volunteers with local agencies and nonprofits. The new website called “Get Connected” aims to help people find service organizations that need volunteers and donations. It also lets agencies promote their needs.
United Way of Mesa County has been collaborating with Western Colorado 2-1-1 on this project. The user-friendly site matches volunteers with opportunities that align with their interests and availability. Volunteer users can sign up to receive notifications right to their email when there are needs at their favorite organizations.
“We always have people asking us how they can get involved and that brings up a lot of questions. What are you interested in? What are your available hours? It’s just never been simple,” United Way of Mesa County’s Executive Director Julie Hinkson said. “With ‘Get Connected’ we’re excited to give them a place that will do that automatically.”
“It is a natural fit to have ‘Get Connected’ housed within the 2-1-1 website. 2-1-1 is the place to go to find community resources and now there is the added dimension of volunteer opportunities as well. Not only does ‘Get Connected’ link the community to volunteer opportunities, but it also assists agencies and organizations that may not be able to hire a full time person to manage volunteer recruitment,” Western Colorado 2-1-1’s Director Christie Higgins said.
On the agency side, users can create profiles that allow them to tell their stories and reach community members who are passionate about the service they provide. They can also list events such as fundraisers.
HomewardBound says it’s excited to potentially recruit volunteers through the site. “(It’s) another great way to get involved in our community as we continue encouraging a pathway home.”
 “Get Connected” will do more than just create matches among the service community and citizens; it hopes to foster relationships with consistent volunteers.
Diverse opportunities currently listed online include: Riverfront Trail System Patrol with Grand Junction Parks and Rec, Patient and Family Support at HopeWest, and Food Delivery Drivers at Gray Gourmet. More than 30 organizations currently have profiles.
Responding to needs is easy and can change a life. By getting people, nonprofits and businesses to work together, our area can be improved.
Click here to check out Get Connected: http://getconnected.wc211.org/.

Media Contact: Honora Swanson Bober, United Way of Mesa County
970-243-5364 or
honora@uwmesacounty.org

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Colorado Launches “Don’t Be a Lab Rat” Youth Marijuana Education Campaign

Colorado Launches “Don’t Be a Lab Rat” Youth Marijuana Education Campaign
Campaign aims to increase awareness among youth ages 12-15 of risks
associated with underage marijuana use
                                                                                                     
Grand Junction-Stocker Stadium– The State of Colorado, has launched a new public education campaign – “Don’t Be a Lab Rat” – targeting youth ages 12-15 with the goal of increasing their awareness of the risks associated with underage marijuana use.
The statewide campaign was funded primarily by grants from the State Attorney General’s Office and a handful of civic-minded organizations, including the Anschutz Foundation and the El Pomar Foundation. The campaign was 
developed by Denver-based Sukle Advertising & Design (Sukle) in conjunction with all of the partners and in consultation with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
The campaign uses the theme “Don’t Be a Lab Rat” to illustrate to kids that if they choose to use marijuana, they are consuming a substance that has effects on teens’ developing brains that are not yet fully understood, and that by doing so they essentially volunteer as the subjects of research about those effects.
“While much still needs to be learned about the effect marijuana has on the brain, enough information is available to cause concern in terms of the negative effects marijuana can have on the developing brains of teenagers,” said Dr. Larry Wolk, CDPHE’s executive director and chief medical officer. “The core premise of the ‘Don’t Be a Lab Rat’ campaign acknowledges that more research is necessary, but it also poses the question of whether or not teens should risk the potential negative effects of using marijuana.”

Specific components of the campaign include:
  • Experiential “Lab Rat Cage” installations in high-foot-traffic areas with messages communicating the potential damage marijuana has on a teen’s brain and the notion that Colorado’s youth are the test subjects for continued observation
  • A microsite (www.dontbealabrat.com) serving as a quick resource providing links
    to related articles and research and including easy share functionality to social
    media pages
  • Advertising in movie theaters
  • Installation of a “Lab Rat Cage,”
  • Commercials on YouTube targeted to Colorado teens

“From the most recent Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, we know that the percentage of high school kids who think using marijuana poses risks to their health has gone down, which has raised the concern of health experts who worry the normalization of marijuana in Colorado could lead more kids to try it,” said Governor John Hickenlooper. “We have a civic and public health obligation to do everything we can to make our children aware that there are risks for teens when they use marijuana. This campaign is designed to grab the attention of teens and their parents, and provide them with the facts to have an informed discussion and make informed choices.”
“We want to ensure this new industry is making a safe contribution to our city, and that means educating our young people about the possible effects on their development,” said Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock. “In the way that tobacco prevention campaigns have resulted in decreased use, our goal is to have a similar impact on teen marijuana use in Denver and across Colorado.”
In developing the campaign, Sukle conducted in-depth qualitative research with more than 100 people – youth and experts – across the state. This included 46 teens ranging in age from 12-20, and included a representative mix of gender, ethnicity and socio-economic backgrounds. Sukle also conducted one-on-one interviews with treatment and youth prevention experts, and engaged in careful study of existing research on marijuana’s effects on the developing brain in consultation with CDPHE.

This research revealed that kids and teens are concerned about the possible harmful effects of marijuana on their brains, that they are responsive to facts and honest information about the risks of marijuana use, and that they prefer to have this information so they can be empowered to make informed decisions about marijuana. These findings became the basis for the theme and structure of the campaign. The 12-15 age group was targeted because they were found to be the most persuadable in terms of shaping their attitudes about marijuana. The goal is therefore to reach this age group with accurate information before they are introduced to marijuana by others.

Services Closed in Observance of Independence Day 2020

In observance of Independence Day, all Mesa County Department of Human Services offices will be closed on Friday, July 3. All offices wi...