We asked members of the community how their organizations help the community. We’ve shared some of the responses below.

Jess Kirby | Assistant Professor, Girl Mom, and Recreational Athlete

I am the program director for Mountain Lion Strong at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Through this program we offer an innovative athlete wellness program that provides all student-athletes at UCCS with education and resources to build resilience, foster healthy behaviors that support wellbeing, and reduce the stigma around mental health through a community of support. The program has been successful in increasing athletes’ confidence in talking about and seeking support for mental health, as well as increased confidence in managing their physical, mental, emotional, and social wellness. Our mission is to create a culture of wellness in UCCS athletics where athletes build the mental skills to more effectively manage challenge and adversity in order to be happy and healthy and thrive across the dimensions of their lives. Read more>>

Elwin Kline | Author, Geek 2 Outdoors – Hunting

Geek 2 Outdoors – Hunting is all about stepping away from computer screens, smart phones, television screens, and all the like, and encouraging people to experience appreciate of nature and beauty that is readily available to us, especially in Colorado. Throughout the book, folks are introduced to learning about the benefits and positive experiences gained through hunting and other outdoor pursuits, supplemented by other healthy lifestyle choices that include fitness, mental wellbeing, nutrition, and more. Using hunting a delivery vehicle for such a pursuit, together, we can keep this vital way of life alive and strong, for ourselves and for the next generation to come with our sons, daughters, other family members, and friends, who will face significant challenges in doing so. Read more>>

Karen Lossing | Executive Director

Mathnasium has a mission to change lives through math. Initially, I felt that was an over dramatic statement, but it really isn’t. For many kids, math is tough! It is procedural and vocabulary rich. Once kids lose their understanding and confidence, those feeling will amplify until some intervention is made. We change the trajectory of these kids daily by building confident problem solvers. We can reach bad a year, two years, whenever the clarity fell off, and hit that reset button to thread concepts together and close gaps. If not addressed, math will never get easier. Never, that’s a horrible thought! Some students are generally successful, but with customized support, they excel. Read more>>