Motorcycle engine roars could be heard from blocks away as the United Launch Alliance (ULA) team neared the Mitchell School Building. When the motorcade of convertibles and motorcycles approached the school gates staff and supporters from: Minority Enterprise & Educational Development (MEED), the Educational Outreach Program (EOP) of Denver Public Schools, Colorado Youth for a Change, SafeHouse Denver, and the Denver Public Schools Foundation – School Partners Program cheered and welcomed (with cow bells and LOTS of gratitude) backpacks stuffed with school supplies.
ULA employees leveraged resources and time to collect and assemble backpacks filled with supplies for DPS students as they begin the 2013-14 school year. Matt Smith, VP of Engineering at ULA said, “We appreciate the opportunity to provide a little support. Giving back to the community is very important to ULA. We are ecstatic to be here.” EOP directed the backpacks to SafeHouse Denver and Colorado Youth for a Change; two local nonprofit organizations that work closely with EOP to provide essential services to some of the students experiencing homelessness within DPS. Anna Theisen, Homeless Liaison for EOP expressed, “Our department is so thankful for ULA for providing this invaluable outreach to students experiencing homelessness in DPS. Thanks to them students are prepared to start school.” On average EOP assist over 2,000 DPS students per year.
Sara Fuentes, Executive Director & HOPE Coordinator of MEED has played a pivotal role in getting this event together for the past 11 years. Sara’s favorite piece of this event is seeing all of the generosity; she shared, “You put in one call, and it all just starts coming in. ULA doesn’t realize all the good they are doing.” Support from the community through the EOP office allows DPS to provide school supplies and other basic needs for students facing the challenge and uncertainty of homelessness. Support for these students has been shown to impact their attendance and performance in the classroom.
Learn more about School Partners Program at https://dpsfoundation.org/partner and how you can engage your business or organization in contributing to the success of DPS students here.