We are committing to doing better. Together.

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Dear ZIM family,

Our team has had many meaningful conversations about how we can address systemic racial injustice in our community. Many grants require us to write about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and yet, looking at ourselves, our clients, and our partners, there's so much work we need to do in order to meaningfully and authentically play a role in combating racial inequity.

We are committed to lifelong learning, to being louder advocates, and to finding new ways to connect black-led organizations to resources. We will be hiring a DEI consultant to guide us through this process.

We are a tight-knit team, and when we work with you, our nonprofit partners, we become part of your teams also. We are co-learners, co-explorers, and co-leaders committed to advancing justice. We hope you will join us to create a more equitable nonprofit sector.

We are committing to doing better. Together.

Warmly,

Shira Zimmerman and the ZIM team

Pride Month, June 2020

A cartoon of people celebrating pride with rainbow flags.

We were thrilled to hear the Supreme Court ruling on Title VII as a major victory for the LGBTQ+ community. 2020 continues to be a unique year, and we’re seeing our clients celebrate Pride in new ways this month. Here’s how some of our clients are celebrating:

One Colorado converted its annual Pink Party—a dance fundraiser to support pro-LGBTQ+ candidates—into a Social Dis-Dance party. As one of the event’s sponsors, ZIM was invited to join in the fun by making a video and attending Saturday’s unforgettable virtual party.
The Empowerment Program stood with the Black Lives Matter movement by encouraging supporters to attend the Pride Liberation March and enroll in the 2020 Virtual Freedom School.
Envision:You hosted a virtual Pride celebration and shared resources on LGBTQ+ mental health.
The Jewish Community Center Denver put out a reflective piece on the intersection of Pride month and the Black Lives Matter movement. They also hosted a virtual Pridefest and Virtual Pride Shabbat for LGBTQA+ community members.

Maria Droste Counseling Center Wins Impact 100 2020 Grant!

We would like to congratulate our incredible client, Maria Droste Counseling Center (MDCC), on winning the Impact 100 Metro Denver 2020 Grant of $100,000. MDCC was ahead of the curve when they identified telehealth as a strategy to increase vulnerable populations’ access to counseling services. When they submitted their application to Impact 100 to launch their telehealth program back in January, they had no way of knowing how the urgency and relevance of their request would be heightened by the oncoming pandemic. Since COVID-19 hit, MDCC’s visionary staff have led the charge to pivot their services to a telehealth model, a process MDCC’s Executive Director Sandra Mann likened to “flying the plane while building it.” Now, with a $100,000 grant from Impact 100, MDCC will build the technology supports and infrastructure necessary to create sustainable, long-term telehealth services to expand their reach and build healthier Colorado communities.

Welcome back, Molly!

Please join us in welcoming Molly Berenbaum back to the ZIM team. Molly interned with ZIM for two summers and we’re glad to bring her back onto the team in her position as Grant Researcher and Special Projects. Molly isn’t new to the nonprofit sector in Denver; she has served as the co-chair of the Rose Youth Foundation and volunteered as a theater technician for JCC Denver. Below is a quote from Molly on returning to ZIM:

"I am so excited for the opportunity to return to ZIM and continue to help nonprofits find the most effective ways to do their crucial work in our communities in this time of great need. ZIM's work environment and commitment to professional development is unmatched, and I look forward to rejoining the team this summer."

The feeling is mutual, Molly. Welcome back!