Briefcase – Oct. 7, 2011

Nonprofit notes

Champion Windows of Fort Collins’ Close the Window on Hunger summer campaign made a donation of 72,097 pounds of food to the Food Bank for Larimer County, Weld Food Bank, Food Bank of the Rockies, and Boulder Community Food Share. Champion provided Food Banks with a donation of 50 pounds of food per in-home appointment, and an additional 100 pounds of food for every project order placed by Aug. 31 within the counties they serve.

After five years of research, assessment and planning, United Way of Larimer County announced a shift in its approach to community giving. The organization will continue to direct donations to nonprofit programs throughout Larimer County, but will do so in a more concentrated manner, designed to have a more significant, long-term impact on community to help reach the goal of cutting poverty in half in Larimer County by 2025. United Way of Larimer County, like its counterparts in other communities, will focus its impact in three areas: education, income and health.

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Business Cares: April 2024

In Colorado, 1 in 3 women, 1 in 3 men and 1 in 2 transgender individuals will experience an attempted or completed sexual assault in their lifetime. During April, we recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month with the hopes of increasing conversations about this very important issue.

Hand Up Cooperative received a grant of $7,000 from the Leadership Team of Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters, Victory Noll Center in Huntington, Ind. Hand Up Cooperative has been a recipient of a general operating grant from Victory Noll in each of the past three years. Hand Up Cooperative serves homeless and nearly homeless people in Fort Collins and Loveland. Housed in the Sister Mary Alice Murphy Center of Hope, HUC contributes to the reduction of homelessness by providing access to employment education and career opportunities. HUC recently opened an office in Loveland in the House of Neighborly Service.

KUDOS

The League of American Bicyclists has announced the city of Fort Collins as a gold level Bicycle Friendly Business. The city of Fort Collins applied for the designation to showcase the initiatives the city has created to increase bicycle friendliness in the workplace. They now join the ranks of the other 252 BFBs. The city and other 2011 BFBs have taken advantage of free tools and technical assistance through the League of American Bicyclists.

OtterBox received honors as one of ColoradoBiz magazine‘s “Top Company” winners. The Top Company program, now in its 24th year, recognizes outstanding firms based on three factors: financial performance, community involvement and outstanding achievement. OtterBox was one of 33 firms in 11 industry categories named as a finalist for the Top Company program. Finalists were selected from a rigorous evaluation by longtime sponsor Deloitte. The maker of protective cases for mobile technology, also a finalist for the 2010 program, was honored in the manufacturing category.

JBS Swift & Co. was recognized as the International Packer Marketer of the Year by Certified Angus Beef LLC. JBS Swift identifies new international customers for CAB products and provides education for its sales team, customers and waitstaff. These efforts helped earn the marketing honor as well as a Top Three Sales Volume International Packer award.

NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

CheckMark Inc., a Fort Collins-based payroll and accounting solution company, launched Payroll Services to more completely serve its small business clients. The service is offered on three, customizable levels from an all-inclusive payroll and tax filing service, Pay & File Complete to a more self service basic payroll option, Basic Payroll. Visit http://www.checkmark.com/ for more information.

The Fort Collins Digital Workshop expanded its course offerings with new courses on CSS3, PHP, Javascript, Understanding Facebook and Social Media, and more. FCDW also introduced a brand new website with better registration, scheduling and payment tracking. New courses are now being offered on nights and Saturdays. For more information, visit at www.fcdigitalworkshop.com.

ANNIVERSARIES

Engineering and sustainability consulting firm Brendle Group in Fort Collins celebrated its 15th year in business as a pioneer and champion of sustainability and growing to deliver on nearly 200 projects nationwide. Cumulatively, from small businesses to schools and major cities, the company has identified over $1.6 million in energy savings alone.

PROJECTS

Colorado State University launched a new partnership with Zipcar Inc., an international car-sharing network, to offer a car sharing program on campus. The transportation option is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all students and employees ages 18 and older, as well as members of the local community ages 21 and older. CSU members pay a $35 annual fee, and rates on all Zipcars start at $8 per hour and $66 per day. Gas, insurance, reserved parking spots, up to 180 miles of driving per day and roadside assistance are included in the hourly and daily rates. Visit www.zipcar.com for more information.

MISCELLANEOUS

Aspen Lodge Ranch Resort and Conference Center in Estes Park is under new management. The property has hired Alison Linton as the general manager. The Lodge specializes in horseback riding, cowboy suppers and wagon rides. During the winter months, sleigh rides, snowshoeing and ice skating are available.

If you have an item to share about name changes, new products or business news of note, e-mail it to Noah Guillaume at nguillaume@ncbr.com, or mail it to Briefcase at NCBR, P.O. Box 270810, Fort Collins, CO 80527.