COLORADO SPRINGS — A Colorado Springs couple who is passionate about giving back to the community, is bringing a new group to the area to help local non-profit organizations. They’re having their first meeting tonight, and you’re welcome to attend and join their effort.
Kasia and Mark Blum brought the 57th chapter of the Giving Group to Colorado Springs. They used to be a part of the Giving Group in Phoenix, Arizona when they lived there.
“We're just trying to start something special. We've seen the affects of it in Phoenix and we just want to keep it with us as we make Colorado Springs our home here,” said Mark.
The Giving Group is a national non-profit where 100 friends donate $100. During meetings that are held every quarter, four times a year, four people are chosen at random to talk about a non-profit that is important to them. The group then takes a vote for the non-profit they believe should receive the donated money.
In Phoenix, the Blum’s donated and attended meetings, and they were called on to share more about the non-profit that’s important to them. They chose the Civitan Foundation, which is a group creating opportunities for people with developmental disabilities in Arizona.
“We just kind of spoke about our experience with them, and we we won. We couldn't believe it,” said Mark.
The couple owned a newspaper business in Arizona, where they hired the Civitan Foundation to deliver their paper to hundreds of restaurants and cafes in the community. They took a video, to capture the moments the organization found out they were receiving $10,000 from the Giving Group.
“To hear them, that excitement, that is something that is truly coming from the heart. That's something that you can't get from anything else I think,” said Kasia.
The couple has lived in Colorado Springs for about a year now, and wanted to integrate into the new community they’re living in. That’s why they decided to bring the Giving Group to the area.
Kasia says attending the meetings, is a sense of building community for her and Mark.
“I think that's what the Giving Group helps with. It’s a place where you can meet people, network, have fun, and also be in one room where most of us, or all of us have similar values,” said Kasia.
The two say attending meetings is also an opportunity to learn more about non-profits in our community.
“Even if you don't win, just listening to these non-profits in our community, whether it's homeless, or wounded vets, or children, or education. We never left a meeting without just being emotionally involved,” said Mark.
Similar groups have given away more than $1 million to organizations across the country. The first meeting is happening tonight at 6:30 at Oskar Blues in Downtown Colorado Springs. Three more meetings will be held this year.
For more information about Giving Group Colorado Springs, click here.
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