Illuminate Quarterly Newsletter
Building Brighter Childhoods through education, advocacy, and family support. 
Empower Acts of Kindness in 2018
Join Illuminate Colorado on February 16th, 2018 to celebrate the life changing impact of kindness. Attendees will enjoy a free breakfast while learning about how Illuminate is leveraging acts of kindness to prevent child maltreatment and build strong families, and hear from keynote speaker Brooke Jones, the Vice President of the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, on the power of kindness. 
Mini-Grants for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Trainings
Coming in 2018, Illuminate Colorado, in partnership with the Colorado Office of Early Childhood, will be awarding mini-grants to support training in three curricula to prevent child maltreatment: 

- Nurturing Healthy Sexual Development 
- Stewards of Children
- Bringing the Protective Factors to Life in Your Work

Mini-grant funds can be utilized for expenses related to meeting space, childcare, food, travel, and trainer fees. More information regarding the application process, eligibility, reporting requirements, and award amounts will be available in January at  www.illuminatecolorado.org
Illuminate blog: Self-care and recovery during the holidays
As the holiday rush stretches across communities, parents across Colorado are faced with increased pressure to give their children a festive holiday experience. Holiday stressors can include increasingly busy schedules, social expectations to buy gifts and holiday decorations, and an increase in time spent with extended families. 

While parenting during the holidays can be rewarding, this time of year can also be pa rticularly overwhelming for parents in recovery from substance use disorder, who must balance all of this while managing triggers and maintaining their progress. Check out our latest blog post for tips to maintain recovery during the holidays.
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Circle of Parents in Recovery Facilitator Training  - The next facilitator training for Circle of Parents will be held on January 30th & 31st. To learn more about parent support groups, contact Anna at aneal@illuminatecolorado.org.

Acts of Kindness Breakfast -  Illuminate's first annual fundraising breakfast will be held on Friday, February 16th, 2018! 

Strengthening Colorado Families and Communities Conference - The 2018 SF Conference will be held September 26th-28th, 2018 at the Vail Marriott Resort in Vail, Colorado. Workshop applications will be accepted January 8th to February 16th. Conference Registration opens April 1st.

Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Coalition - Contact Emily at ewhite@illuminatecolorado.org for more information or to join the coalition email list.

Educational Opportunities - Did you know that you can take online courses through the Child Welfare Training System? Classes are free, open to all, and completion qualifies participants for the free, in-person CWTS classes. Click here to sign up for current online course offerings from Illuminate: "Legalized Marijuana: Considerations for Child Safety" or "The Substance Use Puzzle: Putting Together the Pieces".

Season's Greetings from Illuminate!

Thank you for making 2017 such a productive and energizing first year as a fully formed strategic partnership!  We are grateful for all of our innovative project partners, collaborators, and supporters, and to everyone who works hard to make Colorado a place where all children have the opportunity to thrive. 

We look forward to #BuildingBrighterChildhoods with you in 2018 and beyond!
Help kids thrive this holiday season!

Please consider giving the gift of stable & nurturing childhoods this year. Your contribution helps us to educate communities on how to keep kids safe, advocate for families on a local and state level, and provide direct support to parents. With your help, we can  make a huge difference in the lives of Colorado kids. 
Illuminate Colorado |  (303) 413-3460 | www.illuminatecolorado.org
STAY CONNECTED:
 Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter View on Instagram View our profile on LinkedIn