Yesterday we posted here on our service project at Clinica Tepeyac in Denver -- part of the DNCC Service Days series.  For a closer look at our service project and Texas State Senator Van de Putte’s visit, check out our new video chronicling the event below.

In our seventh community service project in the Denver area, DNCC staff spent yesterday at Clinica Tepeyac, a community health center serving uninsured working families in Denver.  Around 20 staffers crammed around a conference table piled high with files and compiled statistical information for the clinic.  The paperwork needed to be prepared for the clinic’s application for State Primary Care Funds, which could provide Clinica Tepeyac with more than $400,000 in funding.

Joining us was Texas State Senator and Co-Chair of the 2008 Democratic National Convention, Leticia Van de Putte.  As a pharmacist for more than 28 years, Senator Van de Putte is a strong advocate for children, veterans, improved access to health care, quality education and economic development issues.  The clinic’s executive director, David Lack showed Senator Van de Putte around Clinica Tepeyac, along with DNCC CEO Leah Daughtry and 9th district City Councilwoman Judy H. Montero.  Check out this article by the Associated Press on our day at the clinic.

DNCC Service Days are monthly projects that focus in one of three areas: youth, greening and the combined issues of homelessness and hunger.  To see our previous posts on service events, click here.  Also, check back soon to see video from this event.

Earlier this week, we posted here about our January DNCC Service Days outing at Manual High School with Governor Dean and the DNC Executive Committee. Watch this video to learn more about Manual and see how the DNCC staff worked with the local community to make this school with such a rich history an even brighter place.

Staff at the Democratic National Convention Committee put on our old jeans and our matching gray DNCC Service Days t-shirts today and headed over to Denver’s Manual High School to paint the teacher’s lounge and help students prepare posters for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Every month, the DNCC staff volunteers time on projects in one of three areas: youth, greening and the combined issues of homelessness and hunger. This month, the DNCC teamed up with the Colorado branch of Volunteers of America to lend a hand at Manual High School.

While in town for the Democratic National Committee’s Executive Committee meeting, DNC Chairman Governor Howard Dean joined the DNCC — even sporting a DNCC t-shirt of his own. Wasting no time, Gov. Dean was given a paint tray, a brush and climbed up a ladder to do some painting. Proving he was well qualified for the job, the Governor’s first question: "Is this paint latex or oil based?"

At the beginning of this week, DNCC CEO Leah Daughtry and the DNCC staff were joined by Colorado First Lady Jeannie Ritter for this months DNCC Service Days project at Denvers Urban Peak — a non-profit shelter and service provider for homeless youth. The DNCC and the First Lady prepared a hot breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns and festive holiday sweet rolls for the youth at Urban Peak. Following the meal, Leah presented the organization with a box filled with clothes and other warm items such as gloves and hats donated by the DNCC staff for the cold weather months. Watch this video to see the event first-hand. And be sure to check out this story from the Rocky Mountain News.

Recently, we posted a story about our DNCC Service Day with Convention Co-Chair and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin. This just in: new video of Mayor Franklin touring The Crossing and rolling up her sleeves and sorting canned goods with the Convention team. Click above to watch the video.

This past Friday, Atlanta Mayor and Democratic National Convention Co- Chair Shirley Franklin visited Denver and participated in the DNCC Service Days campaign. Mayor Franklin and the DNCC staff sorted more than 2,500 4,000 pounds of canned goods for the homeless and less fortunate at The Crossing, a facility of the Denver Rescue Mission.

DNCC Service Days focus on three areas of importance to the local community: greening, youth and the combined issues of homelessness and hunger.

Marisa McAuliffe works in the Chief of Staff’s office for the Democratic National Convention Committee. Marisa moved to Denver this past summer, but already she has become a vital part of the community.  

When Marisa is not at work, there’s a good chance she’s giving back to the Convention host city. In this staff profile, Marisa shows us around the Denver Rescue Mission, where she volunteers her time after work. The DNCC has an internal monthly community service challenge to track hours of service completed by staff — and October was Marisa’s month to shine.

With the Democratic National Convention coming to Denver in just 10 months, the staff here at the DNCC is in full swing giving back to the community. Back in the summer, the staff took a weekend day to help spread mulch around trees in City Park. In September, we took a group of kids from Colorado Uplift to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park just outside Denver for a soccer clinic with some players from Denver’s MLS team the Rapids.

This Wednesday, we headed over to the Edna Oliver Montessori Early Learning Center in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood. The DNCC staff read to the kids, played on the playground with them and a bunch of us cleaned up around the center’s grounds.