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Mazda Drive for Good Winner Reunites Siblings Separated in Foster Care

Elevating Connections Mazda Drive for Good

In Colorado, nearly 40 percent of children in foster care are separated from one or more of their siblings – that’s more than 4,000 separated siblings. Elevating Connections, a nonprofit based in Aurora, Colorado, works to reunite siblings separated in foster care at their weeklong summer camp. Separated siblings come to Camp To Belong Colorado and participate in outdoor activities in an atmosphere designed to support their growth and development, individually and as a family.

Elevating Connections was recently recognized as one of the five winners the 2016 Mazda Drive for Good program, for their work in their local community, and received $10,000 in grants and services. The donation from Mazda will go toward increasing the number of times the organization’s siblings get to see each other throughout the year.

Elevating Connections Mazda Drive for Good

“We are so excited to have received this generous donation from the Mazda Drive for Good program,” said Stacey Sanders, Executive Director of Elevating Connections. “This donation is our organization’s single largest donation to-date, and will help in regaining the connection between brothers and sisters separated in foster care through Camp To Belong Colorado.”

In addition to Camp To Belong Colorado, Elevating Connections offers additional programs to further promote stable and permanent support for local youth as they mature into adulthood.

Elevating Connections has other initiatives outside of Camp To Belong Colorado. The team also works to encourage foster youth to attend sporting events, trips to museums, or zoos in order to further their connection with family and volunteers. The nonprofit is currently developing their next program, Elevating Connections Café. In order to train older foster youth for success in the workforce, the Elevating Connections Cafe will be a place for them to learn valuable job skills while interacting with the local community.

Elevating Connections Mazda Drive for Good

“Elevating Connections was created so that we can offer local youth a permanent connection with their siblings and their community,” Sanders explained. “Through the help of these programs we are doing just that.”