her community real

big kitchen to cook in. There are usually about 50 kids there and they are very dependent on donations.”

For Emily, talking to teens at Urban Peak was eye-opening. She said, “Some family relationships aren’t the greatest and people don’t have a home. Once a fight broke out while we were setting up and serving the food. It had nothing to do with the fact that we were there with a meal, but they had to close the kitchen and move us away from the area. I feel really grateful to have a house, food on the table, and a great family.”

Emily also loves animals and has been volunteering at MAMCO Rescue, Moms and Mutts

Colorado Rescue for Pregnant and Nursing Dogs on West Oxford Avenue in Sheridan. There, she helps check in people who might adopt dogs. She also cleans up dog poop because that is what needs doing.

We wanted to know how Emily’s parents, Herb and Sara, imparted the importance of giving back. Sara explained, “As parents, we’ve taught our children the important Jewish value of Tikkun Olam, repairing and improving the world through acts of love and kindness. Part of taking on responsibility as a Bat/Bar Mitzvah means giving back to our community as we are not in this world as just individuals but connected to one another. As a family, we put this into practice by volunteering in food drives, donating meals to homeless shelters, and encouraging our kids to do the right thing when nobody’s watching. Every act of kindness matters and it’s up to each of us to do our part.” fmiklin.villager@gmail.com

When she grows up, Emily hopes to be a physical therapist or a sideline sports reporter. Whatever she does, she wants to work with people.

To learn more about how you can get involved with Urban Peak, please visit www.urbanpeak.org or contact Andrea Alcala at 303.974.2951 or andrea. alcala@urbanpeakorg.

You can support MAMCO via their website, https://mamco rescue.org.