Back to School Night 2025

Join us for our annual Back to School Night Fundraiser on Thursday, September 11th!

Sponsorship opportunities are linked below.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Honoring Community Changemaker D.J. Close

As we celebrate 20 years of change, we are pleased to name D.J. Close as our 2025 Changemaker of the Year! D.J’s commitment to civic engagement, education, and collaboration across sectors has made a lasting impact across Colorado. As a dedicated volunteer and steadfast supporter of CYC for nearly 10 years, D.J. has served as both a board member and as Chair of the Board. Through his leadership and unwavering dedication, D.J. has left a lasting imprint on CYC, and we are excited to honor his contributions at our 2025 Back to School Night on September 11th.

Born and raised in Durango, Colorado, D.J. now calls Denver home, where he lives with his husband, Sinjin, their newborn son, Clayton, and dog, Herschel. A graduate of the University of Denver with a degree in Political Science and Leadership, D.J. is deeply committed to civic engagement and believes that real change occurs when the private, public, philanthropic, and nonprofit sectors unite to work toward a shared vision.

Currently the Executive Director of the Delta Dental of Colorado Foundation at Delta Dental of Colorado, D.J. brings extensive experience in nonprofit leadership. Prior to this role, he was the Director of Giving and Executive Director at the DaVita Giving Foundation. Before joining DaVita, D.J. worked at Mile High United Way, where he started the Colorado Reading Corps, an AmeriCorps program dedicated to improving K-3 literacy (now operated by Colorado Youth for a Change). Earlier in his career, D.J. served in the Office of Colorado Lt. Governor Joseph Garcia and was a distinguished graduate of the El Pomar Foundation’s Fellowship program.