Eagle Valley Community Foundation

EAGLE VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION PROVIDES ACCESS TO PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT WELLNESS, HEALTHIER FOOD AND OTHER ESSENTIAL NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHILE EMBRACING INDIVIDUAL DIGNITY AND A COMMITTMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY AND QUALITY.

EVCF IS A CONVENER, INSPIRING COLLECTIVE ACTION TO LOCAL CHALLENGES, ALWAYS KEEPING OUR EAR TO THE GROUND AND PROVIDING RESPONSIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE MOST EMERGING NEEDS OF EAGLE VALLEY COMMUNITY MEMBERS. CURRENT AREAS OF FOCUS INCLUDE ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY THROUGH HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS (THE COMMUNITY MARKET), EARLY CARE AND LEARNING, HEALTH & WELLNESS RESOURCES AND REFERRALS (MIRA BUS), NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP CAPACITY BUILDING, AND BUILDING COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AMONG PEOPLE OF COLOR (ELEVAR). THROUGH EACH OF THESE CURRENT CORE FOCUS AREAS OF EAGLE VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, THE LENS OF EQUITY, INCLUSIVENESS, BUILDING ECONOMIC POWER, AND LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD FOR ALL PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE AT THE CENTER OF THIS WORK. ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS ARE TAILORED TO THE CULTURE, NEIGHBORHOOD, AND NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY WITH A FOCUS ON BUILDING UPON THE STRENGTHS OF EACH FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL WE SERVE. THROUGH TWO STOREFRONT MARKETS, LOCATED IN GYPSUM AND EDWARDS, AND POP-UP MOBILE MARKETS AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT THE EAGLE RIVER VALLEY, THE COMMUNITY MARKETS ARE ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY BY PROVIDING A VARIETY OF FRESH PRODUCE, DAIRY, MEATS, AND BREAD AS WELL AS SHELF-STABLE GROCERY ITEMS FOR CUSTOMERS TO SHOP ON A REGULAR BASIS. TCM HAS EXPERIENCED RECORD NUMBERS OF CUSTOMERS SEEKING FOOD ASSISTANCE ON A WEEKLY BASIS. PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, APPROXIMATELY 1,100 PEOPLE SOUGHT THE SERVICES OF TCM ON A WEEKLY BASIS. TODAY, WE CONTINUE TO FEED OVER 4,500 LOCAL RESIDENTS PER WEEK AND 12,000 PEOPLE EACH MONTH. TCM CONTINUES TO INCREASE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN MAXIMIZE FOOD RESCUE EFFORTS AND ENSURE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THE FRESHEST AND HEALTHIEST FOOD TO OUR CUSTOMERS. WHILE MUCH OF THE FOOD IS RECOVERED FROM GROCERY STORES, WE ALSO PURCHASE FROM GROWERS AND DISTRIBUTORS. 50% OF THE FOOD DISTRIBUTED THROUGH TCM IS FRESH PRODUCE. FOOD QUALITY CONTROL MEASURES HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED TO ENSURE FOOD SAFETY. WE MONITOR THE TIME AND TEMPERATURE OF OUR FOOD IN TRANSIT AS WELL AS AT THE TCM WAREHOUSE. THE COMMUNITY MARKET (TCM) WILL WORK WITH OUR CUSTOMERS TO HELP IDENTIFY RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP THEM GET BACK ON THEIR FEET AND BUILD ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY. EVCF EMPLOYS A NEED-BLIND APPROACH IN AN EFFORT TO CREATE A TRUSTING AND DIGNIFIED EXPERIENCE FOR ALL CUSTOMERS WHO NEED OUR SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. IN 2022, TCM HAD OVER 16,000 UNIQUE VISITORS AVERAGING 10-13 VISITS PER PERSON WHO UTILIZED THE RESOURCES OF THE MARKET TO PROVIDE FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILIES. THIS DEMONSTRATES THE BROAD-REACHING IMPACT AND NEED FOR FREE, HEALTHY FOOD ACROSS THE EAGLE RIVER VALLEY, WHICH TCM PROVIDES. EVCF STRENGTHENS COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS IN THE EAGLE VALLEY BY USING OUR EXPERTISE TO LEAD AND ADVOCATE FOR EQUITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. MIRA BUS PROGRAM IS A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN SOLUTION TO COMMUNITY-RECOGNIZED SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH NEEDS. MIRA PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS AWARENESS AND UTILIZATION OF FREE PROGRAMS IN HEALTH, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, EDUCATION, HOUSING, EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMS, AND FOOD ASSISTANCE, TO NAME A FEW. WE BUILD PARTNERSHIPS TO BE ABLE TO ADD SERVICES DIRECTLY ON THE BUS AS WELL AS OTHER MEDICAL SERVICES AND CONNECTIONS AFFECTING THE HISPANIC AND LATINX COMMUNITY AND OTHER AT-RISK COMMUNITIES. MOBILE HEALTH CLINICS, LIKE MIRA, PROVIDE AN ALTERNATIVE PORTAL INTO THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM FOR THE MEDICALLY DISENFRANCHISED, THAT IS, PEOPLE WHO ARE UNDERINSURED, UNINSURED OR WHO ARE OTHERWISE OUTSIDE OF MAINSTREAM HEALTHCARE DUE TO ISSUES OF TRUST, LANGUAGE, IMMIGRATION STATUS, OR SIMPLY LOCATION. BEGINNING IN 2022, WE PARTNERED WITH THE HARVARD SCHOOL OF MEDICINE FOR ITS MOBILE HEALTH MAP PROGRAM, A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH FOR MOBILE HEALTH ACCESS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. MOBILE HEALTH CLINICS ARE AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF THE HEALTHCARE SAFETY NET; PROVIDING PREVENTION, SCREENING, AND APPROPRIATE TRIAGE INTO MAINSTREAM SERVICES. IN 2022 THANKS TO THIS PARTNERSHIP, MIRA WAS ABLE TO STRATEGICALLY ASSESS THE VALUE OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED AND CLIENTS AVOIDED 550 EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT VISITS, SAVED 201 LIFE YEARS, AND RETURNED 14,535,976 INTO THE COMMUNITY. MOVING FORWARD, THIS PARTNERSHIP WILL ALLOW US TO MORE EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE AND MEASURE SUCCESS. EAGLE VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ALSO AIMS TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO BUILD THEIR OWN CAPACITY AS LEADERS, ADVOCATES, AND EMPOWERED MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. THAT IS WHY ONE OF OUR PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF 2022 IS THE LAUNCH OF THE ELEVAR PROGRAM. THROUGH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, LEADERSHIP COACHING, AND START-UP OR ACCELERATOR FUNDING THROUGH GRANTMAKING AND PROGRAM-RELATED INVESTMENTS, EVCF IS WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TO SUPPORT COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF COLOR WANTING TO START OR ACCELERATE THEIR OWN SOCIAL ENTERPRISE OR BUSINESS WITH A FOCUS ON SUPPORTING EARLY-STAGE SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL VENTURES AIMING TO SOLVE OUR COMMUNITY'S PROBLEMS AND ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES. THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO EFFECTIVELY ADVOCATE FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC NEEDS; ULTIMATELY LEADING TO A MORE EQUITABLE AND THRIVING COMMUNITY. EAGLE VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ACTS AS A CONVENER AND SUPPORTS ANY LOCAL EFFORT OR ORGANIZATION THAT AIMS TO ADDRESS EMERGING NEEDS IN OUR LOCAL WORKFORCE. THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS WITH FOOD BANK OF THE ROCKIES, FOOD RESCUE ALLIANCE, VAIL VALLEY SALVATION ARMY FOOD PANTRY, EAGLE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, VAIL HEALTH, VAIL RESORTS, COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE, WALKING MOUNTAINS SCIENCE CENTER, EAGLE COUNTY SCHOOLS, VAIL VALLEY FOUNDATION YOUTHPOWER 365, UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS, MOUNTAIN FAMILY HEALTH CENTER, BRAVOVAIL, TOWN OF AVON, TOWN OF GYPSUM, TOWN OF EAGLE, NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND MOBILE HOME PARKS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, LOCAL & REGIONAL FARMERS AND GROWERS, AND SEVERAL GROCERS, RESTAURANTS, AND COMMUNITY NON-PROFIT GROUPS, WE ARE COMMITTED TO NOURISHING THE LIVES OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITY THRIVE.

EAGLE VALLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INITIATIVES ARE AIMED AT SUPPORTING WORKING FAMILIES THAT MAY BE VULNERABLE TO HUNGER AND OTHER BASIC NEEDS. WE SEEK TO FILL GAPS IN COMMUNITY SERVICE. THE WORK WE ARE DOING INCLUDES THE LAUNCH OF THE EAGLE RIVER VALLEY FOOD BANK, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AT COLORADO MOUNTAIN COLLEGE, AND MANAGEMENT OF THE AMERICORPS VISTA PROGRAM, WORKING ON ISSUES OF LOCAL POVERTY.