Eagle Valley Community Foundation (EVCF) is a convener, inspiring collective action to local challenges, always keeping our ear to the ground, filling in gaps in service, and providing responsive solutions to the greatest and most emerging needs of Eagle Valley community members. EVCF provides access to programs and resources that support wellness, healthier food and other essential needs in our community while embracing individual dignity and a commitment to inclusivity, quality and sustainability. Current areas of focus include addressing food insecurity through healthy food access (The Community Market); early childhood care and learning; health and wellness resources and referrals (MIRA); nonprofit leadership capacity building development; and building community leadership among people of color (Elevar Social Venture Fund). Through each of these EVCF current core focus areas the lens of equity, inclusiveness, building economic power, and leveling the field for all community members is at the center of our work. All programs are tailored to the culture, neighborhood and needs of the community with a focus on building the strengths of each family and individual we serve.
Your generosity powers passionate people and the sustained positive impact we can make together. Please visit us at www.eaglevalleycf.org.
Testimonials
“Don’t ever forget to have joy in whatever you do. Follow your gut, follow your instinct, but you have to be happy on the way, you have to feel joy,” she said. “If it doesn’t make you happy — start exploring. Embrace it, and I hope you understand, it will take you to other places. Now, Valsecia serves as the executive director of the Eagle Valley Community Foundation, serving as an advocate for the health and well-being of local families and children. Her journey, she said, was one driven by curiosity and a passion to learn, despite any challenges or barriers she faced along the way." https://www.vaildaily.com/news/colorado-mountain-college-graduates-look-to-the-future/
“We are so grateful to Mike and Sue Rushmore for being change-makers in our community and creating sustainable and responsive solutions to meet the greatest needs of our community,” Valsecia said. https://www.vaildaily.com/news/eagle-valley-community-foundation-names-new-board-chair-three-new-members/
Melina Valsecia told the Vail Daily, "Instead of food assistance, food pantries like The Community Market are providing income assistance for residents who are struggling to make ends meet. By cutting down on their weekly food costs, it allows them to cover other expenses like rent, gas, electric and utility bills — or unforeseen medical expenses." https://www.vaildaily.com/news/eagle-valley/as-inflation-spikes-the-community-market-continues-to-feed-an-ongoing-need/
"Use at The Community Market skyrocketed with the pandemic. Valsecia said before COVID-19, the market would serve about 1,800 people per week. During the pandemic’s peak, that number went to about 3,800 people per week. At the moment, about 2,700 people came in for food during Christmas week," Valsecia told the Vail Daily in January. https://www.vaildaily.com/news/eagle-valley/eagle-county-charities-hard-at-work-to-meet-a-lot-of-need/
“Most all of the people I help need some type of therapy, whether it’s physical or mental, because those people that don’t want to live outside have something else going on. You have these people who really want to have a life they desire, but they don’t know how to get to it because they keep making mistakes, so we start from ground zero. I start with ‘Did you make your bed this morning?’ — and that’s in a tent. Because if you can make your bed, you’re willing to get out of it,” Pam Cessna, street outreach engagement specialist with the Mobile Intercultural Resource Alliance (MIRA) and Eagle Valley Community Foundation, told the Vail Daily. https://www.vaildaily.com/news/a-new-approach-to-supporting-the-homeless-in-eagle-county/
"The MIRA Bus will team up with local service providers to offer a variety of health care services, resources and referrals to residents at no cost to them," as reported by the Vail Daily. https://www.vaildaily.com/news/mira-bus-to-host-health-and-wellness-fair-in-edwards/
“The highest demand is for fresh food, because those things can be prohibitively expensive, as compared to food with preservatives or canned food. When people donate funds, we’re able to directly respond to what our customers want and need,” Rita Mary Hennigan told the Vail Daily earlier this month. https: //www.vaildaily.com/news/community-market-sees-300-increase-in-visitors-during-covid-19-invites-community-to-contribute-via-donation/
"This is about lifting people up and creating equality in the food system. We believe that healthy food access is a human right," Liken said to the Vail Daily in August. https://www.vaildaily.com/entertainment/community-market-in-gypsum-creates-equality-through-fresh-produce-strong-communities-and-sustainability/