Vail Valley Charitable Fund

A nonprofit organization

The Vail Valley Charitable Fund provides financial assistance to individuals and families who live in the Vail Valley and are experiencing financial hardship due to a medical crisis or long-term illness. Since 1996, the Vail Valley Charitable Fund has distributed $9 million to over 2,000 families in the Vail Valley. All of the money raised stays here locally to help those who need it most. 

Our programs include:

*Direct Aid Grants provide assistance to locals who live and/or work in the Vail Valley with a one-time grant up to $7,500.

*Eagle County Smiles children's dental program provides low-cost dental services to uninsured children ages 0-18.  

*Eagle County Grins adult's dental program providing low-cost dental services to uninsured adults ages 19 and up.   

*Eagle County Moves physical therapy program provides an opportunity for our applicants to receive physical therapy to bolster their recovery.  

*Vail Breast Cancer Group provides care and comfort to those recently diagnosed with Shine on Bags and a $500 Day-to-Play check. 

*Endowment provides a lasting legacy; consider donating to our $1M goal. This fund will generate proceeds to cover our overhead expenses, allowing all other donations to serve our beloved Vail Valley entirely. 

Mission

The Vail Valley Charitable Fund provides financial assistance to individuals and families who live in the Vail Valley and are experiencing financial hardship due to a medical crisis or long-term illness.

Background Statement

In 1995, a young local woman named Cindy who was married and had a child was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Despite aggressive treatment, Cindy's condition became terminal. Not only was her illness and treatment taking a toll on her family emotionally, the financial strain from missed wages, deductibles, co-pays, child care, and transportation was mounting. Knowing that a bake sale wouldn't do, a group of Cindy's friends, family members, coworkers and neighbors put their heads together to create a fundraiser for Cindy's family's, hoping that some additional funds might help them through their most trying time. Most importantly, Cindy's friends hoped that she and her family could spend their remaining time focusing on each other rather than on medical bills. After Cindy passed away, this same group of passionate individuals thought, "What if someone else is in Cindy's shoes, but doesn't have the friends and family in this area to help out when they need it most?" The Vail Valley Charitable Fund was then born.

TESTIMONIALS

"Our entire world was turned upside down shortly after our daughter Emery, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer at just five months old. Absolutely everything in our lives was up in the air, including how we were going to pay our mortgage and keep food on the table during this ordeal. As we focused on the intense treatment young Emmy needed to save her life, some wonderful members of this great community along with the VVCF stepped up huge and put together a beautiful fundraiser that brought together friends, family and strangers alike; all coming out to support our family. The funds raised there as well as an additional grant from the VVCF helped to ensure we could keep our focus and energy where it needed to be. It also instilled an tremendous amount of confidence in us as a family, knowing that there were so many incredible people who had our backs, supporting us every step of the way along our journey. Today, young Emmy is thriving! Now three (and a half), she is everything that a little kid should be: happy, healthy, hair growing like crazy, and filled with nonstop energy that only fuels her already boundless curiosity. She gets up each day and takes on the world with gusto, just like she always has only now, she can stop working so hard to feel better and just focus on being Emmy."

~ Michael, Aja and Emmy Welle, Grant & Extended Grant Recipients

"We moved to the valley in April of 1999. I had heard of some of the amazing things that Vail Valley Charitable Fund had done, but never in my wildest dreams did I think I would ever need that kind of assistance. In April of 2016, I was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer. I continued to work as for as long as I could, but in July of 2018, I had to stop and go on disability because of the metastasis in my leg. After a couple of years of very high deductibles and then having to wait 4 months for anything to start coming in from disability I couldn't meet my basic bills. Enter Vail Valley Charitable Fund. They gave us a grant so we could pay ahead on the basics like rent and utilities. Not only that, but I remember them making my wife feel so cared about when they called several times to see how we were doing. I feel so blessed to live in such an amazing community!"

~ Jack Swedlund, Grant Recipient

"Our family has been the beneficiary of money provided by Vail Valley Charitable Fund that has enabled us to have the help for an ongoing treatment that insurance wouldn't cover. We did not know where to go when large medical bills started coming in, yet we needed a specific treatment that would take place over 9 months. Someone mentioned we should reach out to VVCF. We found compassion from the beginning communication to actually being told we were awarded a grant. We are forever thankful for this organizations presence and need-meeting place in our community. When you are in the middle of extremely stressful medical situations and on top of it dealing with finances and insurance companies, it can take your breath away. Vail Valley Charitable Fund has helped provide a reprieve in a very difficult stretch of life, and we are grateful."

~ Tim and Melinda Carlson, Grant Recipients

"As a recipient of the Vail Valley Charitable Fund's generosity, I am forever grateful for your assistance at a time when I was struggling with recurring cancer and overwhelming medical bills. My cancer continues to be a swinging pendulum, but am currently feeling the best I have in several years."

~ Carol Schimmer, Grant Recipient

Organization Data

Summary

Organization name

Vail Valley Charitable Fund

other names

VVCF

Year Established

1996

Tax id (EIN)

84-1359124

Category

Health Care

Organization Size

Medium Organization

Address

PO Box 2307
Edwards, CO 81632

Service areas

Eagle County, CO, US

Phone

970-524-1480

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