BROOMFIELD, Colo.—Dec. 11, 2020— Vail Resorts’ Chief Executive Officer, Rob Katz, and his wife, Elana Amsterdam, New York Times bestselling author and founder of Elana’s Pantry, today announced more than $3.3 million in COVID-19 emergency relief and behavioral health grants. In nine communities where Vail Resorts operates, these separate donations will support local nonprofits’ ongoing efforts to (1) provide critical need services throughout the pandemic and (2) improve access to and affordability of mental and behavioral health services.
“As mountain towns continue to contend with the impacts of COVID-19, there’s been an increase in mental health challenges amplified by limited access to care,” said Katz. “Through these emergency relief grants and our third-annual behavioral health grants, we’re committed to supporting the vitality of the communities where we operate. We appreciate each of our incredible non-profit partners providing local support when it’s needed most and building lasting programs for the health of our communities.”
“These grants will support mental health services like the Building Hope Scholarship fund, and breathe life into programs like ALMAs, FIRC's Peer Program for Latina Women, and the new Building Hope Volunteer Peer Connection program,” Jen McAtamney, executive director of Building Hope in Summit County, Colorado. “They provide authentic support for locals who are struggling with the mental health challenges many of us experience sometime in our lives. This support is even more crucial now, as our community struggles with closures and the uncertainty caused by the pandemic.”
These COVID-19 emergency relief grants are in addition to the $2.5 million donated in March ($1.5 million to mountain communities and $1 million to establish a new fund for Vail Resorts employees due to the impacts of COVID-19).
The grant recipients announced today include:
South Lake Tahoe, California:
El Dorado Community Foundation: $45,000 to support Lake Tahoe Unified School District in the continued expansion of its mental and behavioral health services, particularly its role as the coordinating and referral hub for the South Lake Tahoe Behavioral Health Network.
The El Dorado Community Foundation also received $100,000 for their COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Tahoe-Truckee, California:
Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation: $195,000 to support safety-net behavioral health programs in Tahoe Truckee and the continued convening of partners working to create a regional behavioral health system.
The Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation also received $100,000 for their COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Crested Butte, Colorado:
CB State of Mind: $58,000 to expand the Therapy Scholarship Program, and strengthen community prevention and intervention efforts.
Community Foundation of the Gunnison Valley: $25,000 for their COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Gunnison Valley Health Foundation: $35,000 to support the continued growth of the Peer Support Specialist program.
Eagle County, Colorado:
Eagle Valley Behavioral Health: $475,000 to continue support for behavioral health initiatives and sub-grants in Eagle County including a coordinator for the new Mountain Strong EAP, launching a peer support program, an evaluation program to better measure collective impact, continued support for a behavioral health navigator at Eagle County Paramedics, and continued support for a bilingual clinician for Mountain Family Health Center.
Vail Valley Foundation: $200,000 in COVID-19 relief grants. This donation will go to the Vail Valley Foundation Community Fund, which was established in spring 2020 to provide support to those most in need during the pandemic.
Summit County, Colorado:
Building Hope: $300,000 to support four programmatic priorities including therapy scholarships, establishment of a peer-support program, implementing culturally responsive care for Spanish-speaking communities and developing an evaluation framework to measure collective impact.
Family & Intercultural Resource Center: $125,000 for renewed support to continue growing ALMAs program to increase bilingual peer support services in Summit County.
The Summit Foundation: $200,000 for their COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Additionally, in Colorado, $50,000 was donated to the Colorado COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Summit County, Utah:
CONNECT Summit County: $125,000 to support the growth of peer programming in the community, including piloting the Peer CONNECTions program.
Park City Community Foundation: $200,000 to support sub-grants for school-based and early childhood therapy services (Summit County Health Dept), bilingual therapy services (Jewish Family Services), substance use prevention programs (Communities that Care), Healthy Living Clubhouse (recovery/re-entry), and behavioral health system collaboration (PCCF).
The Park City Community Foundation also received $200,000 for their COVID-19 Relief Fund.
University of Utah: $125,000 to expand the behavioral health program to provide culturally responsive services to the Latinx community.
Stevens Pass, Washington:
Upper Valley Cares: $25,000 ($10,000 is a matching grant) to support increased access and affordability of mental health treatment through telehealth services and to establish a physical office location for Upper Valley Cares.
Upper Valley MEND: $25,000 for their COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Vermont:
Vermont Community Foundation: $205,000 to support mental and behavioral health projects for seven sub-grantees in the Stowe, Ludlow and Mount Snow communities of Vermont.
The Vermont Community Foundation also received $100,000 for their COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Whistler, British Columbia:
Howe Sound Women’s Centre Society: $45,000 CAD to support the remodeling of the Squamish drop-in center, which will improve crisis support capacity and children’s counseling for those impacted by domestic violence.
Sea to Sky Community Services Society: $75,000 CAD to support further development of the Squamish Foundry youth center and expand the Foundry Model’s regional coverage.
Squamish Helping Hands Society: $75,000 CAD to support the expansion of a personal development program aimed at assisting those facing challenges with mental health, substance use, or those who experience or are at risk of experiencing homelessness.
Whistler Blackcomb Foundation: $75,000 CAD to support the convening of a task force to envision and create a participant-centered approach to mental health services in Whistler.
The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation also received $160,000 CAD for their COVID-19 Relief Fund.
Whistler Community Services Society: $30,000 CAD to support the Pregnancy and Infant Loss program and the Birth, Baby and Beyond program.
Whistler Health Care Foundation: $90,000 CAD to upgrade the trauma rooms at the Whistler Health Care Centre to better support behavioral health crisis services.
About the Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust and Foundation
Founded by Vail Resorts’ CEO, Rob Katz, and his wife, Elana Amsterdam, New York Times bestselling author and founder of Elana’s Pantry, the Katz Amsterdam Foundation believes that emotional and physical wellness is essential for people and their communities to thrive. With a primary focus on mountain communities, the Foundation strives to create an inclusive and equitable environment that empowers people to lead full and vibrant lives. Since 2016 Katz and Amsterdam have made contributions of almost $120 million to the Katz Amsterdam Foundation and Charitable Trust, representing 100% of the proceeds of any sales by Katz of Vail Resorts common stock. During that same time period they have made grants to non-profits totaling over $24 million.