GREATER VAIL COMMUNITY RESOURCES

FOOD BANK: OPERATES A EMERGENCY FOOD PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES WEEKLY FOOD, ENSURING FAMILIES HAVE HEALTHY NUTRITION. THE PROGRAM SERVES THE LOW INCOME, THE HOMEBOUND OLDER ADULTS, INDIVIDUALS,FAMILIES AND STUDENTS STRUGGLING WITH FINANCIAL HARDSHIP. THIS INCLUDES MONTHLY FOOD AND HOLIDAY BOXES, AS WELL AS SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD ITEMS, DIAPERS AND PERSONAL HYGIENE ITEMS. IN 2024 226 VOLUNTEERS DONATED THEIR TIME TO THE FOOD BANK. THE VOLUNTEER HOURS WORKED TO MAKE THE FOOD PROGRAMS POSSIBLE AMOUNTED TO 12,934, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY EQUIVALENT TO 6.22 FULL TIME EMPLOYEES. THE ORGANIZATION SERVED 16% MORE HOUSEHOLDS IN 2024.PROGRAMS:EMERGENCY FOOD: PROVIDES ACCESS TO WEEKLY FOOD, ENSURING FAMILIES HAVE HEALTHY NUTRITION. THE PROGRAM SERVED 1,653 UNIQUE HOUSEHOLDS AND 5,756 UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL CLIENTS FOR A TOTAL SERVED IN 2024 OF 8,406. FOOD IS RESCUED FROM FIVE LOCAL GROCERY STORES SIX DAYS PER WEEK WITH A MONTHLY AVERAGE OF 22,792 POUNDS OF FOOD MADE AVAILABLE TO OUR FOOD BANK CLIENTS. THE FOOD BANK ALSO RECEIVED 220,397 POUNDS OF FOOD DONATIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS IN 2024 AS WELL AS CASH DONATIONS TO HELP SUPPLEMENT ADDITIONAL FOOD FOR THE PROGRAM.HOMEBOUND OLDER ADULT MEAL BOXES: THIS PROGRAM BENEFITS HOMEBOUND, PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED OR CONVALESCENT INDIVIDUALS PROVIDING BALANCED SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION THAT IS NOT CARB OR SODIUM HEAVY. AN ENTIRE WEEKS WORTH OF FOOD BOXES ARE DELIVERED BY VOLUNTEERS EACH WEEK TO TWELVE (12) HOMEBOUND CLIENTS. THE MEALS PROVIDE HEALTHY AND EASILY PREPARED FOOD AND GIVES THE VOLUNTEERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHECK ON THE WELLBEING OF THE CLIENTS. MEALS TO GROW: IN 2024 21,250 FOOD BAGS WERE PROVIDED TO CHILDREN WITH NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT OVER THE WEEKEND. THE PROGRAM GREW 28% IN 2024 SERVING 550 STUDENTS. EACH WEEK VOLUNTEERS ALONG STUDENTS FROM THE VAIL UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICTS SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM, TRANSITION FROM SCHOOL TO WORK(TSW) FILL AND DELIVER BAGS OF FOOD, WHILE SCHOOL IS IN SESSION, TO STUDENTS IN NEED. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE AN AVERAGE OF 1,600 CALORIES AND 62 GRAMS OF PROTEIN TO STUDENTS AS A NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT ON WEEKENDS. STUDENTS WHO QUALIFY FOR THE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH PROGRAM ARE REFERRED TO RESOURCES BY THE STUDENT SERVICE COORDINATOR (SSC) AT EACH OF THE 22 SCHOOLS IN THE VAIL UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. MEALS FOR MOBILE STUDENTS: PROVIDS WEAKLY MEAL BAGS FOR UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH LIVING ON THEIR OWN THAT CAN BE PREPARED EASILY. FOURTEEN (14) TEENS WERE PROVIDED FOOD TO HELP THEM BE ABLE TO STAY ENGAGED IN SCHOOL. HOLIDAY MEAL BOXES: PROVIDED FAMILIES WITH THE EXTRA FOOD NEEDED TO CELBRATE THE HOLIDAYS IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER. IN 2024 601 HOUSEHOLDS WERE SERVED WHICH WAS A 16% INCREASE FROM 2023. THRIFT STORE: THE VAIL UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICTS STUDENT SERVICE COORDINATOR, IDENTIFIES STUDENTS WHO ARE IN NEED OF CLOTHING. THE STUDENTS ARE GIVEN A VOUCHER TO USE TO SHOP AT THE STORE FOR CLOTHING. IN 2024 $12,254 (THRIFT STORE VALUE PRICING) WORTH OF CLOTHING WAS GIVEN TO THESE NEEDY STUDENTS. 123 VOLUNTEERS WORKED AT THE STORE FOR A TOTAL OF 9,734 HOURS IN 2024, WHICH IS EQUVALENT TO FIVE (5) FULL TIME EMPLOYEES. THE STORES ENTIRE NET REVENUE SUPPORTS THE FOOD BANK PROGRAMS.