Off the Hill: Vail Valley Cares gives $312,000 to area nonprofits (video)

It was like Christmas for 37 nonprofits in the Vail Valley on Thursday, Aug. 24. Vail Valley Cares held their annual grant breakfast and divided up $312,000 and presented checks to help further the missions of these local and diverse organizations. Vail Valley Cares takes the revenue from their two thrift stores and puts the money back into the community. You may not have realized that the clothing your kids outgrew or the sporting equipment you never used allows area nonprofits to thrive. It’s recycling at its best. The event was hosted at Trinity church in Edwards. Greg Osteen, executive director of Vail Valley Cares and Jeff Apps, one of their board members, handed out the checks and each recipient got to come up and say a heartfelt thank you and tell the audience how the money will be utilized. During the program there were plenty of smiles, cheers and even some tears. The Thrift Shops in Edwards and Eagle close completely until noon the day of the event so that the staff can attend and be recognized for their efforts. The audience gave them a standing ovation for their service to the community. Vail Valley Cares has a grant application process each spring. The services the nonprofits provide range from literacy programs and senior citizens care to early childhood learning and mental health services. For many of these groups, the extra funding they receive from Vail Valley Cares is key to their operations. In addition to the $312,000 given to nonprofits, Vail Valley Cares also gives $20,000 in scholarships to Colorado Mountain College students. Since 2000, Vail Valley Cares has given away 3.6 million dollars. Consider the lifecycle of your donations and support Vail Valley Cares. To learn more about the history of their organization and information on their grants, please visit http://www.vailvalleycares.com.