BROOMFIELD, Colo., March 30, 2020 /CNW/ -- As individuals and
communities contend with the severe impacts of COVID-19, Vail
Resorts' CEO, Rob Katz, and his
wife, Elana Amsterdam, New York
Times bestselling author and founder of Elana's Pantry, today
announced a donation of more than $2.5
million to provide immediate support for both Vail Resorts
employees and the mountain towns where the Company operates.
Katz will donate $1.5 million in
immediate emergency relief grants that will benefit more than a
dozen local organizations providing critical services in
Eagle, Summit and Gunnison counties in Colo.; Park City, Utah; Lake Tahoe, Calif.; Whistler, B.C.; Vermont; Stevens
Pass, Wash.; and Jackson Hole,
Wyo. (home of Grand Teton Lodge Company).
An additional $1 million is being
donated by Katz to create a new fund within Vail Resorts' Epic
Promise Employee Foundation, which helps the Company's employees
respond to unpredictable setbacks, including medical events. This
fund will help meet the increased need for assistance due to the
impacts of COVID-19, ensuring that the Foundation has the resources
to address this challenge.
"I cannot recall another moment in my lifetime that has caused
so much disruption to our lives – to our work, to our health and to
our communities," said Katz. "Throughout this incredibly
challenging time, two of our absolute priorities have been, and
will continue to be, the health and wellbeing of our employees and
mountain communities. What makes our resorts so special is where
they're located and the passionate people who live there. As we
navigate this situation, it's essential we continue to support our
employees and the vitality of our communities, providing
partnership when it's needed most."
"We thank our entire community for stepping up to the plate to
give back," said Susie Davis,
director of community impact, Eagle Valley Community Foundation.
"The Community Market is experiencing increasing demand for food.
Rob Katz and Elana Amsterdam have shown up once again by
being leaders. Their concern for those impacted locally during this
uncertain time, and the authentic care they have for this
community, is demonstrated through this support. With this
contribution, we are able to continue to provide healthy food in a
safe manner to our local families."
"COVID-19 has greatly impacted our small mountain town," said
Lori Pyne, interim executive
director, Whistler Community Services Society. "Whistler Community
Services Society greatly appreciates this grant from Katz Amsterdam
Charitable Trust. Our funding model is social enterprise, which
typically funds 75% of our social services, and we have been forced
to close these stores in compliance with the federal government and
our medical experts. Contributions like this helps ensure that we
can keep up with demand for our essential services of the Foodbank
and our Outreach Services, which we expect to soar in the coming
months."
The donation will be distributed through the Katz Amsterdam
Charitable Trust, which was established to support mountain
communities, with an initial focus on eliminating the stigma of
mental illness and increasing access to mental and behavioral
healthcare. Since 2016, the Trust has donated over $10 million total, including nearly $6.5 million in mental and behavioral health
grants, to communities where Vail Resorts operates.
Recipients of the Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust COVID-19
Emergency Relief Grants include:
State of Colorado:
- Help Colorado Now: $250,000 to support non-profits across
Colorado that are providing
critical services during this public health crisis
Eagle County,
Colorado:
- Eagle Valley Community Foundation: $200,000 to support basic needs and mobile food
bank services that help community members across the county
Summit County,
Colorado:
- Family Intercultural Resource Center: $100,000 to support the organization's mobile
food bank and mental health and social service navigation
- The Summit Foundation: $100,000 to the Summit County Cares Fund to
support non-profits serving the most vulnerable populations and
providing critical resources to community members
Crested Butte,
Colorado:
- Community Foundation of Gunnison Valley: $50,000 to the Foundation's COVID-19 Response and
Recovery Efforts that supports non-profits who provide critical
services to those impacted
Summit County, Utah:
- Park City Community Foundation: $200,000 to support the Community Response Fund
that will deploy resources to health and human services community
organizations that serve vulnerable populations disproportionately
affected by the COVID-19 outbreak
South Lake Tahoe,
California:
- The El Dorado Community Foundation: $150,000 to the Foundation's Coronavirus Relief
Fund that will support families in need and non-profits that
provide critical basic need and other social services to the
community
North Lake
Tahoe/Truckee,
California:
- Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation: $100,000 to the Foundation's COVID-19 Emergency
Response Fund that supports non-profits across the region to serve
the critical needs of those impacted by the coronavirus.
Whistler, British
Columbia:
- Whistler Community Social
Services: $100,000 CAD to support
the organization's mobile food bank, mental health services and
social service outreach efforts
- The Whistler Blackcomb Foundation: $100,000 CAD to the Foundation's COVID relief
fund that will support non-profits across the Sea-to-Sky corridor
as they meet the most critical needs of community members
Vermont:
- Vermont Community Foundation: $150,000 to support several non-profits in three
communities that provide food services, basic needs and critical
social services to community members
Stevens Pass,
Washington:
- Upper Valley Mend: $50,000
to support the organization's food bank program and other critical
social services to those in need
Jackson, Wyoming (Grand
Teton Lodge Company):
- Community Foundation of Jackson
Hole: $50,000 to the
Community Emergency Response Fund to support local non-profits
helping those directly impacted by COVID-19.
All Vail Resorts Communities
- Epic Promise Employee Foundation: $1 million to establish a new fund to provide
additional assistance to Vail Resorts employees due to the impacts
of COVID-19.
About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading global
mountain resort operator. Vail Resorts' subsidiaries operate 37
world-class mountain resorts and urban ski areas, including
Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Crested
Butte in Colorado;
Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake
Tahoe area of California
and Nevada; Whistler Blackcomb in
British Columbia, Canada;
Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham
in Australia; Stowe, Mount
Snow, Okemo in Vermont;
Hunter Mountain in New York; Mount
Sunapee, Attitash, Wildcat and Crotched in New Hampshire; Stevens Pass in Washington; Liberty, Roundtop, Whitetail,
Jack Frost and Big Boulder in
Pennsylvania; Alpine Valley,
Boston Mills, Brandywine and Mad
River in Ohio; Hidden Valley and Snow Creek in Missouri; Wilmot in Wisconsin; Afton Alps in Minnesota; Mt. Brighton in Michigan; and Paoli Peaks in Indiana. Vail Resorts owns and/or manages a
collection of casually elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand,
as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Development
Company is the real estate planning and development subsidiary of
Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded
on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts
company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer
website is www.epicpass.com.
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SOURCE Vail Resorts, Inc.