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The 2020 Aspen Times Weekly Nonprofit Wish List

Nobody has had it easy in 2020. But for so many, the hardships of the pandemic and attendant economic crisis would have been much harder without the help of friends, neighbors and strangers in the nonprofit community.

Roaring Fork Valley nonprofits kept us fed and clothed, helped with physical and mental health, created new virtual educational resources for kids, supported the fight for social justice, did battle to conserve clean air, water and woods. Other organizations fought for their own survival, with most public events canceled since March and most fundraisers scrapped or going online, many local nonprofits lost the income base that keeps them running.

So the Aspen Times Weekly’s annual Nonprofit Wish List is more important than ever and we are more grateful than ever before for our diverse and generous constellation of nonprofits.



We’ve asked nonprofits for wishes this giving season and we encourage readers to support these vital groups however you can.

Of course, this list is not comprehensive of every nonprofit in the Roaring Fork Valley. If you have other causes and organizations near to your heart, support them. And if your organization has a wish, let us know by sharing it and tagging The Aspen Times on Twitter @TheAspenTimes or tagging the Aspen Times Weekly on Instagram @aspentimesweekly and including #nonprofitwish and #ATWeekly in your post.




Alpine Legal Services

We ensure access to justice from Parachute to Aspen by providing free civil legal aid for victims of domestic abuse, children and older adults. As we’ve seen a 264% increase in requests for legal aid and have helped 1,516 individuals so far this year, all donations at alpinelegalservices.org demonstrate your support for upholding fundamental legal rights in our community.

The Art Base

The Art Base is realizing a 24-year dream of buying a permanent home in the heart of old town Basalt. Contributions toward the purchase are gratefully received.

Ascendigo Autism Services, Inc.

The mission of Ascendigo Autism Services is to elevate the spectrum by empowering people, inspiring lives, and shattering expectations! This year, we are asking for program supplies such as GoPros for our ski programs, iPads to assist our clients, a laptop, or donations are always welcome at ascendigo.org/ways-to-give.

Aspen Animal Shelter

We invite you to spend the holiday season socializing with the homeless pets. You can cuddle with a cat, walk or hang out with a dog. 970-544-0206.

Aspen Community Foundation

Give today! Whether to Aspen Community Foundation or other nonprofits of your choice, just give. aspencommunityfoundation.org

Aspen Community Theatre

For the first time in its 44-year history, A.C.T. had to forgo the fall musical due to the pandemic. Please consider making a contribution today to help A.C.T. continue creating world-class community theater, support students interested in the arts and upgrade critical equipment; donate online at aspencommunitytheatre.org/give.

Aspen Education Foundation

AEF wishes for year-end gifts to support our local public schools. Education is the key to our future, and we want to provide the best programs possible to support our students.

Aspen Film

The primary goal of Aspen Film is to enrich and build community by offering spectacular films from independent filmmakers around the globe that foster reflection of today’s world. $250 underwrites an Aspen Film virtual screening for students, and $2,500 underwrites a Shortsfest cash prize for an Oscar-qualifying film. aspenfilm.org

Aspen Historical Society

The Aspen Historical Society Archives seeks artifacts for the AHS Collection including: snowboards with a special story and Dynamic VR-17 (circa 1960), K2 Competition (1969) and Olin Mark 8 (circa 1975) ski models. If you have an interesting or unique artifact please contact AHS at curator@aspenhistory.org or 970-925-3721.

Aspen Junior Hockey

Aspen Junior Hockey works hard to keep fees low so that every child in the valley who wants to play hockey can. Your donation will fund scholarships, general operational expenses, equipment needs and coaching resources. aspenjuniorhockey.com

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet

ASFB’s Folklórico enriches the lives of children K-12 in the Roaring Fork Valley through free after-school instruction in Mexican folkloric dance. A $250 donation would cover the costs of folklorico shoes for five students.

Aspen Strong

Our mission is to inspire a movement in our valley that promotes healthy community dialogue where suicide is recognized as preventable and mental hygiene is embraced and supported without shame. Give a gift today at aspenstrong.org to help us embody the values of resiliency, compassion, advocacy and connection.

Aspen Thrift Shop

We are requesting donations for our Scholarship Fundraiser. The Thrift Shop has been awarding scholarships to graduating seniors in the Roaring Fork Valley for over 50 years. The pandemic has forced the Thrift Shop to close but we are passionate to continue the tradition. coloradogives.org/thriftscholarships

Aspen Words

As we usher in the 24th anniversary season of Winter Words, occurring virtually for the first time, our goal remains to provide more young people and teachers access to inspirational talks by authors and role models in the arts. A $5,000 gift will underwrite 500 student and faculty tickets to the all-virtual Winter Words author series, helping us to encourage the next generation of writers in the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond. Marie Chan, 970-925-3122 ext. 1 marie.chan@aspeninstitute.org

Aspen Youth Center

On our wish list this year are donations to support our supervised learning, after-school programs, and tutors that we offer to youth in our community. We would also greatly appreciate items off of our Amazon Wish List, which can be found on our website and social media.

The BettyFlies Foundation

We fund aviation-related programs that encourage personal development and create science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education opportunities for our valley youth. Our wish is for tax-deductible donations toward one or more merit and need-based full flight school scholarship (value $12,000 each) for our worthy 2020-21 Aspen High School student applicants.

The Buddy Program

Our No. 1 wish is for more community members who will join our mission to empower youth through mentoring and become a Big Buddy to a youth three to four times each month for one year. We have a waitlist of nearly 30 youth in Aspen, Basalt and Carbondale! Contact Laura Seay at LauraS@buddyprogram.org

CASA of the Ninth

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the 9th Judicial District is wishing for time from people who would like to volunteer and make a positive impact on the lives of children who have been abused or neglected. If you would like to help local children but do not have much time to help, you can also support CASA this holiday season with a tax-deductible donation via Paypal or by donating Walmart, Target and City Market gift cards for local foster families.

Challenge Aspen

We consistently provide the safest environment for our participants who live with cognitive, service-related and/or physical disabilities, therefore, we are seeking funding for our new outdoor reception area, to include an awning and heaters. Challenge Aspen creating possibilities for those with disabilities.

Chris Klug Foundation

Participate in the Chris Klug Foundation’s virtual Summit for Life uphill challenge or donate to a Summit for Life participant to help them reach their fundraising goal. As CKF’s biggest fundraiser each year, the foundation relies on the success of Summit for Life to continue their lifesaving work in organ donation advocacy and eliminating the wait for those on the transplant waitlist nationwide.

English In Action

Even in a year rife with challenges and change, English In Action brings immigrant adult students and volunteer English tutors together to build robust relationships that strengthen and enrich our community as a whole. By improving their English through our one-on-one and small group tutoring programs, our students begin to navigate out of fear and are empowered to learn and advocate for themselves and their families. Make an impact by supporting our work at englishinaction.org/become-a-donor.

Family Resource Center of the Roaring Fork Schools

We strengthen student health, well-being and academic achievement by partnering with families, schools and communities. School- and community-based family liaisons provide support around basic and emergency needs through case-management, connections to resources/services and/or economic assistance. Please send an email to familyservices@rfschools.com or leave a message at 970-384-9500 for assistance.

Family Visitor Programs

We would love to have donations of City Market gift cards for our families of very young children who are struggling with COVID.

Food Bank of the Rockies

This giving season, your support matters as 1 in 7 people and 1 in 5 children are facing food insecurity in Colorado. A gift to Food Bank of the Rockies goes a long way to help with $1 providing the equivalent of 4 meals. foodbankrockies.org/wsdonate

Global Warming Mitigation Project

We wish for an atmosphere that supports a vibrant and thriving Aspen community, complete with snowy peaks, future ski seasons, and frosty joy. By donating to our Keeling Curve Prize or Constellations internship program, you can help us reach our goal of awarding $1 million a year to today’s most promising climate solutions and tomorrow’s climate leaders, giving the gift of a wintry future to your kids, your town and your world.

HomeCare & Hospice of the Valley

We are privileged to provide high-quality home health care, palliative, and hospice care to our neighbors in Pitkin, Eagle and Garfield Counties. As a nonprofit, our support for families through our hospice program is provided free of charge, without funding.

Lucky Day Animal Rescue of CO

We are dedicated to saving the lives of animals and improving the lives of people. We are always extremely grateful for any donations (we are 100% volunteer) and are always looking for new foster homes: LuckyDayRescue.org for donation button and application!

One Moment

Our mission is to create support and provide peace and hope for those touched by pregnancy loss or early infant loss while providing a safe haven to grieve and to heal. Our wish this season is for $500 to help provide items for our bereavement gift boxes that we give to grieving parents in their darkest hours.

Pathfinders

We are a local nonprofit providing free/low-cost mental health support for those struggling with grief and loss and serious illness (including COVID). We also provide meals and other volunteer services for those in need and appreciate any support you are able to give to us (pathfindersforyou.org).

Response

We support survivors of domestic and sexual abuse in our community. In addition to financial donations which are always so important to us (and can be made at responsehelps.org/donate) we need City Market cards to help our clients buy groceries.

Roaring Fork Conservancy

As your local river and watershed nonprofit we spend a lot of time in or near water. Roaring Fork Conservancy’s holiday wish is for a medium-sized laminator that will help us greatly extend the lifespan of our printed materials.

Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers

For 25 years, community members like yourself have joined RFOV in volunteer stewardship efforts across our region. As we expand our habitat restoration efforts in 2021, our wish is for additional handsaws, rakes, and wheelbarrows. Jacob Baker, 970-927-8241 jbaker@rfov.org

Shining Stars Foundation

Our wish is to put a smile on the faces of pediatric cancer patients and their families, and to put hope in their hearts! We’re hoping to deliver grocery assistance, a holiday meal, and holiday gifts for over 100 families this season, and you can help by donating gift cards, new toys, and cash donations at ShiningStarsFoundation.org.

Theatre Aspen

Our wish is to continue to serve our community by creating a sense of belonging, joy, and reimagining what is possible onstage and online. A gift today enables us to continue our education programs and performances for 2021, bringing world-class theatre dramatically closer to this community. theatreaspen.org/support-us

UpRoot Colorado

Between 2021 and ’23, UpRoot Colorado will be hosting an AmeriCorps Harvest Against Hunger VISTA to help build organizational capacity: the three-year organizational cost to host an AmeriCorps VISTA is $1,600 per year, or $4,800 total. To give or to learn more, please contact Ciara at ciara@uprootcolorado.org

Wilderness Workshop

We would like adult and children’s snowshoes, new or gently used, so that we can lend gear to participants in our snowshoe hikes. Our Defiende Nuestra Tierra program hosts several snowshoe outings every winter to bring fun outdoor experiences to our local Latinx communities and these snowshoes make sure we can continue expanding our winter series. wildernessworkshop.org

Aspen Times Weekly

Foodstuff: International Flair

As we slowly but surely emerge from cozy cooking weather, I like to get in a few elaborate comfort meals that take all day and are worth the effort. One of these is my annual Indian Feast, which I only do once a year because I remember what a process it is.



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