Community in Action: EVCF and YouthPower365 Step Up to Address SNAP Cuts

Need at The Community Market has been on the rise since the start of 2025. However, this need skyrocketed last month, as the government shutdown threatened SNAP benefits for 1,400 of our community members. In response, Eagle Valley Community Foundation (EVCF) launched a rapid-response effort to support affected families between October 29 and November 26. The initiative provided direct financial relief, expanded food access through The Community Market, bilingual navigation via MIRA, and coordinated communication with public agencies. In partnership with Early Head Start, Head Start, and YouthPower365’s Magic Bus, EVCF supported 80 families and 189 children, offering early learning, family support, and mobile bilingual programming directly in neighborhoods.

EVCF Impact

As a result of this collaborative emergency effort, EVCF ensured uninterrupted access to nutritious food, immediate financial relief, and bilingual support for families with young children. Through strong partnerships and operational agility, EVCF and its partners helped to stabilize households during a critical benefit disruption. Key actions included:

• Distributing $50 grocery gift cards per child, totaling $10,000.
• Sharing MIRA’s November calendar with families to support resource navigation and benefits assistance.
• Purchasing an additional $20,000 in food to keep The Community Market fully stocked and support the Salvation Army (approximately $5,000 per week).
• Deploying coordinated SNAP communications aligned with national, state, and county messaging to keep families informed and supported.

Partner Spotlight: YouthPower365’s Magic Bus Program

While the numbers above show the direct impact of our work, the stories shared by our partners below offer an even more powerful insight into the lived experience of families navigating food insecurity in Eagle County. YouthPower365’s Magic Bus team provided the following reflections, illustrating how deeply the program has supported local households:

“One family who benefited from the Gift Card Program is new to the valley and just beginning to understand how expensive it is to reside here. The program was not only a financial support but an emotional support for this family, knowing that our community cares.”

“Another family shared with their teacher the big sense of relief the Gift Card Program provided for their family of six, with only one parent working at this time.”

“A third family shared with their teacher the feelings of embarrassment that can occur at the grocery store when you realize you can’t cover the cost of your purchase. The SNAP Gift Card Program relieved families of these quiet burdens they shoulder to provide the opportunity for their children to grow up in our amazing community.”

These testimonials underscore a shared reality: families with limited or unstable income experience heightened pressure during periods of economic strain. For many, especially those adjusting to the area’s high cost of living, immediate relief paired with a sense of community is essential. The gift cards provided both, easing financial burdens and allowing parents to focus their energy on maintaining stability. By alleviating the hidden hardships that come from food insecurity, such as stress, shame and fear, the program helped restore dignity, autonomy, and peace of mind.

We are truly grateful for partners like YouthPower365’s Magic Bus team. Partnerships like these not only strengthen our network of organizations supporting Eagle County families, but also expand the reach and impact of our work – helping build a stronger, more connected, and more resilient community.