Nonprofits in Park City

Park City Nonprofit Highlight: Kimball Art Center

March 4, 2019 by Shelby Hintze, Colony PR

The motto of the Kimball Art Center is “Art Starts Here.” For so many of the children, families and other residents of Summit County and here in Park City, that’s completely accurate. KAC offers an immense amount of educational opportunities to people in the community, for free or close to it.

The place where art starts started in a garage in 1976. Bill Kimball opened the art center as a way to connect the community through art. The community began to grow – and so did the center. The center now has an amazing FREE art museum featuring exhibitions from artists from around the world, and offers more than 300 different visual art classes to kids and adults. And the K-12 program, a partnership with the Park City Education Foundation, makes sure art is taught in the schools. Between all those different programs, the KAC now serves 85,000+ people a year!

Here’s a quick rundown at the programs the KAC offers—buckle up!

The KAC offers oh-so-many art classes to kids and adults. Classes in mediums like welding, painting, drawing, photography, pottery, stained glass and more fill the studios each day. The classes do have a cost but scholarships are available. You can also sign up for private or small group classes. The KAC also offers a clay studio for a small membership fee. The studio is staffed with artists who help your pieces come to life.

The partnership with Park City Education Foundation works to provide art education which wouldn’t happen otherwise. This program is called Elementary Visual Arts, with funding from PCEF and curriculum from KAC. The EVA staff teaches monthly art classes designed to teach kids art basics – and to encourage kids to stretch their creativity.

Here’s what the effort boils down to: in the world we live in now, everything is a problem to be solved. When we have a strong command of our creative thinking skills, we can find better solutions to problems—which is why art is so important. It helps that it’s just plain fun, too. One of the EVA specialists said she loves to watch students who may struggle academically come into her art classes and be able to express themselves visually. She says you can see their confidence grow as they explore another way to learn. Each month, the lessons and supplemental materials are posted online so the learning can continue at home.

While the EVA classes are taught in Park City School District elementary schools, the KAC is also looking out for teens who have shown an interest and a talent in the visual arts. The Young Artists’ Academy is a school-year-long program lasting the length of the school year designed to help budding artists learn more about the visual arts as well as art professions. Weekly classes and service opportunities help teens to expand their portfolio, meet artists and participate in critiques of art, their own and others.

“Off the chART Art” is an after-school art program designed for students ages 6-11. The 8-week long program meets after school at the elementary schools so parents don’t have to drive kiddos back and forth. Young students will learn about drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media and more.

The Kimball Art Center museum is free every day and features rotating exhibitions from local artists as well as artists from around the world. School and youth groups can come to tour the gallery and learn from a trained staff member, teaching from curriculum developed to integrate art into lessons that are based on core subjects such as Math, Science, Reading, Writing, History, Geography and Language Arts.

The KAC operates off of grants and donations. Its biggest fundraiser every year is also a huge boon to the local economy as well—the Park City Kimball Arts Festival. This year will be the festival’s 50th year. Each year, the festival welcomes more than 50,000 guests, 220+ jury-selected artists from over 30 states in 12 categories, 30 live musical acts and lots and lots of food.

Photo Courtesy: Mark Maziarz for Kimball Art Center

Last year, the KAC says the festival brought more than $20 million into the state. The festival is held on Historic Main Street and the small price of admission keeps all of these programs above running through the year. This year, the festival will be held from August 2nd – 4th.

On its website, it says “KAC provides a platform and a place for artists and arts enthusiasts to come together to explore, celebrate, develop and cherish the creative spark that lives within us all. We believe that art brings meaning, joy, direction, community enhancement, and inspiration…We know that art changes lives and brings people together, sustaining our vibrant community and catalyzing positive change in the world around us.”

Of course, the KAC is always looking for donations, volunteers, even some paid positions. If you’d like to explore ways to help the KAC meet its mission check out its website or go see for yourself. It’s located at 1401 Kearns Boulevard, Park City.

The Colony at White Pine Canyon is the largest gated ski-in / ski-out community in the United States. Our land spans 4600 acres, and approximately 90% of it will always be preserved as open space.

In winter, enjoy exclusive ski and snowboard access to one of North America’s largest mountain resorts, Park City Mountain. In spring, the snow melts to reveal an amazing network of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, connecting to more than 400 miles of single-track trails throughout the surrounding area.

The Colony is just 35 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport and 5 minutes to Park City’s historic Main Street, home to the Sundance Film Festival and world-class dining and shopping.

Park City Nonprofit Highlight: People’s Health Clinic

January 9, 2019 by Shelby Hintze, Colony PR

According to the latest Census data, 9.5% of people living in Summit County are without health insurance. Even for healthy and financially secure people, a health emergency can spell disaster. People’s Health Clinic is looking to help bridge that gap.

The clinic is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit which offers low- and no-cost care to patients. It is funded entirely by donations from residents, organizations, and grants from local governments.

The clinic provides preventative care and chronic illness support to residents of Summit and Wasatch counties who are not insured. The clinic reports 97% of its patients are employed in at least one job – and many have several. They are the workers who keep our tourism business running — working at hotels, restaurants, resorts, retail, and construction. Vital jobs to the economy…but jobs that rarely offer health benefits. Most of these jobs pay enough that employees don’t qualify for Medicaid – but don’t pay enough to pay health insurance premiums. And, a little-known fact about the PHC, most patients do also contribute money toward their care.

And here’s the thing: many health issues can be addressed more easily and for far less money if they are simply caught early. This is something the clinic works hard to address.

In fact, PHC was recently recognized by the Utah Million Hearts Coalition for its commitment to helping people manage blood pressure. One in three adults in this country has high blood pressure and only about half of those people have it under control. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease…which costs a whole lot more to manage than blood pressure. The clinic was one of just 91 clinics across the state who earned the recognition.

Photo courtesy: Tanzi Propst, Park Record

The clinic also offers general health, women’s health, pediatric care, mental health and helps people figure out how to address and take care of chronic issues. It will also refer patients to places which can offer reduced cost diagnostic tests like CT and MRIs. They offer free mammograms to women over 40. They also help refer people to job services and help people figure out how to find and acquire medical insurance.

A quick look at a few numbers: the clinic operates on a roughly $843,000 budget. This is funded mostly by grants and private donations (Park City, Summit County, and Wasatch County governments also provide funding).

In 2017 — the clinic diagnosed 250 people with diabetes. In 2018, the clinic provided 9,855 patient visits and 243 patients with medications. These services add up quickly, with values reaching into the millions of dollars. But still far less than people would spend relying on emergency services.

Of course, the clinic is always looking for donations, but it is also looking for volunteers to help manage some of the overhead costs. Even if you don’t have medical training, there are opportunities to help in the office, as well as interpreting, as many of the clients speak Spanish. Only two of the providers at the clinic are paid, the rest are volunteers.

In an op-ed for Park Record, one provider said the clinic currently has a wait time of over a month and they hope to bring that down to a week. She said “a few more physician and non-medical volunteers would go a long way! If you are a physician or just a caring individual or have a friend or neighbor who you can spread the word to, come on in for a tour and consider joining our team. Your time could not be better spent.”

If you would like to donate or look into volunteering, you can do so at www.peopleshealthclinic.org.

The Colony at White Pine Canyon is the largest gated ski-in / ski-out community in the United States. Our land spans 4600 acres, and approximately 90% of it will always be preserved as open space.

In winter, enjoy exclusive ski and snowboard access to one of North America’s largest mountain resorts, Park City Mountain. In spring, the snow melts to reveal an amazing network of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, connecting to more than 400 miles of single-track trails throughout the surrounding area.

The Colony is just 35 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport and 5 minutes to Park City’s historic Main Street, home to the Sundance Film Festival and world-class dining and shopping.

Nonprofit Highlight: Holy Cross Ministries

December 19, 2018 by Shelby Hintze, Colony PR

Health. Education. Justice.

Three of the hardest social structures to navigate—then add not speaking the language on top of it. For immigrant families, they may be missing out on crucial support they need during the transition to a new country and culture. These supports may be exactly what their children need in order to begin the cycle of generational success. That’s where Holy Cross Ministries comes in.

The nonprofit began more than 140 years ago, when two nuns came to what was then just a territory of the U.S., to set up a hospital for injured miners and railroad workers—basically the population of the area. The hospital grew, bringing more and more sisters to the area to help address other needs—especially those of women and children in the rough-and-tumble West. As the needs of the area changed, so did the mission of the organization. The goal stayed the same—serve the underrepresented and marginalized. But now the group does that through several programs falling under education, health, and justice.

Health
The U.S. medical system can be difficult to manage – even for me, a college-educated, lifelong citizen of this country. I still get overwhelmed by all the red tape, and that’s with no language barrier. The Promotoras program looks to help act as “bridge builders” to help families—especially immigrant families access the programs they need to succeed. According to its website: “Holy Cross Ministries’ Promotoras – bilingual, bicultural outreach workers – strive to ensure that all families are healthy, safe, and can navigate complex health and social systems.” Through this program, it offers prenatal support, assistance in enrolling in CHIP/Medicaid, assistance finding a primary care doctor, a support group for families with children who have disabilities, and resources to help parents talk with their teens about preventing and reducing risky sexual behaviors.

HCM also offers counseling services, focusing on healing from domestic abuse. Many immigrants coming to this country are fleeing violence, sometimes in their country, sometimes in their own home. HCM offers one-on-one and group counseling to help the healing process.

Education
Bi-lingual Holy Cross Ministries focuses on getting young children ready for school. Through its Parents As Teachers programs, it helps parents in the crucial 0-3 year time period, where a lot of language is acquired. Home visits and screening help make sure baby is up to standard developmentally and getting all the support needed to enter school.

The organization also offers the School Readiness Program, which offers daily classes (and transportation) for kiddos 0-3 years. The goal is to “prepare children academically, socially, emotionally, and physically to enter into the public school system.” HCM also ran a successful after-school program but has since turned the operation over to the Park City School District.

Justice
Our legal immigration system is complicated and that complication only continues to grow. HCM helps people navigate the system. In fact, it has helped more than 10,000 people since it started offering legal aid in 2000. Many families are fleeing crime in their home countries—domestic violence, gang violence or governmental unrest. HCM focuses on helping those people get everything they need to stay here and, if they choose, get on the path to citizenship.

HCM is a religious organization but it offers services to anyone, regardless of religious affiliation, race, ethnicity, gender or ability to pay. The organization has changed a lot over the years—one of its main goals is to be adaptable to the changing needs of the community. But no matter what, it has and will continue to offer service that will help individuals and families get back on their feet and set them up for success within the community. Click HERE if you would like to donate or volunteer.

The Colony at White Pine Canyon is the largest gated ski-in / ski-out community in the United States. Our land spans 4600 acres, and approximately 90% of it will always be preserved as open space.

In winter, enjoy exclusive ski and snowboard access to one of North America’s largest mountain resorts, Park City Mountain. In spring, the snow melts to reveal an amazing network of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, connecting to more than 400 miles of single-track trails throughout the surrounding area.

The Colony is just 35 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport and 5 minutes to Park City’s historic Main Street, home to the Sundance Film Festival and world-class dining and shopping.

Park City Nonprofit Highlight: Bill White Farms

November 28, 2018 by Shelby Hintze, Colony PR

For most of us, what we know about farms comes from movies and books. From the idyllic setup in Charlotte’s Web to the corporate farms featured in the documentary Food Inc., more often than not, we have no idea what it takes to grow and cultivate real produce and livestock. Bill White Farms is hoping to change that.

For decades, Bill White has operated some of the most recognizable restaurants in Park City – eight of them! – ranging from casual to fine dining. And now, the Bill White Restaurant Group is looking to give back to the community. After many years of trying, Bill White purchased a piece of property directory off of State Highway 224 and launched Bill White Farms—a 501(c) nonprofit.

The farm raises livestock—chickens, turkeys, cows, pigs and more—grows dozens of different crops, farms fish, and even has 300,000 bees to keep the whole operation moving. The farm uses a practice it calls Earthganic. The farm strives to work with the earth, not against it, to bring out the best food it has to offer.

When it comes to sustainability, here’s one example of how everything works together: “The compostable material is fed to the chickens, which creates highly nutritious and flavorful eggs. The restaurant scraps are also thrown into compost trays, where worms turn it into highly nutritious soil, which is then used to fertilize the crops, and [the worms] will eventually be used to feed the fish farm- again creating natural, organic, and flavorful food.”

Now this is lovely and sounds delicious, but how does the organization work to achieve its “number one focus [of] healing the earth”? It does so in four distinct ways.

First, it provides classes to clients at the Christian Center of Park City. We’ve told you about the CCPC’s big new community center, and one of the features there is a kitchen, perfect for cooking demos. The farm teaches free classes there to help people learn to make delicious, healthy and affordable meals the whole family will eat.

Next, it donates fundraising dinners to other nonprofits. The farm will provide the food, the location, and the serving staff, leaving the nonprofit with zero overhead costs and all the proceeds. Last year, the farm hosted a dinner for the Summit Land Conservancy with the goal of raising $200,000. 80% of the food served was grown right there on the farm—enough to feed 50 guests.

The farm also offers tours specifically geared to help community members learn about sustainable farming. The earth is changing and the farm wants to show farmers, community leaders, and anyone interested in the best ways to use biology, not chemicals, to grow food. The free tours demonstrate how to get back to the natural processes that have grown food for centuries and will allow us to continue eating healthy and nutritious produce in the years to come.

And finally, any food that is left goes to the CCPC food pantry. Fresh food can be hard to come by at a food pantry but it is incredibly important, especially when it comes to creating lifelong habits of health – not to mention, encouraging children to eat healthfully. The farm donates produce, eggs and more to the pantry through its Farm-to-Pantry program.

Just like the crops, the farm is growing and evolving. We can’t wait to see what happens next!

The Colony at White Pine Canyon is the largest gated ski-in / ski-out community in the United States. Our land spans 4600 acres, and approximately 90% of it will always be preserved as open space.

In winter, enjoy exclusive ski and snowboard access to one of North America’s largest mountain resorts, Park City Mountain. In spring, the snow melts to reveal an amazing network of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, connecting to more than 400 miles of single-track trails throughout the surrounding area.

The Colony is just 35 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport and 5 minutes to Park City’s historic Main Street, home to the Sundance Film Festival and world-class dining and shopping.

Park City Nonprofit Highlight: Christian Center of Park City

November 22, 2018 by Molly Miller, Colony PR

Around the holiday season, the philanthropic nerve is often struck in even the stingiest of Scrooges by an onslaught of Hallmark and Netflix Christmas movies and those fabulous Christmas songs that hit us deep in the heart. We donate to food drives, buy toys for less fortunate families and drop some change in the bell ringers red kettles. But what about the rest of the year? Working steadfastly through all of the seasons are places like the Christian Center of Park City.

Photo courtesy: Angelique McNaughton/Park Record

The CCPC is a humanitarian needs center aimed at meeting the physical and emotional needs of people in Summit and Wasatch counties. It runs a food pantry, offers counseling to members of the community and meets all sorts of seasonal needs, like school supplies, holiday gifts and more. A person’s religion, race, gender or ethnicity does not matter. Everyone is welcome to receive –and give– help at the CCPC.

18 years ago, the center opened as a way to meet people at their point of need. It did that in one office, expanding to two – and now it operates out of a freshly built community center at the same location. After a two and a half year renovation, the new center opened just recently—doubling in size. The new space offers more office space, an expanded counseling center, and a new warehouse where donations for center’s thrift shop are stored. The food pantry got an update as well.

Photo courtesy: Christian Center of Park City

In 2014, the CCPC Food Pantry gave away more than $1.5 million in food to families throughout the county. People who need it can come get food twice a month, no strings attached. It serves the elderly, veterans, families, singles, seasonal workers and any other person trying to stay afloat. The new pantry is set up to look more like a store, empowering its patrons to make the best choices for them and their families, as opposed to just taking what is handed to them.

The pantry accepts donations of food or supplies from the community. To find out what is needed right now, you’re invited to give them a call. But, because quite a bit of the food donated to food banks can go uneaten if you really want to make an impact, donate money. Your dollar goes A LOT farther with a donation directly to food organizations, because food banks are able to buy food at wholesale prices.

The CCPC also employs trained counselors to meet with people, regardless of ability to pay. In the new building, 20 counselors can meet with people at once, instead of the previous space, which accommodated just two.

The executive director of the center, Rob Harter, told the Park Record that expanded mental health services became even more of a priority after our community lost two 13-year-old boys to overdoses a few years ago. The counselors cover a variety of mental health needs, from marriage counseling to anxiety and depression, to eating disorders. Some of the professionals are trained in a therapy called EDMR, which is shown to have positive impacts on people with PTSD or other trauma-related stress. The center works with many insurances and also offers financial aid to people who need the service but may not be able to afford it. Some of the counselors are also bilingual.

This time of year, the center collected 850 turkeys for Thanksgiving and will continue to gather gifts for the holidays. Operation Hope allows parents to shop for holiday gifts for their children, picking out the perfect toy to open Christmas morning, as well as filling in some of those needs, like a warm winter coat. Operation Hope is in need of donations and volunteers right now.

And as the center expanded, so did the cost of the building. By the time it opened a few weeks ago, the center had gone nearly $2 million over budget. An anonymous donor has come forward, pledging $1 million if the center could also match it. So if you want to make an impact that will last throughout the year this holiday season, the Christian Center of Park City may be a good place to start.

The Colony at White Pine Canyon is the largest gated ski-in / ski-out community in the United States. Our land spans 4600 acres, and approximately 90% of it will always be preserved as open space.

In winter, enjoy exclusive ski and snowboard access to one of North America’s largest mountain resorts, Park City Mountain. In spring, the snow melts to reveal an amazing network of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, connecting to more than 400 miles of single-track trails throughout the surrounding area.

The Colony is just 35 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport and 5 minutes to Park City’s historic Main Street, home to the Sundance Film Festival and world-class dining and shopping.

Nonprofit Highlight: Park City Film

November 13, 2018 by Shelby Hintze, Colony PR

“You can’t be what you can’t see.”

Marian Wright Edelman, Founder, and President of the Children’s Defense Fund, said that in the documentary Miss Representation. She was speaking about getting girls involved in tech. But that quote kept popping into my mind as I learned more about Park City Film. Film—whether it’s a documentary, drama, comedy or animated feature for kids—is an easily accessible medium that for 2 hours gives you a glimpse into what it is like to be someone else. Sometimes it’s just to entertain but often, it can change our perspective of the world around us.

Park City Film started more than 25 years ago as a way to provide Park City and the greater Summit County area access to film that may not be available at the local multi-screen theater. Originally Park City Film Series, the nonprofit went through a rebranding this summer. It is now so much more than just a film series that organizers were worried all of the other programs were getting lost in the name. It is now Park City Film, which better encompasses all the things it does now to bring film to the community.

Park City Film will screen “Free Solo” November 23, 24, & 25.

For example, later this month, the organization will show Free Solo at the Jim Santy Auditorium. Most of us—ok, let’s be real, none of us, are going to scale the El Capitan cliff face without a rope. But for 100 minutes you can see how climber Jimmy Chin prepares for this incredible feat of physical achievement. Maybe that can inspire you to accomplish a (hopefully less dangerous) goal you have in your life.

Tickets are way less expensive than your traditional theater. You can buy tickets online now; $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and students. (And, if you buy them in person and have an EBT card, you can access whole other worlds for just $3.)

“The Mask You Live In’ will be shown November 15 as part of the Reel Community Series.

Park City Film also offers free films in the Reel Community Series. The goal of its longest running program is to deepen “understanding of complex, diverse and sometimes challenging, topics…We select films that reflect not only the mission of our partners, but also the interests of our community – with a focus on creating a platform for engaged and inclusive community conversation.” The free films are put on in conjunction with local nonprofit organizations and are paired with a panel discussion or Q&A after.

On November 15th, Park City Film will show the documentary “The Mask You Live In” for free, followed by a panel discussion. The film looks at the way media and culture have created an environment of toxic masculinity that tells men and boys they must act a certain way in order to be a “real” man. This is just one of the many upcoming documentaries that will have you talking the whole car ride home—and hopefully beyond.

Many of the upcoming Reel Community Series films are great conversation starters for families, but Park City Film also wants to help you foster a love of film in the kids in your life. During the school holidays, Park City Film offers free afternoon showings of classic movies to give kids a safe, fun and enriching place to spend a few hours when school is not in session. It also offers free screenings of foreign films for kids and books that were turned into movies, inspiring a love of literature and film.

This is just a small slice of all the programs Park City Film brings to the community. There truly is something for everyone—even people who think independent film is pretentious. Especially for people who think independent film is pretentious.

In November and December, settle into a cozy chair with a big bowl of popcorn (and treats from the toppings bar!) to see life through the eyes of a notorious bank robber, or four theater-turned-Hollywood actresses, or the rock stars of high school science fairs. A good movie can change your opinion, your perspective, maybe even your life.

The Colony at White Pine Canyon is the largest gated ski-in / ski-out community in the United States. Our land spans 4600 acres, and approximately 90% of it will always be preserved as open space.

In winter, enjoy exclusive ski and snowboard access to one of North America’s largest mountain resorts, Park City Mountain. In spring, the snow melts to reveal an amazing network of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, connecting to more than 400 miles of single-track trails throughout the surrounding area.

The Colony is just 35 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport and minutes to Park City’s historic Main Street, home to the Sundance Film Festival and world-class dining and shopping.

The Colony at White Pine Canyon is the largest gated ski-in / ski-out community in the United States. Our land spans 4600 acres, and approximately 90% of it will always be preserved as open space.

The Colony is just 35 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport and 5 minutes to Park City’s historic Main Street, home to the Sundance Film Festival and world-class dining and shopping.

The Colony at White Pine Canyon is the largest gated ski-in / ski-out community in the United States. Our land spans 4600 acres, and approximately 90% of it will always be preserved as open space.

The Colony is just 35 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport and 5 minutes to Park City’s historic Main Street, home to the Sundance Film Festival and world-class dining and shopping.

The Colony at White Pine Canyon is the largest gated ski-in / ski-out community in the United States. Our land spans 4600 acres, and approximately 90% of it will always be preserved as open space.

The Colony is just 35 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport and 5 minutes to Park City’s historic Main Street, home to the Sundance Film Festival and world-class dining and shopping.

The Colony at White Pine Canyon is the largest gated ski-in / ski-out community in the United States. Our land spans 4600 acres, and approximately 90% of it will always be preserved as open space.

The Colony is just 35 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport and 5 minutes to Park City’s historic Main Street, home to the Sundance Film Festival and world-class dining and shopping.

The Colony at White Pine Canyon is the largest gated ski-in / ski-out community in the United States. Our land spans 4600 acres, and approximately 90% of it will always be preserved as open space.

The Colony is just 35 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport and 5 minutes to Park City’s historic Main Street, home to the Sundance Film Festival and world-class dining and shopping.

The Colony at White Pine Canyon is the largest gated ski-in / ski-out community in the United States. Our land spans 4600 acres, and approximately 90% of it will always be preserved as open space.

The Colony is just 35 minutes from Salt Lake International Airport and minutes to Park City’s historic Main Street, home to the Sundance Film Festival and world-class dining and shopping.

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