Vail Health Foundation Receives $15 Million Gift for Behavioral Health
This article first appeared in Philanthropy News Digest on December 31, 2019.
The Vail Health Foundation has announced a $15 million lead gift to a $100 million campaign aimed at expanding access to quality behavioral health services in Eagle Valley, Colorado.
The gift from Jay and Amanda Precourt will support Eagle Valley Behavioral Health, which was established in April 2019 with a $60 million commitment from Vail Health to address a spike in the region’s suicide rate and emergency room visits for anxiety and depression. Funds raised through the It Takes A Valley campaign will be used to bolster provider access and capacity, prevention and educational programming, and crisis response, transition, and school-based services. In recognition of the gift, the planned Cross-Functional Behavioral Health Facility will be named in the couple’s honor.
Other gifts to the campaign to date include $1 million from Doe Browning — who serves on the Vail Health Foundation and Bright Future Foundation boards — in support of a $3.4 million campaign to raise funds for a new home for families fleeing domestic violence in Eagle County, and $525,000 from the Katz Amsterdam Charitable Trust, including sub-grants to the Eagle Hope Center, Eagle County Paramedics, Mountain Family Health Services, and Eagle County Public Health Department.
“We are moved by the generosity of Jay and Amanda and are thankful for their continued support,” said Vail Health Foundation president Dan Pennington. “Their leadership and personal commitment to this important initiative set a tremendous example for the rest of our community.”
“I know firsthand how the lack of access to mental health services can have a devastating effect on an individual,” said Amanda Precourt, who serves on the Eagle Valley Behavioral Health board. “This is such an important issue to me and my family. We hope our contribution will inspire others to join this campaign and help make a lifesaving difference for others in our valley.”
(Image credit: Vail Health Foundation)
