NORTH FORK SCHOOL

OF INTEGRATED STUDIES

430 Box Elder Ave. (P.O. Box 1179) Principal:Christi Gubser Phone: (970) 527-3639

Paonia, CO 81428 Secretary: Stacy Taylor Fax: (970) 527-3339

6/2/2022

Dear Crystal River Valley Non Profit Food-CO OP, PO Box 503

Hotchkiss, CO 81419

Thank you to you and Bill Shepherd for the delicious bread that was donated to the school. The Staff and the Students were grateful for the multiple deliveries of bread this last semester. We were able to offer a slice of this nourishing and tasty bread to any of the staff and our students that wanted a slice with their lunch several times.. It was so yummy! Thank you for making this possible. We would love to receive more next year, if that is possible.

THE GREATER SOMERSET fOOD BANK

To Whom it may concern,

I am writing you this letter on behalf of The Crystal River Valley Non-Profit Food Coop to show my support for a monetary grant through your organization. This foundation is deserving of this grant because it provides resources and support to low-income families to help individuals obtain healthy food.

One of the reasons I support The Crystal River Valley Non-Profit Food Coop is they provide quality healthy organic food to our food pantry in Somerset. Without the support of The Crystal River Valley Non-Profit Food Coop, we would be unable to supply healthy alternative food choices for the households we serve.

Another reason The Crystal River Valley Non-Profit Food Coop is deserving of this grant is that I know the money will go directly back into the communities it serves.

If you choose to award your grant to The Crystal River Valley Non-Profit Food Coop, they plan to use the funding so they can expand their services and continue to help families in low-income areas provide for their children. I believe they can exceed your expectations and continue to flourish with your assistance.

For these reasons, I hope you consider The Crystal River Valley Non-Profit Food Coop as a top contender for this grant. If you have any additional questions about their qualifications, please feel free to contact me at 970-929-5445.

Thank you,

Viki Harris

Greater Somerset Food Pantry

THE THISTLE WHISTLE FARM

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing to affirm that Bill Shepherd and the Crystal River Valley Non-profit Food Co-op purchased produce from Thistle Whistle Farm over the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons, and paid market or higher prices. We appreciate both their commitment to get healthy local food to a population that needs better access to it, and their commitment to supporting local farms. 

Thank you for your time, and please feel free to contact me if you need any further information.

Sincerely,

Mark Waltermire

Owner, Thistle Whistle Farm

10872 350 Rd.

Hotchkiss, CO  81419

970-623-5015

Abundant Life Organic Farms

February 10, 2022
Abundant Life Organic Farms
31505 Highway 92
Hotchkiss, CO 81419
To whom it may concern:
My husband Jeff and I have owned and operated Abundant Life Organic Farms
since 2006. We sell our food at two nearby farmers' markets, as well as off of
the farm in Hotchkiss. Our local on farm sales have increased considerably
over the past 3 years.
Bill Shepherd with The Crystal River Valley NON-PROFIT Food Co-Op has been a
loyal customer purchasing food from the farm for the past several years. He is
always excited about what we have to offer and is especially fond of our
berries, as we are one of just a few growers that grows them. He has
purchased our produce for his non-profit and has paid the prices that we
charge from the farm.
We have appreciated his enthusiasm and continued support over the years and
look forward to working with him in the future and hope that you will consider
him for your grant money. He is an asset to the community and is supportive
of our local agriculture in many ways.
Sincerely,
Kaylee Armstrong
Co-owner of Abundant Life Organic Farms

Stepping Stones of the Roaring Fork Valley

Stepping Stones of the Roaring Fork Valley 1010 Garfield Ave

Carbondale, CO 81623

August 31st, 2020

Dear ,

I am writing on behalf of The Crystal River Valley Food Co-Op to express my full support in their mission to provide healthy and organic food to underserved, low income families.

As the Executive Director of Stepping Stones, a non-profit that works closely with youth

and their families, I understand how important food security and nutrition are to the well-being of local families. Through our mentoring program and youth drop-in centers Stepping Stones serves over 6,000 meals annually to youth and provides food to families in need. We rely on important parnters like the CRV Co-Op to support our nightly meal program for youth and our familiy food distribution program.

The Crystal River Valley Food Co-Op is providing us and our communities with invaluable opportunities and healthy food resources and we support all endeavors they engage in to continue to offer their services to us and our community.

Thank you for your consideration,

Kyle Crawley Executive Director

Stepping Stones of the Roaring Fork Valley