Mancos Valley Resources has declared a first‑ever tie for its 2025 Project of the Year, honoring two local organizations for their service to the Mancos community.
Mancos Giving Tree and Mancos FoodShare each received $500 and a commemorative plaque for their impact.
Mancos FoodShare was honored for its work during last year’s SNAP benefits freeze, when volunteers put in extra hours and coordinated large‑scale food donations to ensure families received essential supplies.
Mancos Giving Tree was recognized for supporting a record number of families during the Christmas season and for raising $8,000 for the Yake family after a December fire destroyed their home.
“We are grateful for the dedication, compassion and hard work shown by both of these incredible projects. Our community is stronger because of you,” Kim Cox, Mancos Valley Resources executive director said in a press release.
Mancos Valley Resources, a nonprofit that serves as a fiscal sponsor for local grassroots projects, selected the honorees through its board of directors. Projects were evaluated on program growth, community impact and alignment with the organization.
The 11 projects under Mancos Valley Resources exist to benefit Mancos‑area residents.
“They all put in long days and many volunteer hours to serve behind the scenes without any recognition,” Cox told The Journal. “It's important to honor their commitment, spreading their message of hope, community and love for our neighbors.”
Mancos Valley Resources supports these organizations with administrative services, insurance, tax‑deductible donation processing, grant assistance and fundraising help. It also offers continuing education scholarships through the Joseph Arado/MVR program and hosts annual fundraisers, including the MVRFF Film Festival and Summer BrewFest.
“This lets community members focus on their mission while MVR handles the complex organizational work behind the scenes,” Cox said. “We work to preserve the valley’s agricultural, educational, historical, cultural and recreational assets.”
