STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

There’s another new way to give to organizations on the front lines during the coronavirus pandemic.

It’s called All in Sun Valley and it can be accessed at www.allinsunvalley.org. It’s not a 501©3 and it receives no portion of any donation. It’s simply a portal enabling direct giving to all the charities.

The new website was modeled after an effort in Seattle called All in Seattle. And it allows would-be donors to go to one place and select who to give their money to.

“We both love this town greatly and we realized Sun Valley and the Wood River Valley took a big hit in the beginning of this pandemic and that thousands have been affected,” said Jeff Rose, who co-founded the Sun Valley-based OTHERWILD, an acquisition holding company for outdoor brands, with Sun Valley native Cooper Cox.

“The charities are obviously eager any way they can get donations,” he added.

Rose and Cox contacted Ketchum Mayor Neil Bradshaw who connected them with Sally Gillespie at the Spur Foundation, which is mobilizing its own Community Response Fund. She helped curate the charities that they chose to include on the website.

"Although I wanted them to list all local nonprofits in categories, they were focused on similar categories as All in Seattle, those non-profits doing direct giving to those affected by coronavirus," noted Gillespie, the executive director of the Spur Community Foundation. "They chose to list some organizations that I suggested and then their own choices. I wish allinsunvalley.org the best in raising monies for this effort."

Right now, that includes The Hunger Coalition, Senior Connection, Flourish Foundation, Crisis Hotline, NAMI, The Advocates and Blaine County Charitable Fund.

Rose said he would be happy to include other organizations providing direct giving to those affected by the pandemic.

“There is a time when many of us will look back on and realize that, for thousands here in our community, these were dark days. And if AllinSunValley.org delivers a bit of light, then that is success,” said Rose.

Cox concurred: “Sun Valley, more than anything, is community. Yes, a great ski mountain and place filled with amazing friends and family. Today we’re bringing that feeling of community alive with AllinSunValley.org”