By Leslie Thatcher for KPCW (Jan. 23, 2o25)

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By Laura Modena for TownLift (Jan. 21, 2025)

Mountain Mediation, a key provider of alternative dispute resolution services in the Wasatch Back, has launched a Family Mediation Pilot Program to help families resolve conflicts such as divorce, separation, and child custody issues in a peaceful, constructive manner. The program is funded by a 2024 Women’s Giving Fund grant from the Park City Community Foundation.

“Mediation offers a constructive path for families navigating challenging conflicts, such as divorce or child custody disputes,” said Gretchen Lee, Mountain Mediation’s executive director. “Our Family Mediation Pilot Program empowers families to resolve these issues fairly, respectfully, and with lasting solutions. This program will make mediation more accessible to families in our community and foster communication through difficult transitions. We are excited to see the positive impact it will have.”

The program is supported by a team of four experienced mediators with over 50 years of combined expertise in family law and mediation. Anne A. Cameron, Mindi Hansen, Natalie J. Malovich, Ph.D., and Shane Marx will guide families through the mediation process to reach agreements prioritizing the best interests of all involved.

To ensure accessibility, Mountain Mediation offers family mediation services an a sliding scale for families who meet specific income criteria.  Their small claims court mediations and landlord/tenant mediations are free.

Mountain Mediation’s mission extends beyond family mediation. The nonprofit works to prevent conflict, resolve disputes, and enhance communication within the community. Its initiatives include a landlord/tenant eviction diversion program, communication training for schools and organizations, and community conversations.

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Click here to read this article on the Townlift website.

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By Park Record Staff (Jan. 16, 2025)

Mountain Mediation, a provider of alternative dispute resolution services in the Wasatch Back, announced the launch of their Family Mediation Pilot Program.

The program is designed to help families resolve conflicts such as divorce, separation, and child custody without resorting to litigation.

The pilot program is supported by a 2024 Women’s Giving Fund grant through the Park City Community Foundation.

“Mediation offers a constructive path for families navigating challenging conflicts, such as divorce or child custody disputes,” said Mountain Mediation Executive Director Gretchen Lee. “Our Family Mediation Pilot Program empowers families to resolve these issues fairly, respectfully, and with lasting solutions. This program will make mediation more accessible to families in our community and foster communication through difficult transitions. We are excited to see the positive impact it will have.”

The program is led by four mediators with more than 50 years combined experience in family law and mediation, according to Mountain Mediation. They are Anne A. Cameron, Mindi Hansen, Natalie J. Malovich, Ph.D., and Shane Marx.

Mountain Mediation’s family mediations are offered at a reduced cost to families who meet certain income criteria. For more information about the Family Mediation Pilot Program, visit MountainMediationCenter.org/family-mediation or call them at 435-336-0060.

Mountain Mediation’s mission is to bring people together to prevent conflict, resolve disputes, and improve communication for a more inclusive community. The nonprofit provides mediation services, landlord/tenant education, communication training, and community conversations.

Mountain Mediation has developed a landlord/tenant eviction diversion program and also offers communication trainings to help individuals, organizations, schools and businesses engage in constructive dialogue and manage and resolve conflicts.

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Click here to read this article on the Park Record website

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By Scott Iwasaki for the Park Record (September 3, 2024)

Mountain Mediation Center’s mission is “bringing people together to prevent conflict, resolve disputes and improve communication for a more inclusive community,” said Nicole Wozniak, the nonprofit’s communications and event coordinator.

The nonprofit does this by providing mediation services, landlord and tenant education, communication training and community conversations.

Mountain Mediation Center is known for the following pillars:

• Improving our community’s communications skills with its Let’s Talk trainings and Community Conversations
• Preventing eviction and homelessness by helping landlords and tenants communicate together and through tenant education
• Mediating conflicts on a sliding scale, including domestic mediations that create better outcomes for couples going through divorce and ensure positive outcomes for their children

It also makes sure that these programs and training sessions are affordable to individuals, organizations, schools and businesses in Summit and Wasatch counties, Wozniak said.

“We are providing access to justice on free and sliding scales,” she said.

In order to continue this, Mountain Mediation Center will host its second annual Pizza at the Pendry! Fundraiser from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, at Disco Pizza in the Pendry Hotel at Canyons Village. Tickets can be purchased at mountainmediationcenter.org/events.

“There will be lots of pizza and a lot of good company and conversations,” Wozniak said. “There will also be information about the needs facing our community and how Mountain Mediation is innovating to address those issues.”

“So, this will be a great opportunity for those who don’t know about us to learn about us, and for people of may have attended last year or who have supported us in the past, this will be a great refresher and update of the things we’ve been doing over the past year,” she said.

The night will also include a silent auction and opportunity drawing, according to Wozniak.

Items include ski tickets, gift cards to local restaurants and free popcorn passes to Park City Film.

“We are also auctioning off an Egyptian Theatre Pharaoh membership and more to be announced,” she said, noting that the opportunity drawing’s grand prize will also be announced soon.

Opportunity drawing tickets can also be purchased online, and ticket holders don’t have to be present to win, Wozniak said.

“Obviously we would love to see them at the event, but if they want to support MMC and can’t attend, they can still buy tickets,” she said. “Also, the silent auction will be live digitally on our website.”

Wozniak is grateful for the support of local businesses and organizations who have donated items for the auction and drawing.

“To see support from our community is so impactful to us,” she said. “We’re such a small organization with only four staff members and a fantastic team of volunteer mediators and volunteers who run our training. So, we really appreciate the support.”

Wozniak is also thankful for Mountain Mediation Center’s partnership with the Pendry Hotel.

“They supported us with our first fundraiser last year, and this is a fantastic and great partnership,” she said. “Disco Pizza is an intimate space but still has room for many people to come and gather and learn more about Mountain Mediation Center.”

Mountain Mediation Center is on track to assist 1,500 people this year through community outreach, mediations, communication trainings and community conversations, Wozniak said.

“A lot of our work is building relationships by tabling events and showcasing what we have to offer and getting people educated about their rights,” she said. “The current climate is very divisive, and I think now, more than ever, it’s important to give people skills to effectively communicate with each other. So, holding trainings allows people to improve their communications skills and offers the opportunity to prevent conflict before it occurs. It’s also important to remember that court is expensive and time consuming.”

Mediation also gives people an opportunity to listen, Wozniak said.

“We provide a basis for people to consider and understand different perspectives a little better, rather than have them go into a situation and not engage,” she said. “All voices are valuable and deserve a space where they can communicate effectively, rather than just avoiding conversations we don’t want to have.”

Mountain Mediation Center’s Pizza at the Pendry! Fundraiser

• When: 5-7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 13
• Where: Disco Pizza at the Pendry Hotel at Canyons Village
• Registration: mountainmediationcenter.org/events
• Web: mountainmediationcenter.org

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Mountain Mediation Center is a local nonprofit organization that works to prevent conflict, resolve disputes and improve communication along the Wasatch Back. An upcoming fundraiser will help further that work.

The post Pizza at the Pendry supports mission of Mountain Mediation Center appeared first on Mountain Mediation Center.

Mountain Mediation Center Executive Director Gretchen Lee has details on how they improve communication between landlord and tenant disputes and she also previews their upcoming fundraiser.

Click here to listen to the on-air KPCW segment

(August 13, 2024)

The post Mountain Mediation Center improves communication between landlord and tenant disputes appeared first on Mountain Mediation Center.

Article by Park Record staff (August 2, 2024)

The fundraiser will feature pizza, drinks and an opportunity drawing. Attendees will learn about our critical work to prevent conflict, resolve disputes and build a more inclusive community.

The annual fundraiser supports Mountain Mediation work, including the following:

• Improving the community’s communications skills with “Let’s Talk” trainings and “Community Conversations”
• Preventing eviction and homelessness by helping landlords and tenants communicate together and through tenant education
• Mediating conflicts on a sliding scale, including domestic mediations that strive to create better outcomes for couples going through divorce and ensure positive outcomes for their children.

Space is limited. Tickets are available for purchase at mountainmediationcenter.org/events.

Mountain Mediation’s mission is to bring people together to prevent conflict, resolve disputes and build a more inclusive community. The nonprofit provides mediation services, landlord/tenant education, communication training and community conversations.

Mountain Mediation said it has developed a comprehensive landlord/tenant eviction diversion program and that it also offers trainings to help individuals, organizations, schools and businesses within Summit and Wasatch Counties engage in constructive dialogue and effectively manage and resolve conflicts.

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Click here to read this article on the Park Record’s website

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Article by Megan Fleming Hytjan for PCCF (July 10, 2024)

Park City, Utah (Wednesday, July 10, 2024) – Park City Community Foundation announced today that the winner of its 2024 Women’s Giving Fund grant is The People’s Health Clinic. Members of Women’s Giving Fund voted between three local organizations for the annual high-impact grant, and The People’s Health Clinic was selected to receive this year’s grant of $75,000. The other two finalists, Mountain Mediation Center and Summit Community Gardens + EATS, each received $25,000.

In total, a record amount of $125,000 was awarded to the three finalists at the annual Women’s Giving Fund Grant Celebration, an increase from the $100,000 that was granted last year.

After the winner was announced, an anonymous donor, who was moved by the power of collective giving, came forward and offered an additional $50,000 match to support each of the runner up organizations ($25,000 each). Every donation made to the Women’s Giving Fund between now and July 31, 2024 will be matched with a donation to Summit Community Gardens + EATS and Mountain Mediation Center. Thank you to this generous donor for supporting Women’s Giving Fund and our grantees.

“Thanks to our 2,200 women+ members who are dedicated to supporting local women and children, we have been able to increase the grant amount every year,” said Rebecca Blanchette, Member Services Manager at Park City Community Foundation. “We are humbled by how much Women’s Giving Fund has grown in the past few years, and we have big dreams for what this powerful group will accomplish.”

This is the Women’s Giving Fund tenth year of giving. As an initiative of Park City Community Foundation, Women’s Giving Fund has worked to benefit the lives of women+ and children in Park City and Summit County since its inception. The group includes over 2,200 local women, girls, non-binary, and gender-fluid individuals. Group members meet throughout the year and have collectively granted $508,000 since 2015.

The People’s Health Clinic will use the $75,000 grant to provide urgent reproductive health needs for uninsured community members and improve health outcomes for vulnerable women and children. The organization will do this through family planning education, contraception access, prenatal care, and postpartum support. The organization also received the Women’s Giving Fund annual grant in 2019.

“Each year, our Women’s Giving Fund Steering Committee has the privilege and very difficult task of selecting the finalists. This year we had 22 organizations apply, three amazing finalists, and our members voted to decide who would ultimately receive the high-impact grant,” said Anna Frachou, Chair of the Women’s Giving Fund Steering Committee. “These nonprofits are addressing critical needs in our community and making a tremendous impact locally. We are proud to bring together a powerful group of women+ to support such important organizations.”

Previous organizations that have received funds from Women’s Giving Fund include PC Tots, The Hope Alliance, Jewish Family Service, Peace House, Holy Cross Ministries, and others.

Park City Community Foundation hosted a Grant Celebration at Red Pine Lodge for its Women’s Giving Fund members on July 10, where members celebrated ten years of impact and announced the winner. The event sponsor was Park City Mountain Resort, supported through Vail Resorts EpicPromise, and over 300 women+ attended.

Women’s Giving Fund is an initiative of Park City Community Foundation that includes 2,200 members who make high-impact grants to help local women+ and children in need. Women become members for life by making a $1,000 contribution to the fund, which is endowed by the Community Foundation and provides grants to local nonprofits from its earnings in perpetuity. Women can also nominate someone to receive an honorary membership. Learn more about Park City Community Foundation’s Women’s Giving Fund or become a member at https://parkcitycf.org/womensgivingfund.

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Click here to read this article on the PCCF website

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Article by Leslie Thatcher for KPCW (July 4, 2024)

The post Women’s Giving Fund members to select $75k grant recipient appeared first on Mountain Mediation Center.

Article by Megan Fleming Hytjan for PCCF (June 24, 2024)

Park City Community Foundation’s Women’s Giving Fund is Granting Out $125,000 and Members Can Vote for the Winner Until July 8 

Park City, Utah (Monday, June 24, 2024) – Park City Community Foundation is proud to announce the three finalists for its annual Women’s Giving Fund grant. The 2024 finalists include People’s Health Clinic, Mountain Mediation Center, and Summit Community Gardens + EATS. 

The finalists will be awarded a total of $125,000 at the annual Grant Celebration on July 10, with one organization getting the high-impact grant and the other two receiving smaller gifts. Women’s Giving Fund members are asked to cast their vote for the high-impact grant now through July 8, 2024.  

Since its inception, Park City Community Foundation’s Women’s Giving Fund has worked to benefit the lives of women+ and children in Park City and Summit County. The group includes over 2,100 local women, girls, and those who identify as women. Members meet throughout the year at various gatherings and have collectively granted $383,000 to make a positive difference in the community. The annual grant amount has continued to grow over the Women’s Giving Fund’s ten-year history. This year’s total of $125,000 is the most the group has ever given out, increasing its impact by $25,000 from last year.  

“We are thrilled to have three wonderful nonprofits offering critical support to women+ and children in Summit County,” said Anna Frachou, Women’s Giving Fund Steering Committee Chair. “In the United States, the Women & Girls Index has shown that only 2% of charitable giving goes to organizations focused on women and girls. We know the generative and positive benefits of uplifting women, and we are grateful for the opportunity to amplify the impact of these great organizations with the collective funds from many passionate local women+.” 

The 2024 grant finalists have submitted proposals that will positively impact woman and children. If selected for the high-impact grant, each of the finalists has proposed a project: 

• People’s Health Clinic will provide urgent reproductive health needs for uninsured community members and improve health outcomes for vulnerable women and children through family planning education, contraception access, prenatal care, and postpartum support. 

• Mountain Mediation Center will provide low-income families with services to navigate housing stability and family conflicts. This will happen through landlord/tenant and domestic mediation programs that prevent eviction and homelessness and provide a path forward for women facing divorce. 

• Summit Community Gardens + EATS will instill lifelong healthy eating habits and provide 1-2 servings of fruits and vegetables to more than 2,000 local school-aged children through hands-on cooking, nutrition, and gardening programs. 

Members can vote and learn about each of the finalist’s grant proposals at https://parkcitycf.org/votewgf/. Voting will close on July 8, and the high-impact grantee will be announced at the annual grant celebration on July 10 at Red Pine Lodge at The Canyons. Park City Community Foundation thanks Park City Mountain supported though Vail Resorts EpicPromise for sponsoring the event. 

Additionally, the three finalists will be at the monthly Women’s Giving Fund coffee meet-up to answer questions on Thursday, June 27, 9:30am at Lucky Ones in the Park City Library.  

Women’s Giving Fund is an initiative of Park City Community Foundation that includes nearly 2,200 members who make high-impact grants to help local women and children in need. Women become members for life by making a one-time $1,000 contribution to the fund, which is endowed by the Community Foundation and provides grants to local nonprofits from its earnings in perpetuity. Learn more about Park City Community Foundation’s Women’s Giving Fund or become a member at https://parkcitycf.org/womensgivingfund 

About Park City Community Foundation – The Community Foundation plays a vital role in solving the most challenging problems in Park City. We care for and invest in our people, place, and culture by bringing together local nonprofits, donors, and community leaders to contribute financial resources and innovative ideas to benefit all the people of Park City—now and in the future. As the home of Live PC Give PC, Women’s Giving Fund, Youth United, Zero Food Waste, and other important initiatives, the Community Foundation has brought millions of dollars to the greater Park City community and Summit County. Learn more about donating, volunteering, fundraising and getting involved at parkcitycf.org. 

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Click here to read this article on the PCCF website

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