A conversation with Lindsay Lofaro of The Buddy Program
How one local nonprofit leader is navigating a changing Aspen while fighting to keep its youth supported, connected, and seen.
Interview by Bryan Welker and Stefan le Roux | For The Aspen Times
Aspen is filled with stories of people who came for a season and never left. Lindsay Lofaro’s story is different. She was born at Aspen Valley Hospital, raised in Basalt, and—after college—returned home to build a life and raise her own family in the valley that shaped her.
Today, as Executive Director of The Buddy Program, she leads one of the region’s most essential youth‑serving organizations. The Buddy Program pairs local youth with carefully screened adult mentors, offers school‑based and peer mentoring, and runs outdoor leadership programs up and down the valley—all designed to give kids consistent support, trusted relationships, and opportunities they might not otherwise have access to.
In this conversation, Lindsay opens up about the pressures facing local nonprofits, the realities of raising kids in today’s Aspen, the importance of community‑driven mentorship, and why The Buddy Program has become a cornerstone of youth wellbeing in the Roaring Fork Valley.
Bryan: It’s always refreshing to ask this question of someone who is a legit local. Can you tell us your Aspen origin story?
Lindsay:
I was privileged to be born at Aspen Valley Hospital in 1979. My dad worked for the ski company, and my mom sold tickets there. They were married in the late 70s and bought a home in the mid‑valley, which is where I grew up.
I attended Basalt schools, graduated from Basalt High, and returned after college in 2001. I’ve been here ever since. Now I get to raise my own children here, which feels like coming full circle.
Bryan: What was one of the great things about growing up here?
Lindsay:
As a parent now, I recognize how hard it is to raise a family here, and I don’t take it for granted. The ski company took great care of their employees—we had amazing access to recreation, we learned to ski, and we were part of that community. And the Basalt schools were really positive for me. It was small‑town living with incredible amenities. Things were changing in the mid‑90s, but it still felt close‑knit.
Bryan: Let’s put the mission up front. What is the mission of The Buddy Program?
Lindsay:
Our mission is to empower youth through mentoring experiences that help them achieve their full potential.
Bryan: Why is that so important to Aspen?
Lindsay:
Mentoring is an ancient tradition in many cultures. Today, we look at it as a protective factor for kids. The more consistent, caring adults a child has in their life, the better their long‑term outcomes.
Many families in our valley work multiple jobs or commute long hours. They aren’t as available to their children as they want to be. Mentoring can help bridge that gap.
We also run a program where high school youth are mentors in outdoor leadership programs and small‑group mentoring, where peers support each other with adult guidance. All these efforts contribute to stronger families, which in turn support the entire community.
Bryan: What does The Buddy Program need from the community to achieve its goals?
Lindsay:
The obvious answer is financial support, but we also actively need adult mentors. We ask for at least a one‑year commitment from our applicants, though most matches last three and a half to four years.
Bryan: Can you tell us what makes a good mentor?
A great mentor, or Big Buddy, is someone who lets the child lead and follows their interests—someone flexible, enthusiastic, culturally curious, and open to learning about the youth and their family. Not someone imposing their values, but someone who listens. We need volunteers from Aspen to Glenwood; kids are waiting to be matched everywhere.
Bryan: Aspen itself has changed tremendously over the past few decades, and most notably since COVID. What shifts are you seeing and how is it impacting The Buddy Program?
Lindsay:
Since COVID, we’ve seen tremendous staff turnover. I don’t know if COVID is the only factor, but there’s been a lot of change. At the same time, we expanded our programming to serve more youth and families in Glenwood Springs, which meant hiring more staff—so the turnover and the growth sort of collided.
We’re also seeing a lot more flux in the families and mentors we work with. Big Buddies moving away, Little Buddies moving, families relocating. Not necessarily out of our service area entirely, but there is definitely more mobility.
And on the donor side, while we’ve had long‑time supporters for many years, new community members, and in particular those who arrived post-COVID, have been slower to engage.
We hope the new residents are beginning to understand how critical health and human‑service nonprofits are in supporting the very people who keep this community functioning.
Bryan: And looking forward, how do you see things developing?
Looking five years out, I think hiring and retaining staff will get harder. Cost of living, rising healthcare expenses—we cover 100 percent of medical, dental, and vision for employees, which is something we’re committed to, but we need fundraising to sustain it. Staff stability directly connects to youth safety and program quality. Long‑term relationships are everything in mentoring.
We also rely on our Board of Directors to help us reach new people—whether future mentors or future supporters. We need community members who are willing to step into leadership roles, not only for The Buddy Program but for nonprofits valley‑wide.
Bryan: Many local businesses have been experiencing strain due to the rise in the cost of living. I can only assume that the same situation applies to non-profits in the valley.
Lindsay:
Certainly, fundraising is more challenging. We’ve long relied on a summer gala event, but on any given night in the summer, at least one—sometimes two—nonprofits are hosting their own gala. Costs of these events have gone up while returns have declined. We’re evaluating how that model needs to shift.
We also need individuals to give annually. Predictable giving helps us plan multi‑year mentoring commitments.
And, like everyone, our cost of doing business has increased. We want our staff to earn a living wage. We want the best benefits we can offer. Our employees deserve it—they’re doing critical work for this community.
Bryan: Those gala nights used to dominate the summer season. It sounds like the formula is changing.
Lindsay:
It is. But at the same time, I would really encourage local businesses to see what they can do to get involved because the potential for mutual benefit is there. These are great marketing opportunities for businesses to help elevate our guests’ experience whilst getting their message across.
And on top of that, by aligning with The Buddy Program, individuals and businesses are investing in the future of the community by making sure that ALL kids in our community have access to support systems.
Bryan: I heard a great quote the other day: We are all the average of the five people we spend our most time with.
Lindsay:
Exactly. And we believe that the more caring, consistent adults a child has in their life, the better their chances of successful long-term outcomes will be.
Bryan: Why do you think it’s getting harder to engage local businesses as sponsors?
Lindsay:
Businesses are feeling the same pressures we are—staffing shortages, rising wages, rising costs. Sponsorship dollars may simply be tighter.
But I still believe sponsorship can be a highly effective marketing strategy. When businesses align themselves with organizations doing good, employees feel proud, customers feel connected, and values come through.
We’re also at a disadvantage compared to arts organizations that can offer VIP experiences. We don’t have VIP experiences, tickets, or special perks that arts organizations might have. But what we can offer is the chance to strengthen the foundation of our community. When you support The Buddy Program—or Response, YouthZone, Stepping Stones—you support the people who keep Aspen running.
Bryan: What has the level of involvement been like from the bigger, high-end boutiques moving into town?
Lindsay:
We’re fortunate to have longstanding business supporters, but from the newer high‑end boutiques, we’re not getting many calls.
We do outreach, and we’re eager to collaborate—but it has to make sense. Sometimes a store proposes a percentage‑of-sales donation if we bring in our fundraising group, but honestly, we need arrangements that are less reliant on contingencies.
Our supporters get many asks throughout the year, and if I’m bringing them to a business, I need to know that The Buddy Program will receive a meaningful return regardless of sales. We’re happy to help spread the word for a new business if it aligns with our values and if it is an equitable arrangement.
Bryan: I appreciate how honestly you’re laying out these challenges. Nonprofits employ hundreds, if not thousands, of people in this valley. They’re essential to the business ecosystem.
Lindsay:
Exactly. While my responsibility is to my organization, I think constantly about the whole ecosystem. My work is only as strong as that of my fellow nonprofits. We partner every day—supporting families who need multiple services.
If other nonprofits start closing their doors, our ability to serve families suffers immediately. The strength of one is tied to the strength of all.
Bryan: Is there anything we haven’t covered that you want the community to understand?
Lindsay:
Yes. I recently saw the film “Uncharitable,” which challenges the myth that donors shouldn’t fund overhead. That mindset harms nonprofits, and that overhead should be a very minimal percentage of operations.
Staff salaries, marketing, and fundraising are essential costs. Staff are the program. If we can’t invest in our people, we can’t safely serve youth.
And we have to run our organizations with the same care and infrastructure as any for-profit business. If we don’t spend money on marketing to invite people to volunteer or to come to events, they won’t show up. As a nonprofit, we have HR and IT overheads just like everyone else, and on top of that, I have to spend around $12,000 a year on an audit to ensure transparency for donors and foundations. That’s real overhead, and it’s essential.
All these costs work toward making the organization the best it can be, but they are real costs nonetheless.
Bryan: Ultimately, we’re all stewards of this place.
Lindsay: Absolutely. We’re all here for a moment in time, and we have the chance to influence what this community becomes long after we’re gone.
Bryan: What are you grateful for?
Lindsay: For over 52 years, this community has supported and valued the work of youth mentoring. You have shown up for the amazing kids and families we get to know and whose journey we get to be a part of. We couldn’t do this without the incredible gift our Big Buddies bring of their compassion and time—they show up when they say they are going to, and perhaps that is the greatest gift you can give a child!
Our valley is built on connection—between families, between businesses, between longtime locals and new arrivals, and between the nonprofits that hold so much of our community together. Lindsay Lofaro’s work reminds us that supporting Aspen means supporting the people who call it home. When Aspen’s youth thrives, Aspen thrives.
Bryan Welker lives and breathes business and marketing in the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond. He is President, Co-founder, and CRO of WDR Aspen, a boutique marketing agency that develops tailored marketing solutions. Who should we interview next? Reach out and let us know bryan@wdraspen.com
