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“I’ve been displaced by the fire. How can I get help”

Staff Report

County Distribution Center

The County has established a distribution center at 611 Main Street in Walsenburg. Only those with Rapid Re-Entry Tags will be able to receive supplies. The distribution policy for both money and goods is below.

Spring Creek Fire Aid Distribution Policy

It is important that contributions by the community are utilized fairly and quickly. This distribution policy is to help ensure this happens. The county and SPCF will set up a council that will oversee the fund.

Process for Funds Distribution

 Distributions to fire victims shall be given according to need.

 Any established deadlines for the distribution of aid must be followed.

 The county and Spanish Peaks Community Foundation (SPCF) will communicate any established deadlines to those involved in the receipt and distribution of funds.

 The county and the SPCF, will first, record the amount of each donation, the type of recipient the money was given to (a business, private home owner, contractor etc), and record the intended use of those individual funds. This makes it possible for donors to know how their donations are being used, for help pinpointing potential aid modifications to better address fire victim needs, and to keep usable records for official sources like FEMA and the IRS.

 Corporate donors or community foundations may have restrictions set for how their donation may be utilized. Huerfano County and the Spanish Peaks Community Foundation will ensure that these funds are allocated correctly.

 The County and SPCF will ensure that aid is distributed in a timely manner.

Qualifying Emergency Aid Distribution includes:

·Providing food, water, and toiletries for evacuees

·Providing undamaged clothing (as needed)

·Providing funds for prescriptions/medical equipment (on a case by case basis) Example cases include: urgent unplanned expenses prevent the evacuee from buying necessary medications, like insulin.

·Laundry vouchers for one load of laundry per week, or more on a case by case basis

·The purchase of food for agricultural animals and pets that were displaced

·Other supplies to animal shelters to cover immediate shortages noted by shelter staff (on a case by case basis)

Qualifying Long-term Aid Distribution includes:

·Replacing necessary identification document that were destroyed

·Covering home-owners insurance deductibles, as needed

·Covering food for animals (pets and agricultural) until the risk of hunger is determined to be alleviated.

Help rebuilding homes and/or replacing lost property, subject to need and availability.

Qualifying Operational Support Aid Distribution includes:

·Paying utilities for aid distribution centers

·Providing matching funding for grants

·Other urgent needs as determined by the council

·Supplying urgent unmet needs to first responders

The council will distribute aid until the need subsides. Any funds or goods that remain will be used for a community purpose, unless otherwise agreed to by the donor and council.

Businesses

Business owners that have been affected by the fire, including a decrease in business because of less traffic, should make every effort to document their losses including:

•Revenue decreases from last year to this year, or an appropriate time period if not in operation last year

•Document their employees and extra hours worked because of the fire or hours lost because of the fire

·Inventory losses ·Cancellations, particularly for hotels and rental units

·Any other disaster related expenses

We are working on assistance for business owners and having this documentation will help with that process. Every detail will be helpful. Keep this documentation in a place you can find it when needed.

More information on assistance for individuals that have been directly impacted, including furloughed employees, will be available in the coming days.

Church of Christ personal care distribution

The Churches of Christ of Walsenburg and Alamosa will be distributing $100,000 worth of personal care items this Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, July 12, 13, and 14. From 8 am to 5 pm at the Church of Christ in Walsenburg, 416 Walsen (across from the Spanish Peaks Library) and at the All-Gon Restaurant in Fort Garland at 319 Beaubier Ave., evacuees affected by the fire can receive toiletries and other items. This is an effort of the Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Effort, Inc., based in Nashville, TN. For information on the distribution, call Jessie at 307-371-4934.

 

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