How To Help During The COVID-19 Public Health Crisis

HELP COLORADO NOW

www.helpcoloradonow.org

This is the Colorado Governor’s designated fund, which is administered in partnership with Mile High United Way.

• Website has information about volunteering, contributions, blood donation, child care for first responders and item donations
• Volunteer profile sign-up: https://coloradoresponds.communityos.org/volunteer-registration
• Non-profit agencies in need of volunteers can access this site
• Provides donation opportunity for a variety of non-profit agencies
• Funding distributed via a governing panel

FOOD BANK OF THE ROCKIES

https://www.foodbankrockies.org

Stay-at-home and workforce reduction orders do not apply to Food Bank of the Rockies and critical emergency food distribution services. 

Critical service providers, such as Food Bank of the Rockies, are exempt from these orders as these services are needed now, more than ever before. Food Bank of the Rockies’ volunteers are exempt from this order as they are a critical part of our operations.

Food Bank of the Rockies has an immediate need for volunteers, so that they can continue providing food assistance to our community and partners. Nearly 1 in 10 Coloradans face food insecurity now, and with uncertainty around work and pay during this pandemic, volunteers are more critical than ever in our ability to respond.

They need healthy individuals and groups to continue helping them provide food to those facing hunger in the community. Increased safety measures have been put into place to protect volunteers, and they are limiting volunteer groups to fewer than 30 people per shift. Volunteers will be split into small work groups throughout the warehouse to increase social distancing. Additionally, the Food Bank has CDC recommended protocols in place to ensure a safe and sanitary environment. There is no higher priority to the Food Bank of the Rockies family than the safety of the staff, partners, volunteers and clients.

Food Bank of the Rockies prefers that volunteers be overly cautious. If you suspect you may be ill or display symptoms, please stay home. Symptoms can include a fever, cough or shortness of breath.

Please visit the website or email our volunteer team at volunteer@foodbankrockies.org if you are able to help in the coming days and weeks. Donations of funds and time are critical to our ongoing COVID-19 response.

VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA / MEALS ON WHEELS

https://www.voacolorado.org/coronavirus

Volunteers of American is considered essential during the stay-at-home order, and so are its volunteers. Volunteers are being given travel authorization forms to prove they are exempt from the stay-at-home order.

VOA’s Meals on Wheels program delivers hot and frozen meals to homebound seniors. Volunteers are vital to the program as they are the ones delivering the meals and checking in on our seniors.

To ensure the safety of clients, VOA do require an application and background check on all volunteers. There is a $25 background check fee that volunteers are asked to cover to help VOA serve more clients. This process can take some time to complete but due to the COVID-19 outbreak VOA are prioritizing making the process as quick as possible.

Volunteers of America is hosting several upcoming volunteer orientations within the next couple of weeks. To sign up, go to http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f084bacab22a1f49-mowvolunteer.

Due to the high volume of interested of volunteers, if all the slots are full keep checking the website as more slots will be updated

Kroenke Sports has had a bi-monthly Meals on Wheels route (1st and 3rd Thursdays) for more than 10 years.

PROJECT ANGEL HEART

www.projectangelheart.org

Meal Delivery: (can choose either day)

Fridays: 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Saturdays: 1-3 p.m.

Meal delivery drivers pick up meal bags, either at Project Angel Heart or from one of several satellite locations across Denver, and deliver them to neighbors who need nutritious meals.

All drivers will come to Project Angel Heart the first time they deliver. This includes a training and route sheet review. Project Angel Heart asks volunteers to arrive 30 minutes before the scheduled shift.

Shuttle Drivers:

Saturdays: 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.

Shuttle drivers load their car with meal bags and deliver them to a satellite location throughout the city.

All meal delivery drivers are asked to complete a background check paid by Project Angel Heart and the steps are below.

• Go to https://app.verifiedvolunteers.com (now called Sterling Volunteers)
• Under the volunteer section, click “Create an Account.”
• Create your account and log into the volunteer portal.
• Select “Get Verified” and enter the following Good Deed code: yfd0coq (all are lower case letters with a zero in the middle).
• Fill out the four steps and click complete.
• For any questions about the Verified Volunteers platform or background check process, please contact the professionals at Verified Volunteers Advocates at 1-855-326-1860 or email TheAdvocates@verifiedvolunteers.com.
• If you have questions regarding your background check for Project Angel Heart, please contact Mark Smith, Volunteer Resources Manager, at 303-407-9414 or MSmith@ProjectAngelHeart.org.

A PRECIOUS CHILD

www.apreciouschild.org/coronavirusresponse/

A Precious Child is working hard to provide emergency hygiene, cleaning and baby hygiene kits to hundreds of families in need who can’t afford these items. These kits are vital to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and to ensure the health of our community.

Financial Donations

They are in most need of monetary donations, which allows them to effectively divert funds to where it’s needed the most. With the buying power, they can get items into their warehouse in bulk and at a cheaper price.

• $50 will sponsor a Cleaning Kit for a family with one month of supplies
• $30 will sponsor a Baby Hygiene Kit for an infant with one month of supplies
• $17 will sponsor a Hygiene Kit for an individual with two weeks of supplies

Shop the Amazon Wishlists

We’ve made it easy for you with A Precious Child’s Amazon Wishlists! Shop online for hygiene, cleaning and baby hygiene items. Once when you are done filling your online cart, your order will be delivered directly to our Resource Center.

Drive Thru Drop Off

Drop off hygiene, cleaning and baby hygiene donations at our Resource Center any time between 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., Monday-Friday.

7051 W. 118th Ave.
Broomfield, CO 80020.

Kroenke Sports has a long-standing partnership with A Precious Child as it is the partner agency for the annual giveSPORTS Equipment Drive. Additionally, the Colorado Mammoth’s Teddy Bear Toss has benefitted A Precious Child for the past three seasons, donating thousands of teddy bears to children during the holiday season. A Precious Child is annual site for KSE CARE Days of Service and projects have included painting, sorting and stocking.

Only 10 volunteers are allowed on-site at a time. Tasks may include sorting clothing donations, cleaning the facility, assembling supplies and kits or other things as needed based upon the need of the day/shift.

BLOOD DONATIONS

#donatebloodcolorado

There is a critical need for blood donations, as Colorado’s normal blood supply is at half its normal level due to the cancellation of community and corporate blood drives and a downturn in walk-in volunteers.

• More than half of all blood drives in March have been cancelled. Blood drives typically account for 60% of all blood donations.
• A single blood donation can help up to three patients.
• A single car accident victim can require as many as 100 units of blood.
• Every 2 seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.
• Type O is the most needed blood type.
• Donated blood is needed for people in accidents, people who need emergency surgery and people with ongoing blood conditions such as hemophilia.
• One-third of donated blood is used by patients with hemophilia.

It is safe for individuals to donate blood at any community blood center. Blood centers currently open include but aren’t limited to the following:

• Vitalant (https://www.vitalant.org/) has eight donation centers across Colorado. An appointment can be made by calling 303-363-2300.
• Garth Englund has donation sites in Loveland and Fort Collins. Call 970-495-8965 to schedule an appointment.
• Children’s Hospital Colorado asked people to call to be screened over the phone and make an appointment. Call 720-777-5398 to schedule an appointment.

Donors age 18 and older who are healthy can donate blood (some centers accept donors age 16 and 17 with parental permission). Donors must undergo usual screenings, and in addition they will be asked the following:

• If they recently traveled to any high-risk areas with COVID-19 outbreaks
• If they or anyone close to them has been diagnosed with or is suspected of having a COVID-19 infection
• If they have had a fever or any symptoms within the past four weeks

METRO CARING

www.metrocaring.org/coronavirus

Metro Caring meets people’s immediate food needs while addressing the root cause of hunger: poverty. They provide nutritious groceries to our community and also offer comprehensive anti-hunger resources so that families can break the cycle of poverty.

Their fresh foods market is at the heart of Metro Caring. Shoppers choose from an array of nutritious foods based on their dietary needs and preferences and leave with a week’s supply of groceries, including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy and lean protein.

Metro Caring is committed to remaining open and providing nutritious food to families and older adults. The health and safety recommendations and citywide mandates for preventing the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) are changing daily. During this challenging time, they see an opportunity for compassion and resiliency. They can positively impact our community, even during social distancing.

Financial Donations

Your financial contribution will allow them to:

• Acquire additional food and essential household items as they stretch to meet increased need;
• Purchase adequate cleaning supplies such as gloves, bleach, hand sanitizer and masks;
• Set up stanchions and signage for social distancing during food distribution; and
• Cover stipends and increased personnel expenses to maintain their operations while many of their volunteers choose to stay home and (rightly so) prioritize their self-care.

In-kind donations

• Sturdy, unused or washed reusable grocery bags

Volunteers

Metro Caring needs volunteers that can spend 3-4 shifts per week with them. Their goal is to have fewer volunteers who can work multiple shifts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 resulting from group gatherings. If you’re:

• Under 60 and don’t have a medical condition that places you in a high-risk category, or
• Over 60 and healthy, with permission from your medical provider