Aftermath of the Marshall Fire: What is Community?
What is community?
Frances Moore Lappé says that community - meaning “nurturing human connection” — is our survival. We humans wither outside of community. It isn’t a luxury, a nice thing; community is essential to our well being.
After the fire - how will we be community for one another? Here is some useful information for you to share.
The Disaster Assistance Center is meant to be one stop shopping for all of the needs of people who have lost homes in the fire. They don't have furniture or clothing but they do have a lot. Please share this information with anyone you know who has lost their home.
What: Boulder County Disaster Assistance Center for people who lost homes in or were displaced by the Marshall Fire
When: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., seven days a week
Where: Boulder County Southeast Hub, 1755 South Public Road, Lafayette, CO
Help Available:
Consultation on property loss and filing claims for assistance
Gift cards for replacement of food and transportation costs
Information about short-and long-term housing
Help with vital records
Referrals to emergency shelter
Food assistance
Mental health services
COVID-19 tests
Transportation vouchers
Referrals for personal finance planning
Colorado Division of Insurance will be having a virtual town hall Tuesday night, January 4, 2022. This will be an opportunity to hear the latest insurance information regarding Boulder County Fires from the Colorado Division of Insurance and ask your insurance questions. Here is a link to register. https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwvd-qhpjoqGNIZxbDY_Wknm_z9sX_x3WJG
For additional insurance questions United Policy Holders is an insurance consumers assistance group, not affiliated with any insurance companies. See their Marshall Fire page. They have a lot of useful resources. https://uphelp.org/disaster-recovery-help/marshallfire/
For those seeking housing, the following link is being regularly updated by the Boulder Area Rental Housing Association.
https://www.barhaonline.org/available-properties-for-displaced-tenants/?fbclid=IwAR2L8aU5omGUzXHcuewdBS2VVl3fzbgiwn7VGuCKZplPr_TWwYZkvfApTOE
For furnishings, clothing and home items, the YMCA has collected about three garages full of quality items, and those are being taken to the ARC, 1349 E South Boulder Rd, Louisville, and will be available for free to those in need. Additionally, Lending a Hand is an all-volunteer group which communicates via Facebook and provides a variety of helpful services:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/3388912871228434
East Count Housing Opportunity Coalition (ECHO)
What is ECHO doing post fire? We are pulling various non-profit groups together to meet to find ways of building back better, and talking to elected and appointed officials about how to ensure homeowners have flexible options, HOAs don't stand in the way of more affordable housing, and energy and the environment are part of how we build back better. If you are interested in being an advocate for those things in Louisville or Superior, send us an email at echobouldercounty@gmail.com.
Donations
We recommend donations be made to the Boulder Community Foundation as our local, respected organization for distributing funds to help people impacted by the fire: https://www.commfound.org/grants/get-grant/Boulder-County-Wildfire-Fund
If you would like to send a check directly to the Wildfire Fund please include “Wildfire Fund” in the memo line and send to:
Community Foundation Boulder County
1123 Spruce Street
Boulder, CO 80302
Thanks to the Longmont Community Foundation for the following additional information about how to volunteer to help.
Volunteer Opportunities/ Ofrecerse de Voluntario:
The City of Louisville will need the community's help as we recover and rebuild, with new volunteer opportunities coming every day. Email Erica Schmitt at eschmitt@louisvilleco.gov to be added to volunteer email lists.
In this New Year of 2022, stay safe, be well and may we be community for one another. If ECHO can help, please contact us at ECHOBoulderCounty@gmail.com.
An Essential Journey Back into Light (A poem to inspire hope by Nicolas Cable.)
Lights extinguished by tears and whimpers,
Sputtering flames become wicks of what could have been.
We search for light in this darkness,
Checking behind doors of truth and compassion,
Finding empty gateways, and paths towards the unknown.
Perhaps this light springs up from the fallen memories,
Sprinkled with salt on wounds never healed
And on hearts not yet mended.
—
The outrage, the pain, the beauty and innocence lost
Our community mourns, demands, seeks truth and light
Where to begin this search, this journey?
It is not in reason, but in grief and in prayer.
So some pray, some meditate, some question and wonder,
Some cry, some hide, some wish it was over.
—
But, if light be our essence,
Then the journey is not far.
We must search deep within
Sifting through sand and soot
For hope and wholeness.
—
There is light in this journey
Way off, to the left or right, or both
But it begins in darkness,
Faith promising a more clear journey ahead.
—
Lights will be rekindled one day,
Somehow a healed heart will emerge
Recalling pain but seeing new joy,
One day somehow it will be bright again.
