The Alexander Mountain Fire has grown exponentially this week since it broke out on Monday, but the local community has rallied to give victims a plethora of aid.
Serve 6.8 is the major organization in the region that is serving alongside the Colorado Red Cross to help victims of the fire. Their mobilization director, Ashlee Schmitt, said the organization has collected over 97,000 pounds worth of donations since Monday.
Schmitt said she has been overwhelmed with the increase in donations and the willingness for people to be generous in a time of crisis. She described one donor who went to Walmart to purchase donatable items and found several others who were there doing the exact same thing.
“There could be 15 cars out there at a time,” said Schmitt. “It’s been incredible to see the generosity of the community and the outpouring of support for their neighbors. It’s been awesome.”
Schmitt also said the support from volunteers has been outstanding. One volunteer, Angela Davis said she was dropping donations off and offered to lend a hand with her 10-year-old son Elijah.
“It’s been amazing…I keep getting alerts that say we have what we need,” said Davis, a 22 year Loveland resident. “I think as far as Loveland goes, this is generally what happens when we are under stress. We come together as a community and I am so grateful that we have this generosity.”
Schmitt said volunteers are welcome to sign up to help on their website for open shifts. To sign up and see all of Serve 6.8 resources, visit the website at https://serve68.org/disasterresponse/.
Serve 6.8 is currently accepting donations for food and hygiene products at their warehouse location in the Loveland Yards at 5701 McWhinney Blvd.
Hygiene items that the organization has listed as needs on their website include, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, body wash, bars of soap, combs and brushes; and they must be new. Unopened snack foods include granola bars, applesauce, fruit snacks, protein bars, easy open canned tuna, canned chicken, crackers and Gatorade.
Gently used men’s, women’s and children’s clothing and pajamas of all sizes are also being accepted alongside $20 and $50 grocery gift cards.
Although the hygiene and food donations are appreciated, Schmitt said the best way of donating currently is through financial donations. Schmitt said Serve 6.8 also serves to help deal with case management for victims who need help paying bills.
“We’re starting to see some needs of families who need different kinds of sheltering options, we’re going to have people who can’t pay for their deductibles, their insurance to get their houses rebuilt or fixed from the fire. Cash allows us to be more flexible,” said Schmitt.
Serve 6.8 has two current disaster centers where evacuees can pick up supplies and request financial assistance.
The Foundations Church,1380 N. Denver Ave., will be giving supplies out on Thursday and Friday from 3-7 p.m. The church is also the active overnight shelter for any evacuated families or individuals.
Good Shepherd Church, 3429 N. Monroe Ave., is the other receiving location and is open on Thursday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. for evacuees to come and get the essential supplies they need.
Schmitt also made it clear that victims did not have to be from the Alexander Mountain wildfire evacuation zone and can be from any of the four ongoing wildfires in the Front Range.
The corporate support from the community has also been instrumental to the success of donations at Serve 6.8 thus far. Sprouts Farmers Market’s in Loveland donated 528 pounds of snacks, fruits and produce.
Kimmi Castillo, the store manager, said the Lafayette location and the Fort Collins location off of Lemay Avenue also donated a bunch of reusable grocery bags and drinks.
High Country Beverage, a beer distributing company located in Johnstown, also donated 29 pallets of Prime Hydration drinks and bottled water.
The community support for the first responders has also increased since Monday, although Sheriff John Feyen commented during Tuesday’s Larimer County Commissioner Meeting that the first responders are “well fed.”
Culver’s off West Eisenhower Boulevard in Loveland gave free meals to first responders and evacuees on Tuesday and Wednesday, and will continue to do so for the rest of the week.
Feyen also commented during the commissioner meeting that people can help first responders by calling the county’s joint information center hotline (970-980-2500) and letting them know about any equipment or services that might be helpful to combatting the wildfire.
He also said that if people are feeling very obligated to bring food or supplies for first responders, they should bring them to the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.
The county also sent out a form on Wednesday that people can fill out if they are interested in offering services or becoming a volunteer. Visit the form at https://bit.ly/LarimerWildfireVolunteers.
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