The United Way in Pueblo has created a wildfire relief fund in response to fires burning in Southern Colorado. United Way of Southern Colorado said the organization will work with local emergency agencies and community partners to aid areas that have been affected by the wildfires in the region.

“We really have not seen a fire of this magnitude in our part of the state like this impacting so many people,” said President and CEO Shanna Farmer about the Aspen Acres fire. She said her organization will work with “partner agencies” through the Pueblo Disaster Assistance Center to provide support to affected individuals. These partners include emergency responders, Red Cross, Pueblo County Health Department, and trusted community members and businesses.

Farmer said her organization was contacted by emergency services to help expedite donations and fundraising. She said that in disaster responses such as the Aspen Acres fire, government officials and emergency responders come together to figure out how to respond. Part of that often includes non-profit organizations to help in community relief efforts. 

The role of a non-profit in disaster response is to act as both a fundraiser and a funder, Farmer said.

“We are also in fundraising mode of ‘let's mobilize resources from individuals, businesses, foundations’ to have some of that monetary support,” she said.

“We actually have members of our team right now, and they'll be there every day (at the Disaster Assistance Center) … helping people connect to resources,” Farmer said.

That could include food, emergency shelter, and essential supplies, depending on what United Way receives in donations.

Farmer said that the government provided initial funding to help put out the fires and provide immediate shelter for affected individuals but a lot of the emergency funds do not cover all of the needs of evacuees. “That's what we hope that this particular fund will help with,” she said.

“When we've done emergency funds in the past, you see a number of individuals stepping up, foundations, companies, usually we see it from all different areas,” said Farmer. 

She said she is hopeful that they will see funding coming from a variety of donors, including community members and local businesses.

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