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Resources for Coloradans Impacted by the Marshall Fire

Resources for Coloradans Impacted by the Marshall Fire

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Editor’s Note: Press Releases are provided to Yellow Scene. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Updated 1/8/2022

Marshall Fire Resources

In the aftermath of the Marshall Fire, recorded as the most destructive fire in Colorado’s history, it’s important we share resources as they are updated to help thousands of our fellow Coloradans recover, rebuild, and begin to heal. 

Below, you will find resources for financial assistance, mental and behavioral health services, housing, food, donations, and more.  

An updated list will be shared regularly so we can all support local efforts and encourage everyone in all corners of Colorado to share with their friends, family, and co-workers.

Disaster Assistance Center 

The Disaster Assistance Center is open from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., seven days a week and is located at the Boulder County Southeast Hub at 1755 South Public Road in Lafayette, CO.  

At the Disaster Assistance Center, Coloradans can get resources like:

  • Consultation on property loss and filing claims for assistance 
  • All State
  • American Family Insurance
  • State Farm
  • Auto Owners Insurance
  • Shelter Insurance
  • USAA Insurance
  • Housing – Out of the 400 FEMA met with, 40% were renters. If you are one of those people, the Disaster Assistance Center can help connect you to resources that will help you find housing. 
  • Gift cards for replacement of food and transportation costs
  • Information about short- and long-term housing 
  • Help with vital records 
  • DMV mobile unit onsite for replacement ID and Social Security onsite this weekend.
  • Referrals to emergency shelter 
  • Food assistance
  • Mental health services 
  • COVID-19 tests – tests available when you walk in
  • Transportation vouchers 
  • Referrals for personal finance planning
  • Support for pets, such as cat and dog food, bird cages, through the Colorado Pet Pantry. 
  • They are at the DAC everyday from 10-2, and are consistently staying late to help families and their pets.

Community Programs

  • United Way – call 2-1-1 for multilingual services and to get connected to food, snap benefits, transportation assistance, substance abuse, counseling, clothing, medical and dental needs, home repairs, housing and more.
  • ARC – giving vouchers so Coloradans can get clothes and other immediate needs. Locations in Broomfield, Louisville and Longmont. Just stop by the DAC and pick up your vouchers. 

Insurance Assistance & FEMA Programs

Food Assistance

Housing

  • Boulder County Housing Helpline – helping renters and landlord navigate this process and find financial assistance. Call 303-441-1206 and leave a detailed message or email [email protected] . A housing specialist will return your call as soon as possible. 
  • Airbnb’s Open Home program – www.airbnb.com 
  • Boulder Area Rental Housing Association – This webpage is only meant to be a way to show available properties to residents who were impacted by the fires and need housing and is for informational purposes only. Property owners will be solely responsible for qualifying, interviewing and communicating with prospective tenants. 
  • Boulder County Housing Resources – English Flyer, Spanish Flyer

Financial Assistance

Child Care

Business Support

  • Boulder Small Business Development Center – Can help businesses access resources and help them navigate how to receive funding from multiple sources. If you are looking to get funding for your business, visit www.bouldersbdc.com or stop by the DAC to stop by and talk to someone face to face.
  • Colorado Small Business Development Center https://www.coloradosbdc.org/

Transportation

Additional Information

Donations

The Governor’s Office is supporting those most impacted from the devastating Marshall Fire in Boulder and Jefferson counties and relief efforts. 

Community Foundation of Boulder – If you are looking into ways to support the victims and communities impacted, consider contributing to the Community Foundation of Boulder, and their Boulder County Wildfire Fund. This fund is currently focused on immediate needs, allocating direct cash assistance to those whose homes were damaged or destroyed. To date, the fund has raised just over $16m. 

Center for Disaster Philanthropy – Support recovery efforts by contributing to the Center’s Colorado Wildfires Recovery Fund. This fund was established last year to focus on medium- and long-term support.

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saturday, January 1, 2021

Governor Polis

BOULDER COUNTY – Today Boulder County announced the addresses of homes and businesses impacted by the fire. There are resources available to those impacted by the devastating wildfires. Please find below information about how to access behavioral health support and the next steps to take related to insurance and financial assistance. President Biden today approved the Colorado Disaster Declaration making federal funding available to affected individuals in Boulder County. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Behavioral Health Resources

  • Contact Colorado Crisis Services at 1 (844) 493-8255, or text “TALK” to 38255, to speak with a professional counselor about any area where you could use support for yourself or a loved one, from loneliness and isolation, to stress, relationship issues, substance use and other common concerns.
  • JFS Boulder County Crisis Counseling: In response to multiple tragic events over the last year, Jewish Family Service and Community Foundation Boulder County have partnered to offer counseling services to Boulder County residents. The program offers up to $500 towards five individual counseling sessions (a maximum of $100 per session), or up to $875 towards five family counseling sessions (a maximum of $175 per session) and provides a pool of licensed providers from which to choose.
  • I Matter: 3 free mental health sessions for any youth in the state, largely available via telehealth.
  • Mental Health Partners: Call (303) 443-8500. MHP outpatient services are closed Monday, Jan. 3rd and will re open 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 4th
  • National Disaster Helpline: Call (800) 985-5990 Support available at each of the evacuation shelters

Applying for FEMA Assistance

Colorado encourages all individuals impacted by the Marshall Fire to apply for FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program. Individuals should first call their insurance agents and then apply for federal assistance. Apply for FEMA assistance online or by calling 1-800-621- 3362. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service. If you do not have rental or home insurance, please apply for FEMA assistance.

Applying for U.S. Small Business Administration Assistance (SBA)

Federal assistance is available from the SBA to businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to businesses and homeowners to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

Interest rates can be as low as 2.83 percent for businesses, 1.875 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 1.438 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

To be considered for SBA assistance and all forms of federal disaster assistance, survivors must first contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.disasterassistance.gov. Additional information and details is available by calling the SBA Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955.

Insurance Information

  • If you have been displaced by the fires, contact your insurance agent or company immediately to let them know where you are staying. Not only can they help you with coverage or claims questions, they can help find lodging options as many people in the area will be temporarily displaced.
  • To find the contact information of your homeowners or auto insurance company go to Insurance Company Claims Filing Telephone Numbers
  • Save all receipts for living expenses if you’ve been evacuated or displaced by the fire, as homeowners or renters in these situations typically have insurance coverage for additional living expenses (ALE) which provides them with an amount of out-of-pocket money while evacuated. Check with your insurance company or agent about your coverage. If you are unable to live in your house or apartment because of the fire, most policies will also reimburse you the difference between your additional living expenses and your normal living expenses. Again, check with your insurance company or agent about your coverage.
  • Start the claim process as soon as you can. For your home, any out buildings and vehicles, you’ll want to contact your insurance company or agent right away to begin the claim process. However, these fires were devastating and many people have been significantly impacted, so the insurance process will take time.
  • If possible, and only if it is safe to do so, try to document any damage by taking photos.
  • If your home survived the fires, it may still have experienced damage from smoke or water, or to the electrical systems or other damage due to the extreme heat or the snow and cold. As with direct fire damage, contact your insurance company or agent as soon as possible to start the claims process.
  • If you have questions about insurance, contact the Division of Insurance. The Division’s Consumer Services Team will staff the phones and answer emails from 8 a.m – 5 p.m., including this weekend and next weekend. While claims need to be filed with the insurance companies, the Division can assist consumers with questions about insurance and the claims process. Contact the Consumer Service Team at 303-894-7490 / 800-930-3745 (outside of the Denver metro area) / [email protected] or visit our website, doi.colorado.gov (click on “File a Complaint”).
  • Renters should contact their renters’ insurance. If you do not have rental insurance please apply for FEMA assistance.

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redtornado

Shavonne Blades grew up on the West Coast but moved to Colorado in High School. She left for California after school and returned to Colorado in 1990. She got her start in media at the age of 21 in Santa Cruz, California as an advertising sales rep. Having no experience and nothing more than a couple of years as an art college attendee she felt the bug to work in media at a young age. She learned that by helping her customers with design and marketing, their campaigns would be far more successful and has made a 30+ year career in design, copywriting, and marketing for her clients. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPy4MMdcfLg. She has always chosen to work in Independent Media and believes deeply in the need for true, authentic Community Journalism. She is proud that YS has never compromised journalism standards in its 20+ history and continues to print YS on paper monthly while also expanding web coverage. She has worked at 3 Alternative Weeklies and founded Yellow Scene Magazine in 2000. You can learn more about Shavonne's adventures in the YS 20th Anniversary issue: https://yellowscene.com/2020/10/08/the-yellow-scenes-red-tornado/
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