Emergency childcare is available for essential workers, and blood donations are needed.  

Colorado Governor Jared Polis announced the formation of a new relief fund on Wednesday, March 18. This fund is to help Coloradans who have been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and need help.  

Donations are being taken now and will go to help cover the needs of Coloradans hit by the COVID-19 outbreak. Funds will help cover supplies, treatment, aid for service workers who have had their hours cut or have been laid off, supplies and staff to support homeless shelters, and more. The COVID-19 Relief Fund has already raised almost $3 million.

The governor also asked for volunteers to donate blood as there is now a critical shortage of blood being reported by blood banks. In addition, Colorado citizens are urged to volunteer in other ways as well. Polis reiterated that help is needed in any way that people can; every little bit helps as we work together to face this quickly changing situation.

Childcare is a major issue for about 80,000 Coloradans who work in healthcare, emergency services, law enforcement, and other essential fields. Since school districts have closed, many essential personnel whose job it is to deal with and treat this outbreak (including those who work in grocery stores), now have kids at home needing supervision. Polis has set up an emergency sliding scale-based childcare assistance program for these individuals.

The program is partnering with childcare providers all over the state to connect parents with those services. More information can be found here. 

According to the announcement, included are the following:

• Health care providers and staff: Doctors, nurses, and all hospital support personnel, including maintenance and janitorial staff, who are so essential to maintaining our health system.
• Public safety: Police, firefighters, EMT, Department of Corrections.
• Staff supporting critically at-risk populations: Long-term care facilities, mental health facilities, residential facilities subject to available capacity. 

The site also includes information for childcare providers and educators willing to help serve this population. Please email Steffanie Clothier with Gary Community Investments at [email protected] if you have questions.

“A crisis can bring out the best in us. I am so thrilled to see our early child care providers and foundation leaders working in collaboration with CDHS and OEC to ensure that our most essential workers have the child care they need so they can continue to come to work. This is precisely the kind of public-private partnership that shows every Coloradan can help do their part to look after each other.”  —Governor Jared Polis, in a statement about the emergency childcare program.

The governor and state agencies are working very hard and very quickly to address the growing issues and concerns of the people in Colorado around the coronavirus situation.  The governor also encouraged people to continue to share information and how they are doing their part to stop the spread of COVID-19 with the hashtag #DoingMyPartColorado. 

Do you know of any other funds or ways to help fellow Coloradans in need during this time of uncertainty? Leave a comment to let us know of other ways or places you know that can help. We’re in this together, Colorado!