How You Can Help Colorado Flood Victims
Fortunately for us, Cigars on Sixth was spared flood damage, as was most of central Denver. But as Coloradans, what affects the community affects us all. There are numerous opportunities to help, and before we get to ways you CAN help, here are a few things to avoid.
Don’t rush to affected areas to volunteer. Volunteers aren’t being requested at this moment (but may be soon) and you would only be in the way. Also, don’t bring food from home or household goods to affected areas.
So what can you do? For a list of household goods that are in need, and where to drop them off, please visit this website. They’re looking for clean-up tools like wheelbarrows and shovels, as well as common supplies like laundry detergent and baby diapers.
You can do two good things at once by holding a yard sale to clear out your unwanted items in preparation for fall and winter, and then donate the proceeds to a flood relief charity, such as the Salvation Army. Also, your donation is tax deductible, which is the cherry on top.
If you have a useful item like a wet-dry vacuum or a large fan, you could post them for loan on Craigslist. It takes a measure of trust to loan a tool to a stranger, but a wet-dry vacuum isn’t a casual purchase, especially if your home just flooded and you don’t have flood insurance. For most of us more fortunate in central Denver, our wet-dry vacuums are gathering dust in our garage.
It’s great if you can find a way to help, and if you were devastated by the flood, our thoughts are with you. If you have any great ideas to help, please share them on our Facebook page.