How to Help Tornado Victims

How to help the tornado victims and the Weld County community:

Poudre School District Efforts for PSD families:

• Laurel School of Arts and Technology is organizing a non-perishable food/cash drive for Laurel families who suffered losses. Contributions may be dropped off at the school. Information: 488-5925.
• Timnath Elementary is collecting gift cards  to any place that may help a family rebuild. (grocery stores, Home Depot, Lowe's, Wal-Mart, Ace Hardware, gas stations, fast food restaurants, etc...). Any amount is welcome. Send them in care of Mary Beth Solano, ELA teacher, Timnath Elementary, P.O. Drawer 10, 3909 Main Street, Timnath, CO 80547.
• Zach Elementary will collect cash and check donations next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. All donations will go to the Centennial Chapter of the American Red Cross. Information: 488-5100.
• Beattie Elementary will hold a coin drive to benefit one of their families affected by the tornado. The coin drive will begin Tuesday, May 27. Contributions may be dropped off at the school. Information: 488-4225. 

• Lopez Elementary 6th graders have organized "Wishes for Windsor."  We are asking our Lopez community for monetary donations to be collected through May 30, then sent directly to the Red Crosss Centennial Chapter.  Information: 488-8800.

• Blevins Junior High is collecting donations from the Blevins school community through May 30 to be forwarded to the Red Cross in the name of families who were impacted be the storm.  Information: 488-4000.

• Bacon Elementary is accepting donations for a school community family impacted by the tornado.  Information: 488-5300.

• A " Garage Take What You Need Give Away" for Windsor tornado victims will be held June 7 by the Water Valley South residents on Cape Hatteras and Kitty Hawk Drives in Windsor. Tornado victims are invited to visit the neighborhood beginning at 8 a.m. and take needed items for free. Items will include clothing, furniture, tools, etc...Donated items may be dropped off prior to June 7 at 2112, 2113, 2115, 2116, 2117 Cape Hatteras Drive in Windsor. For more information, contact Jim and Monica Lauer at (970) 674-0110.
• The American Red Cross is asking for monetary donations only, to help the tornado victims. To make a financial contribution visit  www.northerncolorado.redcross.org, call 226-5728 or mail your donation to American Red Cross Centennial Chapter, 120 Saturn Drive, Fort Collins, CO 80525.
• United Way of Weld County has established a Tornado Disaster Response Fund  for victims of the May 22^nd tornados.  To donate contact United Way of Weld County by dialing 2-1-1 or visit the United Way website: http://www.unitedway-weld.org/.  Checks made payable to United Way of Weld County may be mailed to: UWWC/Tornado Fund, P.O. Box 1944, Greeley, CO 80632 or delivered to the United Way office, 814 9^th Street in Greeley.
• If restaurants would like to donate food for those staying at the shelter at The Ranch in Loveland, they can contact Ryan Young at 515-205-2131 or Laura Toscani at 566-4522 with The Ranch.
• The 2-1-1 staff in Larimer County is taking calls through midnight and will stay later if needed throughout the night. Victims can call the program to find food, shelter, drug treatment, childcare, volunteer opportunities, places to donate and much more.

The Weld County Sheriff's Department offered guidelines Friday for people who want to help after the tornado that hit several northern Colorado towns:

-- Coordinate with your preferred disaster response agency to ensure the right type and amount of items are collected. A list of current needs is available by calling United Way at 211 or (800) 559-5590 or going to www.weldsheriff.com.

-- Focus on one or two items the agency says it needs; that reduces time spent sorting items.

-- Items contributed should be new, in unopened packages.

-- A financial contribution earmarked for a particular disaster response like Central Weld Tornado is often the most efficient way to help. Cash helps ensure the agency can get exactly what is needed and provides an easily documented tax deduction for you.

-- Check back with the agency after a few days or weeks to see if further contributions are needed.

Some items may hinder effective response to a disaster:

-- Used clothing is difficult to sort and expensive to transport. Consider selling used items at a yard sale and contributing the proceeds for disaster relief.

-- Disaster response agencies are not permitted to use bottled water unless it is commercially sealed. They also are not allowed to use home-canned food; canned goods that are dented, rusted or out of date; or used underwear.