DENVER—Nearly $700,000 in donations has poured in for the victims of a Colorado tornado that left one person dead and damaged or destroyed nearly 850 homes last month, relief groups say.
“It’s just incredible,” said Judy Knapp, president of the Community Foundation, which serves Greeley and Weld County. “It makes you so proud to be a part of Northern Colorado.”
The American Red Cross has raised at least $300,000 in tornado relief, spokesman Robert Thompson said in an e-mail.
“The Red Cross has done a tremendous job in terms of emergency disbursements for housing, food and things like that,” said Melissa Chew, director of Parks and Recreation for the town of Windsor, which suffered the most damage in the storm
The massive and powerful storm struck May 23, creating at least one tornado and bringing heavy hail. It touched down near Platteville about 50 miles north of Denver, and over the next hour skipped along a 35-mile-long northwesterly track past Gilcrest, Milliken, Greeley, Windsor and Timnath.
Knapp said her organization, which has partnered with the Greeley Tribune and Denver station KDVR-TV, had raised more than $228,000.
A member of a country club near Windsor walked into the office with a $55,000 check on Wednesday, $30,000 of which he received from other club members, she said.
“It’s just been remarkable with what is coming in with the donations by mail,” Knapp said. “We’ve had checks coming from school children, and people will say ‘I know this isn’t much, but I’m sending what I can.'”
She said some businesses have sent $1,000 checks and have encouraged their employees to donate.
Knapp said disbursement applications are now available on the Community Foundation’s Web site.
Chew said she was aware of at least six other fundraising efforts, including one by Windsor-based Stepping Stones, which helps low-income residents with mortgage and rental payments. She said that group has received about $45,000 in donations.
The United Way of Weld County Web site said the charity has raised nearly $100,000 so far.
Chew said 9 Cares Colorado Shares, a charity of KUSA-TV in Denver, has teamed with the King Soopers grocery chain to provide food donations.
Cathy Kissner of Adventist Community Services said her organization has raised about $2,000 and is dispersing a variety of items including shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste.
Catholic Charities in Denver has collected $21,000 for tornado relief, spokesman Randy Weinert said.
He said the Catholic Charities USA disaster relief fund and the Archdiocese of Denver each gave $10,000 and the other money came from individuals.
Catholic Charities also has an emergency assistance center that provided food to people who lost their homes, he said.
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On the Net:
Community Foundation of Greeley and Weld County:
American Red Cross, Mile High Chapter:
United Way of Weld County:
Catholic Charities, Denver:
