Request assistance here:<\/p>\n
https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLSfsCSxwoZSy11LTJU23hOKUT3Gbu_QLy7nSOAsT2k6QvkzKLQ\/viewform<\/p>\n
Sign up to help here:<\/p>\n
https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLScEJTkTfOETWxFwoabh19JL265BIY-CgMchVpvBsm3eCOXN0g\/viewform<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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While
\nthere has not yet been a confirmed case in the county, the populations most
\nvulnerable to the COVID-19 outbreak, such as the elderly and immunocompromised,
\nhave been advised to reduce their public interactions as much as possible.<\/p>\n
But that
\nmight be difficult when folks run low on food or medications. Beyond that,
\npeople who are told to or choose to self isolate also need those resources.<\/p>\n
\u201cThanks for your help!\u201d one commenter said on the post. \u201cMy health is
\nseverely compromised. I\u2019m still doing just fine. But it sure is comforting to
\nknow there is help out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
Others
\nwho recognized that need started offering their assistance. That\u2019s when
\nfolks at the Church of Eternal Hills, including Pastor Paula Steinbacher,
\nrealized the county was going to need a way to organize this.<\/p>\n
Soon, Steinbacher posted two links on the same Facebook page: one for people requiring assistance and one for people able to provide that help.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really important for us to say that this is a response
\nthat is proactive,\u201d Steinbacher said. \u201cIt\u2019s not a fear based response. Before
\nthings get desperate, let\u2019s get something in place. It\u2019s also something to
\ncomfort people who may be experiencing the panic.\u201d<\/p>\n
A few hours after creating the links, Steinbacher was seeing
\nresponses from around the county \u2014 both from volunteers and from people asking
\nfor assistance.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything has moved so fast,\u201d said Cara McDonald, who is
\nworking with the Church of Eternal Hills on this effort to formalize the
\nprocess and spread the word.<\/p>\n
Agencies in Grand County, like the Rural Health Network, were already trying to coordinate a similar effort, so Executive Director Jen Fanning reached out to Steinbacher. She pointed to already-limited staff in resort communities now facing a surge of demand from the novel coronavirus. She sees these volunteers as a way to combat the strain on resources.<\/p>\n
\u201cGetting volunteers engaged to provide for that surge effect
\nis a really important step,\u201d Fanning said, \u201cand something that\u2019s really amazing
\nabout our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Rural Health Network is still trying to decide what the
\nspecifics of the effort will look like. Fanning said it\u2019s important that
\nvolunteers are trained to take necessary precautions so that they themselves
\ndon\u2019t get sick or spread the disease.<\/p>\n
The network is trying to address the needs of all sorts of communities by working with human service agencies in the county to identify people who could use these services. Before the sign ups could be made, Fanning said 17 volunteers had already expressed interest to help out.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we get twice that, that goes a long way in expanding our
\nworkforce in general,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Steinbacher and Fanning both pointed to the need to get the
\nword out to those who need the services most. They\u2019re working to reach the
\nseniors who might not use the internet or have a phone but need these
\nresources. Spanish speakers in the county are another demographic Fanning wants
\nto make sure knows about this.<\/p>\n
While their efforts are still being coordinated, others have also been posting about available assistance to the Grand County community. It\u2019s something McDonald said is going to help the county through this time.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people don\u2019t think they\u2019re the one. They don\u2019t think they have the special skills, they don\u2019t know what to do or how to ask what to do,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cWe all need to deputize ourselves. If every one of us in Grand County has that attitude, we\u2019re going to be OK.\u201d<\/p>\n
More information and coverage on COVID-19:<\/em><\/p>\n
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