ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — As the state of Colorado announced its expanding response to the spread of COVID-19, also known as the novel coronavirus, the Broncos announced a $500,000 contribution to Colorado Covid Relief Fund to help people affected by the disease.
In Gov. Jared Polis' Wednesday press conference announcing the fund, he thanked the Broncos for their assistance as the state works to help its residents affected by the disease.
"In just the last two days, we've raised over $2.8 million," Polis said. "That's a remarkable achievement that really shows the generous heart of Coloradans and will make a difference for those who have lost their jobs and are facing real difficulties. And that number is going to grow, because I want your help as well. Please visit www.helpcoloradonow.org if you're in a position where you can make a donation of $5, $50, $500 — whatever you can afford to do. Partners from various sectors have already stepped up to do their part. I want to thank the Denver Broncos. I want to thank Kent Thiry and his wife, Denise. I want to thank the Colorado Health Foundation. I want to thank Rob Katz and Elana Amsterdam, Wells Fargo, and many, many others. ... [I] really hope that the rest of the corporate and philanthropic community will continue to step up to make sure that we have those flexible resources; the nonprofit resources will always be more flexible in their use than public resources, state or federal, and [we need] to have those resources to meet that very real need and very real pain that people are feeling who have lost their jobs, who are trapped at home, who don't know what to do for their kids.
"The Colorado COVID Relief Fund is hosted by the State of Colorado and Mile High United Way. The fund will be overseen by a committee of community leaders from across Colorado and will be providing aid to support Colorado communities and organizations affected by the recent outbreak of COVID-19. Funds will provide flexible resources to organizations in our state working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by the outbreak."
Polis added that the fund will be broken down into three areas: prevention, impact and recovery. Prevention efforts will largely go toward medical supplies, nursing home staff coverage, homeless shelter staff coverage and cleaning supplies for facilities. Impact efforts will focus on helping people who have lost their jobs, children, people working in food services, older Coloradans and other people who need support. And recovery efforts will help the state get back on its feet once the worst of the storm has passed.
On the fund's website, it states that it "will be overseen by a committee of community leaders from across Colorado and will be providing aid to support Colorado communities and organizations affected by the recent outbreak of COVID-19. Funds will provide flexible resources to organizations in our state working with communities who are disproportionately impacted by the outbreak."
