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Waldo Canyon Fire allocations announced
Posted: 08.30.2012 at 2:48 PM
Updated: 08.30.2012 at 7:50 PM
Abbie Burke

Abbie Burke is a general assignment reporter for FOX21 News.

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Many are in need of donations after the Waldo Canyon Fire.  / FOX21: file photo
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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- The Pikes Peak United Way announced its first round of allocations from the Waldo Canyon Fire Assistance Fund Thursday.

Of the 15 grant applications, committee members allocated 10 of them totaling $379,286.88. Officials said the 10 grant winners have or are actively providing assistance to individuals in both El Paso and Teller counties who were impacted by the fire.

"We put out the call for applications for non profits to come and apply to this fund. As we receive those applications they go to an advisory committee. The advisory committee reviews those and makes decisions regarding which non profits are truly serving fire victims in the area," Preston Briggs, Coordinator for the Waldo Canyon Fire Assistance Fund, said.

Services that stand to gain from the grants include rental and income assistance, mental health services, case management, daycare and personal goods support and the sheltering of animals.

"Westside Cares would be one organization that has received those funds. $80,000 of that is slated as income support, $20,000 of that is rental assistance, and then another $10,000 of that is for any unmet needs," Briggs said.

The fund started with a $125,000 donation from the El Pomar Foundation and grew to more than $900,000 thanks to donations from people in 41 states and two additional countries.

"Unbelievable! The community has stepped up just beyond all belief I think and they continue to do that," JD Dallager, Pikes Peak United Way CEO, said.

The grants are determined by an 11-person committee and one of the committee members is also a victim of the fire.

"One of those individuals actually lost their home in the fire," Dallager said.

Dallager said the committee is working to choose organizations that will help with both the material and emotional side of the fire.

"The material side can go on for years. The emotional side can go on even beyond that. So we're working with a couple of other groups that are addressing not only the immediate needs but also the long term needs that can go on for years and years," Dallager said.

There is still more money to give too. Dallager said the money is there for non profits in both El Paso and Teller Counties.

"We know there's been a ripple effect. Highway 24 closed down for several days, people who could normally get to work or couldn't or had to evacuate we know they've been impacted by it and we know that there are non profits that are already helping them. We would like to support that effort."

Here is a list of the organizations that received funding:

Westside Cares: $112.000
Mercy's Gate: $65,095
Housing Authority of Colorado Springs: $45,000
Discover Goodwill: $43,569
Redistribution Center: $35,000
Norris Penrose Event Center: $32,369.67
Ecumenical Social Ministries: $20,480
AspenPointe: $18,752
Cheyenne Village: $4,372.54
Diakonia: $2,648.67

Donations to the fund will not be accepted after Aug. 31

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