Colorado Avalanche asks the community to join the team in helping those in need during the COVID-19 public health crisis.

From volunteering to monetary donations to contributing food and supplies, there are several ways people can get involved to help serve vulnerable neighbors.

The Avs would also like to remind the community to participate in Social Distancing, continue practicing good hygiene and stay at home if you are ill in any way.

The below agencies have a long standing relationship with the Avalanche and Kroenke Sports Charities and could use your support. The following groups are also considered essential businesses and are exempt from the Stay-At-Home mandate.

HELP COLORADO NOW

www.helpcoloradonow.org

This is the Colorado Governor's designated fund, which is administered in partnership with Mile High United Way.

• Website has information about volunteering, contributions, blood donation, child care for first responders and item donations
• Volunteer profile sign-up: https://coloradoresponds.communityos.org/volunteer-registration
• Non-profit agencies in need of volunteers can access this site
• Provides donation opportunity for variety of non-profit agencies
• Funding distributed via governing panel

FOOD BANK OF THE ROCKIES

https://www.foodbankrockies.org

Stay-at-home and workforce reduction orders do not apply to Food Bank of the Rockies and critical emergency food distribution services.

Critical service providers, such as Food Bank of the Rockies, are exempt from these orders as these services are needed now, more than ever before. Food Bank of the Rockies' volunteers are exempt from this order as they are a critical part of our operations.

Food Bank of the Rockies has an immediate need for volunteers, so that they can continue providing food assistance to our community and partners. Nearly 1 in 10 Coloradans face food insecurity now, and with uncertainty around work and pay during this pandemic, volunteers are more critical than ever in our ability to respond.

They need healthy individuals and groups to continue helping them provide food to those facing hunger in the community. Increased safety measures have been put into place to protect volunteers, and they are limiting volunteer groups to fewer than 30 people per shift. Volunteers will be split into small work groups throughout the warehouse to increase social distancing. Additionally, the Food Bank has CDC recommended protocols in place to ensure a safe and sanitary environment. There is no higher priority to the Food Bank of the Rockies family than the safety of the staff, partners, volunteers and clients.

Food Bank of the Rockies prefers that volunteers be overly cautious. If you suspect you may be ill or display symptoms, please stay home. Symptoms can include a fever, cough or shortness of breath.

Please visit the website or email our volunteer team at [email protected] if you are able to help in the coming days and weeks. Donations of funds and time are critical to our ongoing COVID-19 response.

The Avalanche and Kroenke Sports Charities have a long-standing relationship with Food Bank of the Rockies. The organization is the beneficiary of the annual Joe Sakic Charity Golf Tournament, as well as Kroenke Sports' annual Days of Service.

VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA / MEALS ON WHEELS

https://www.voacolorado.org/coronavirus

Volunteers of American is considered essential during the stay-at-home order, and so are its volunteers. Volunteers are being given travel authorization forms to prove they are exempt from the stay-at-home order.

VOA's Meals on Wheels program delivers hot and frozen meals to homebound seniors. Volunteers are vital to the program as they are the ones delivering the meals and checking in on our seniors.

To ensure the safety of clients, VOA do require an application and background check on all volunteers. There is a $25 background check fee that volunteers are asked to cover to help VOA serve more clients. This process can take some time to complete but due to the COVID-19 outbreak VOA are prioritizing making the process as quick as possible.

Volunteers of America is hosting several upcoming volunteer orientations within the next couple of weeks. To sign up, go to http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f084bacab22a1f49-mowvolunteer.

Due to the high volume of interested of volunteers, if all the slots are full keep checking the website as more slots will be updated

Kroenke Sports has had a bi-monthly Meals on Wheels route (1st and 3rd Thursdays) for more than 10 years. In addition to being a Day of Service agency, Avs players have also helped out as part of Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and holiday gift giving.

PROJECT ANGEL HEART

www.projectangelheart.org

Project Angel Heart mission is to improve health and well-being for the people who receive our meals. And because their focus is on health, they are closely monitoring developments related to coronavirus in Colorado. Their clients, all of whom are already facing life-threatening health conditions, are among the most vulnerable people in our state, so they are taking extra precautions to keep them, volunteers and their staff safe and healthy. They are closely monitoring guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and They are taking actions to limit the risk of the virus affecting anyone associated with our program.

Services - Needs

There has been an outpouring of volunteer applications, and Project Angel Heart is temporarily closing their application process for food delivery as they screen and schedule volunteers.

At-Home Project

Requesting help for making facemasks for volunteers and clients. See below for more info.

https://www.projectangelheart.org/face-masks-needed-can-you-help/

BLOOD DONATIONS

donatebloodcolorado

There is a critical need for blood donations, as Colorado's normal blood supply is at half its normal level due to the cancellation of community and corporate blood drives and a downturn in walk-in volunteers.

It is safe for individuals to donate blood at any community blood center.

To find a center near you, Click Here. Please call ahead of time to ensure the center is accepting donations.

Donors age 18 and older who are healthy can donate blood (some centers accept donors age 16 and 17 with parental permission). Donors must undergo usual screenings, and in addition they will be asked the following:

• If they recently traveled to any high-risk areas with COVID-19 outbreaks
• If they or anyone close to them has been diagnosed with or is suspected of having a COVID-19 infection
• If they have had a fever or any symptoms within the past four weeks

METRO CARING

www.metrocaring.org/coronavirus

Metro Caring meets people's immediate food needs while addressing the root cause of hunger: poverty. They provide nutritious groceries to our community and also offer comprehensive anti-hunger resources so that families can break the cycle of poverty.

Their fresh foods market is at the heart of Metro Caring. Shoppers choose from an array of nutritious foods based on their dietary needs and preferences and leave with a week's supply of groceries, including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy and lean protein.

Metro Caring is committed to remaining open and providing nutritious food to families and older adults. The health and safety recommendations and citywide mandates for preventing the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) are changing daily. During this challenging time, they see an opportunity for compassion and resiliency. They can positively impact our community, even during social distancing.

Financial Donations

Your financial contribution will allow them to:

In-kind donations

Volunteers

Metro Caring needs volunteers that can spend 3-4 shifts per week with them. Their goal is to have fewer volunteers who can work multiple shifts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 resulting from group gatherings. If you're:

• Under 60 and don't have a medical condition that places you in a high-risk category, or
• Over 60 and healthy, with permission from your medical provide

MAKE-A-WISH COLORADO

https://colorado.wish.org/

During this time, Make-A-Wish is not able to grant wishes in the "normal" way. They are, however, asking for the public to participate via sharing a Message of Hope.

Now more than ever, wish kids need hope. You can join by sharing a Message of Hope by posting an encouraging message to wish kids who are waiting, and tagging Make-A-Wish America on Instagram using #WishesAreWaiting, and add two friends to join in. Learn more at wish.org/messages-of-hope.

The Avalanche and Kroenke Sports have worked with Make-A-Wish in the past to help grant wishes and provide Wish Kids with a special time.

USO

https://denver.uso.org/

Several families have been displaced during this time. They were scheduled to move to another base but once the shelter-in-place order happened they became stuck in transition with none of their belongings. USO support helps them with food and activities.

During this pandemic, both Buckley Airforce base and FE Warren in Cheyenne, Wyoming, have asked the USO to create virtual programming to help families remain active both mentally and physically. Their goal is to create interactive, fun, and sometimes learning activities. They have created the following programs:

Military service members and their families can learn more about USO Denver and the programs they offer by visiting their website and social media platforms.

https://www.facebook.com/usodenver/

FUTURE GOALS HOCKEY SCHOLAR

https://futuregoals.nhl.com/

For the first time since its launch in 2014, the Hockey Scholar program, which consists of 12 learning modules, will be available for both teachers and parents to access. Up until now, the program has only been available through educational institutions and educators. Amid school closures, many parents are challenged with educating their children while they're away from the classroom, and this expanded access to the Hockey Scholar program provides families with educational resources to support them. ...Learn More

A PRECIOUS CHILD

https://apreciouschild.org/

A Precious Child is providing emergency hygiene, cleaning and baby hygiene kits to hundreds of families in need who can't afford these items. These kits are vital to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and to ensure the health of our community.

Volunteer to Sign Up here.

NBA MATH HOOPS

http://www.nbamathhoops.org/

As part of its partnership with the NBA's Denver Nuggets, the Colorado Avalanche is joining in to help promote NBA Math Hoops--a fast-paced basketball board game and mobile app that allows students to learn fundamental math skills through direct engagement with the real statistics of NBA and WNBA players. Learn Fresh distributes the NBA Math Hoops board game and curriculum in association with NBA Cares.

Students nationwide can participate in a virtual Math Hoops learning course using the following Zoom link:

• https://zoom.us/j/970356160
• Live every Wednesday at 11 a.m. MT

VISIT DENVER

https://www.denver.org/

Visit Denver is encouraging people to support local restaurants. As statewide mandated dine-in closures have left Colorado restaurants scrambling to stay afloat and keep their staff employed, ToGoDenver.com offers restaurants free registration to list their current home or curbside delivery and takeout services available. Restaurant seekers can search listings by restaurant name, by neighborhood or by cuisine.

Explore The Mile High City's rich cultural and performing arts scenes and attractions from the safety of their homes with a new online resource called Virtually Denver. The new web page and event calendar provide easy access to dozens of Denver's top virtual museum experiences, art galleries and installations, performing arts, concerts, culinary demonstrations and even educational tools for families.