By Julie Estlick

Northern Colorado is no stranger to disasters. In recent years, communities in our corner of the state have recovered from some of the most devastating fires and catastrophic floods in Colorado thanks to government, private businesses, nonprofits, and residents working together.

As the wide-reaching impacts of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic continue into the fall months, efforts are underway to connect residents and business owners to the many resources available in Larimer County.

“We’re ahead of the curve after being hit with natural disasters,” says Laura Levy, manager of the Larimer Recovery Collaborative, a regional group of partners focused on COVID-19 recovery. “We’ve dealt with hard events and one thing this region really knows how to do is collaborate.”

Rather than repairing homes and rebuilding infrastructure, the current crisis requires economic relief for struggling families and businesses. In recent months, 11,000 people in Larimer County were lost from the workforce due to job loss, early retirement, relocation, or quitting to stay home and help kids with remote learning. “People lose some or all of their income and they can’t pay their rent or mortgage—we’ve seen many people seeking assistance for housing costs so they can stay in their home,” Levy says.

Meanwhile, businesses are juggling layoffs, less volume, and maintaining safe boundaries and procedures for their employees and customers as they try to retool to stay in business.

Millions of dollars in funding from the city, county, and federal government have bolstered community organizations’ efforts to provide
assistance with rent, senior services, housing, food security, and child care, as well as support for local businesses, according to Laura Walker, director of Human and Economic Health Services for Larimer County.

The website NoCoRecovers.com was created to help local small businesses locate potential funding sources and includes a resource hub, updates on grants, and a hotline.

The message is clear: You don’t have to go through this alone.

“We need to make sure people are OK asking for help,” Levy says. “There are those who aren’t used to needing assistance and it may hurt their pride. Remember: COVID-19 hit everyone! Please get help if you need it, before it becomes a bigger crisis.”