January 6, 2022

Supporting Colorado wildfire, disaster relief and recovery

To help people impacted by the fires in Boulder County, which displaced thousands and burned nearly 1,000 homes, Kaiser Permanente contributes $500,000.

Kaiser Permanente, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health care organizations, is contributing $500,000 to provide immediate support for relief and recovery efforts in communities affected by the recent wildfires in Colorado and other future disasters.

Our contribution includes an immediate donation of $350,000 to American Red Cross Disaster Relief, which allows the organization to help people affected by disasters like fires and countless other crises. This funding will help to provide shelter, food, relief supplies, emotional support and other assistance to people impacted by disasters.

We have also committed an additional $150,000 to the Boulder County Wildfire Fund through the Community Foundation Boulder County for relief efforts. The contributions are being made through a Kaiser Permanente donor-advised fund at The Denver Foundation.

“Our thoughts go out to those in Colorado who have lost their homes and have been displaced by these wildfires,” said Bechara Choucair, MD, senior vice president and chief health officer at Kaiser Permanente. “We at Kaiser Permanente know we must all do our part to help those individuals as they find safety and as they start the hard work of rebuilding their lives.”

Our support for communities during times of natural disaster builds on our mission to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. The Marshall and Middle Fork fires that started in late December 2021 in Boulder County burned an estimated 1,600 acres, destroyed nearly 1,000 homes, and prompted the evacuation of about 35,000 people.

“Our hearts are with every Coloradan impacted by these fires. We hope this contribution will ensure they can receive supplies and support quickly and that the tireless volunteers can remain healthy in the process,” said Michael Ramseier, regional president for Kaiser Permanente in Colorado.

If you’d like to help people impacted by the fires, you can donate directly to the Boulder County Wildfire Fund.