It is the end of the year for us (doesn't end 2020 unfortunately) and it is also the end of our first decade.  Yes, 10 years!  Operation Revamp was founded early in 2010 and officially registered and incorporated as a 501(c)3 non profit on July 11, 2010.  Happy 10th birthday.

The veterans art center is still closed although still very busy.  We are cleaning and reorganizing and hope to open soon.  We are also continuing to provide eligible transportation, with restrictions, art supplies if we have what you need (includes some tools and equipment) and our alternative healing sessions are starting or already started.  Tai Chi is back and BodyTalk is available through phone or video sessions. Our grant providing emergency funding, bus passes, food and gas cards, ended this month but we have been awarded a 2020-21 package and will have more info on that once we know the covered line items.

Applications are being accepted online for art supplies (and any of our other services) and art supply applications are for Veterans, family members and caregivers.  Transportation and anything funded by our grant are limited to eligible veterans only.  The online form is also required if you will be attending any of our classes (veteran or family) once we open, or to attend any of the healing arts sessions (veteran only).

The online form is on our home page or you can access it here Veterans Online Application.

Check back often for updates on various activities as they reopen.

Safer at Home - effective April 27, 2020

Restricted Transportation Provided:

•To or from VA or medical

•To GVT transit for bus pass

•Urgent transportation needs otherwise not provided

•Food or grocery only as deemed necessary and not routine shopping.

GVT Bus Passes Available

Online Application Needed for Bus Pass or Transportation (one time only)

Veterans Assistance Application

All Transportation Requires the Following:

•Practice Social Distancing and Sanitation

•Driver must wear mask

•Passenger(s) must wear mask

•NO symptomatic passengers (or anyone who has been in contact)

•Passenger(s) must use hand sanitizer prior to entering vehicle

•No Passengers in front seat

•Clean and sanitize surfaces at end of trip

•Use Clorox wipes or Lysol or liquid disinfectant spray with cloth or wipe.

•Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer

•Avoid touching your face

Even though we may no longer be able to meet in person, we're still doing all we can to provide value to our members. The Veterans Art Center is still closed but we are doing what we can to reach out to you and carry out our mission. Here's more steps we are taking to get through this: We are reaching out to as many as we can to get you set up with arts and craft materials at home. We have delivery and curbside pick up available at this time. Transportation is once again available on a restricted basis GVT Bus passes are available for Veterans Art supplies and kits we have available to you will be posted in the online store and on FaceBook on our page and the group as we get pictures of them.  You can pick what you want and most will be free.

And to help you get through this crisis, if you are in crisis please contact us: We provide emergency food and gas cards to veterans Assistance with housing, utilities and other approved expenses For any assistance, transportation or art supplies request please complete the online form at operationrevamp.org/Veterans-Assistance-Application This form is for veterans, family members or caregivers.

Volunteers Needed

During our continued closure we are working on much needed deep cleaning, sorting and reorganizing.  We are also posting a lot of the items that are available for pickup or delivery, at no charge, along with items we have for sale in our online store and on social media. If you would be interested in helping out with any part, from sorting or assembling craft kits to sorting out storage lockers and hauling metal to the scrapyard please contact me by return email or text me at 970-424-2312 or leave a voice message. I would say phone me but I am very seldom close to my phone and have never gotten into the habit of carrying it around with me. I am also looking for volunteers to make masks and we have plenty of fabric for you to do it with.  Currently our volunteers are asked to wear masks and masks are mandatory when riding in the suburban so we need several.  Excess will be available for those needing them for the many other places in town with mask requirements. If you would be willing to make some please contact me.

Funding

We are in dire straits for our regular monthly expenses.  With the Veterans Art Center being closed we have had little to no income since mid March but regular monthly expenses did not take a break.  Our sales have been non-existent (even the coke machine) and no donations in the jug. Online donations are very low too.    I would like to request those of you who can, to help us out with online fundraising. One of the best in our experience is the FaceBook fundraisers and you can create one at  https://www.facebook.com/fund/VeteransArtCenter/ By creating the fundraiser and sharing it with your friends the donation income is usually greater than if you just share one someone else created.  If you take the time to create it your friends are more apt to consider donating because they trust you. Additionally, we are offering our soap and other items in the online store.  As with everything in the store, if you are a member make sure you are logged in to get the member savings.  You can help with this too by sharing the link to the store.  The store is directed to local shoppers and members but there is an option for shipping for out of town shoppers.  If you are local you can select curbside pickup or delivery.  We'll let you know when your order is ready to go out the door. The DoTerra kit Spring Raffle that was to be drawn on April 8th is in limbo at the moment but as soon as all changes are approved by the State we will again have raffle tickets available and will let you know.   If you have any other ideas for funding resources during this time please let me know.  In fact let me know anything you want :) Or ideas about how we should adjust our programs to continue to meet our mission while at a distance.  The Veterans Art Center will not open for any in house services or classes until it has gone through deep cleaning, sorting and organizing.

This is a difficult time for all of us, but you're not alone: we're just as committed to helping you as we have been for the past 7 years. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. Sincerely,  Wendy Hoffman President/CEO

The following are the guidelines we will be implementing after the weekend of April 27, 2020. At this time we will be on step one and are not able to provide a date we will advance to step 2.

Covid-19 Action Plan – Safer at Home

Step 1 – Restricted Access

• ·        Volunteers Only
• ·        No walk in services
• ·        Deep Cleaning and Sorting
• ·        Social Distancing
• ·        Masks recommended
• o   will be provided if needed
• ·        Symptom monitoring
• o   Temperature may be taken
• ·        Ongoing sanitization of surfaces and frequent contact areas
• ·        Contactless veteran and family services
• o   Delivery or curbside pickup of supplies
• o   Online application required
• o   Food and gas cards receipted (only)
• ·        Limited Donations
• ·        Frequent Hand Washing and use of gloves as needed
• ·        Restricted Transportation
• o   Masks, distancing and thorough cleaning required
• ·        Reaching out to members at home
• o   Encourage art or craft activities while they stay home

Step 2 –

Continuation of above procedures with the following changes

• ·        Open Studio, Computers, phone and printer available
• o   Cleaning procedures required following access
• ·        Open for walk in services
• o   Online application
• o   Food and gas cards receipted (only)
• ·        Limit of 10 in building at one time
• o   Social distancing
• o   Masks optional
• §  will be provided if needed
• o   Symptom monitoring
• §  Temperature may be taken
• ·        Ongoing sanitization of surfaces and frequent contact areas
• ·        Frequent Hand Washing and use of gloves as needed
• ·        Reaching out to members at home
• o   Encourage art or craft activities while they stay home
• ·        Transportation services resume
• o   Masks recommended, distancing and thorough cleaning required

Step 3 –

• ·        Classes Resume (limited participation)
• o   Closed to open studio during classes
• o   Computer area remains open
• ·        Open Studio, Computers, phone and printer available
• o   Limited days per week
• o   Cleaning procedures required following access
• ·        Open for walk in services
• o   Online application
• o   Food and gas cards receipted (only)
• ·        Limit of 10 in building at one time
• o   Social distancing
• o   Masks optional
• §  will be provided if needed
• o   Symptom monitoring
• §  Temperature may be taken
• ·        Ongoing sanitization of surfaces and frequent contact areas
• ·        Frequent Hand Washing and use of gloves as needed
• ·        Reaching out to members at home
• o   Encourage art or craft activities while they stay home
• ·        Transportation services continue
• o   Masks recommended, distancing and cleaning required

 

Local church acting as food distribution center

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO/KJCT)-- With so many families without work and needing food, a local church is acting as a food distribution center for other churches and people in need.

Volunteers at Canyon View Vineyard Church unloaded a Convoy of Hope semi-truck filled with 27,000 pounds of food and supplies.

A senior pastor at the church is on the board for Convoy of Hope, and arranged for a truck to be sent down from Missouri.

Church leaders say they want to be a distribution center for other churches that need food for their congregations.

“We have people coming to get food from us that are in Cadillacs, and normal cars..this is not just something that is hitting our lower income people,” said Worship Pastor, Tim Brown.

The church also delivers food to people who are home-bound.

https://www.nbc11news.com/content/news/569301451.html?fbclid=IwAR10PjqVmUNP8aaZzr-1au3Ku2UuBTl29Inln4ABMwlAsyEF883dKQUIhbc

In our continued efforts to serve veterans in need please note the following:

We will continue to try and help eligible veterans in need as much as possible.  This is done by phone, email and text as mentioned in the last email.  The Veterans Art Center IS and will remain closed until further notice.

To request assistance you will need to complete the application found here.

Assistance is available for Colorado Veterans, Family  members and Caregivers.

All assistance applications, requests and paperwork will be done by phone, text or email.

My cell number at home is 970-424-2312.  This is the number for texting and if you phone, please leave a message.  I will not return unknown calls.

For updates and information please follow our forum posts, our Facebook page or join our Facebook Group.

Gov. Jared Polis issued a statewide stay-at-home order Wednesday afternoon. It goes into effect 6 a.m. Thursday and will last until April 11.

Many Coloradans, including the vast majority of people in metro Denver, live in counties where stay-at-home orders have already been announced.

Polis said he is issuing the order to save Coloradans’ lives.

Such orders require people to stay at home, except for the following reasons:

• Getting groceries, food (including takeout) or essential household items
• Getting medication or medical supplies
• Getting medical care
• Exercise (as long as social distancing is practiced)

In-person gatherings with people outside one’s residence are prohibited.

People can go to work if they provide essential products or services. Examples include health care workers, grocery store staff and some government employees (like first responders).

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser released a statement calling on state courts to halt eviction proceedings due to the COVID-19 crisis.

As of Sunday, Denver, Mesa, Weld, and Boulder counties have taken this step according to Weiser.

“In this emergency, evicting any Coloradan from their home would exacerbate the public health and economic crisis we are fighting together," says Weiser. "I applaud Governor Polis in leading state agencies and local governments in an effort to stop evictions during this crisis."

A few notes on updates and status of the Veterans Art Center.

We are still currently closed to walk-ins and all classes are cancelled.

There may or may not be a volunteer or volunteers in the building at any given time but we still remain closed. Please do not count on going down there and expecting someone to open up for you because the cat could well be the lone occupant.

Since part of our mission is to eradicate a lot of isolation it is extremely difficult to instruct you to isolate but at this time we need this to happen. We are still available by phone, text or email and encourage you to access the website frequently for updates on our blog on the home page. Join us on Facebook, on the page or in the group.  Reach out however you feel comfortable.  This social isolation is about face to face contact and we are still here for you.

Donations Currently we are not accepting donations of art supplies. If you have supplies for Veterans (like toilet paper) please call ahead to make sure there will be someone there or call and request a pickup. We do have several requests for assistance with some hard to come by items.

Alternative Healing  Yoga V, Community Acupuncture, Tai Chi, and Reiki are currently cancelled. BodyTalk is also cancelled at the Veterans Art Center however John will continue with sessions at his office on the same date and time.  Contact me by email for the details if you would like to participate.

Art Classes are cancelled until further notice. We want to keep you busy and creative, though, so if you need any supplies to work on projects at home please contact me and we'll help as much  as possible.  For the veterans who have been in soap class we can set you up to carry on at home and I can still answer all your questions remotely.

Emergency Assistance  remains unchanged and will continue to follow the same criteria and policies as in the past.  We anticipate a greater need and ask that you continue to seek other resources first but contact us as necessary. 

Food and Gas Cards These continue to be available with the same requirements and criteria as before. There could be a minor delay but we will do what we can.

Bus Passes  Call us if you are in need of a pass and we will make a determination at that time.  GVT is keeping us updated on operations but they could shut down or restrict services at any time.  

Transportation We are not currently offering rides however we are available for errands, pickups and deliveries. Call or email.

Fundraising and Cash Donations We have as great a need if not greater at this time so for those who have so generously supported us in the past, or those who haven't had time but would like to we are extremely grateful for any donations through any of our online options or mail a check. We are limited to online fundraising, have no current sales abilities,  but continue to have all our regular monthly expenses along with increased need of our veterans.

RAFFLE Our second raffle of a DoTerra essential Oils kit was launched earlier in March, before we closed our doors.  We have no intention of sending board members out to sell tickets and the draw date is April 8th so we are trying to find a method of selling them locally online. If you want a ticket let me know and we'll figure out how to do this without human contact.

We know that many of our veterans do not have email or internet and ask that you please pass on this information. Remember the information included here will be available on  our news blog.

Iam on day 3 of my 14 day quarantine but self isolation may or may not continue after that.

Be Well, Stay Healthy

Wendy

email: wendy@operationrevamp.org

text: 970-424-2312