Dear Life Choices Family and Friends,
I want to thank everyone for their prayers, donations, and offers to help with clean up after our Longmont Center was vandalized and set on fire; the response has been stunning. I cannot stress enough how your prayers have sustained and strengthened me. The Lord’s presence is so strong because of your faithfulness to pray, and he sustains me day by day to do the tasks set before me. I have an amazing staff and a proactive board that are a great help; I am not alone. It is undeniable that God is right smack in the middle of this mess; and if I weep, I weep at his goodness and mercy visiting us each day.
There have been many questions and concerns and I hope this letter will answer most of your questions.
Can you still work inside your building? No, it is not safe inside due to fire debris and heavy smoke damage. Also, there will be no electricity until the building is further along in its restoration.
How bad is the damage inside? The fire caused extensive damage inside the building. Putting out the fire caused water damage. Walls and flooring will need replaced in the rooms on the main floor as well as the upstairs due to the intense heat of the fire and soot damage from the smoke. According to the remediation team, the majority of the items inside the building will need to be tossed. These items consist of computers, desks, tables, chairs, electronics, scanner, office supplies, medical supplies, medical equipment, copiers; pretty much everything in the building is lost with the exception of our ultrasound machine (praise the Lord)!
Do you have insurance?
The damage to the building is covered by the landlord’s insurance policy. Our insurance will cover the contents inside the building up to a specific amount. However, there are more questions than answers at this time as to the cost of lost items, and if the amount of insurance will cover the cost of all the items. All items were recently cataloged; however, the process for repayment may take a while. Even so, we cannot make purchases until we are ready to move back in.
Are there additional expenses insurance does not cover?
Right now, our unexpected expenses are leasing a storage unit for sensitive documents that were not destroyed. Due to an additional threat we received, we hired a 24 hr. security service for our Loveland office. Eventually, we will need security services for our medical mobile unit when we are up and running (more to come on that later). Other necessary items are office supplies to continue to work at home, copy paper, printer ink (we no longer have our commercial printer), bins to store documents, the list continually grows as we discover the needs. We cannot wait until all claims are process to continue the ministry of Life Choices, so we are planning ways to move forward, stay operable and work towards our reopening.
What about the clients we serve?
When a client calls, we are sending them to Loveland or the closest pregnancy center near Longmont. Our volunteers will be doing follow up for our mama’s who need help with diapers and clothing for their children and we will send them to Loveland for help with the clothing.
How can we help?
Prayer is the priority, and then volunteer and donate. If you would like to volunteer, contact alexandra.r@lifechoices.org to be placed on a list. Let Alex know what area you would like to volunteer. The areas of need will vary; cleaning baby clothes, cleaning, hauling items from storage unit, etc. Alex will update you on the progress. Please be patient because it may take a while. If you want to donate, visit lifechoices.org/donate. You can also text to give at: (503) 300-LIFE (5433).
Is there a timeline when we can expect to help?
Due to the extensive damage, no one is allowed in the building. It is unsafe to walk (due to the fallen debris inside) or breathe the air in the building. The remediation team will have to clear out the debris inside and clean up the air quality before we can enter the building. There is special equipment and techniques involved to remove smoke and soot from ceilings, walls, and other surfaces, as well as the rebuilding process. We do not know how long the process will take, but we do know it will probably be after the New Year, sometime in 2023.
Are there any leads to whoever did this?
Our local police department and the FBI are investigating every lead. It is a slow process for them to get through all the leads and we are not privy to any information while the investigation is ongoing.
My prayer is that the Lord’s goodness and mercy will visit those who did this and they will be overcome with his love and be saved. I pray the Lord turn these Sauls into Pauls…wouldn’t that kick the old devil in the teeth to have radicals turn radically for Christ! Having said that, I am also praying that they will be caught.
For now, we need continued prayer as we move forward. There will be a lot of needs as time gets closer to moving in and I will know more as time grows closer.
Again, I want to thank you for your prayers, willingness to volunteer, and for your donations. You are a blessing more than you will ever know.
May God richly bless you beyond how you have blessed me and Life Choices.
Kathy Roberts
Life Choices Executive Director
303-651-2050 ext. 101
kathy.r@lifechoices.org
www.lifechoices.org
