By Kasey Harlos, Senior Director, 211 and Disaster Response
When disaster strikes, Mile High United Way answers the call. Since 2021, it has been my honor to lead our 211 Help Center’s disaster response efforts. In addition to disaster response efforts, 211 Colorado connects people to the critical resources they need to thrive.
This fall, I had the privilege to represent our community, Mile High United Way and the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management by deploying to the Commonwealth of Virginia to assist with Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.
I joined these efforts as a part of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), a national agreement that allows states to request and receive assistance from other states during emergencies. This truly was a life-changing experience.
I helped support recovery efforts led by Vladimir Tamashiro-Loma, the president of Virginia Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD). Here in Colorado, I am proud to chair our state’s VOAD coalition, which leads recovery efforts, in partnership with DHSEM, following statewide declared disasters.
Together with volunteers and staff from around the country, I helped Virginia families determine the next steps. Many were still processing the storm’s damage.
The disaster declaration on Oct. 13, 2024, covered 17 counties in southwest Virginia. When I arrived on Oct. 13, I saw first-hand the devastation that Hurricane Helene wracked on communities across southwest Virginia. Trees were uprooted, rivers of water rushed through main roads and families saw their homes washed away.
But there was hope in the midst of disaster.
I also saw how neighbors leaned on each other, sharing information and resources. I connected people to Virginia’s 211 Help Center, so they could find temporary housing or receive government assistance. And I saw families create community when they leaned on each other for support after losing everything. They welcomed those, like me, who arrived to assist and serve.
I am honored to be one of the first nongovernment personnel deployed via EMAC. I hope I paved the way for more people from Colorado and other states to follow. The 17 counties affected by Hurricane Helene in the Commonwealth of Virginia are in great hands thanks to the incredible response and recovery efforts by so many.
I am deeply grateful to everyone who supported my deployment and continue to support ongoing disaster recovery efforts, including Christine Benero and Wade Treichler, Mile High United Way’s president and CEO and chief operating officer, respectively.
211 truly is more than phone number. It is a lifeline for our community, no matter the need. From shelter and food assistance to disaster relief, we are here to answer our community’s call.
About Kasey Harlos: Kasey Harlos is an experienced and thoughtful leader, currently serving as Mile High United Way’s senior director of 211 and disaster response. In this role Kasey guides and oversees the growth of Mile High United Way’s 211 Help Center, which serves 25 counties across Colorado. Originally from Texas, Kasey is an alum of the United States Peace Corps and the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation’s Leadership Fellows program. She presently chairs Colorado’s Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster (COVOAD) and is a certified yoga instructor and small business owner.
