OSO — More relief money is flowing into Oso, the tiny town of 200 that was the scene of the devastating March 22 mudslide.
The Cascade Hospital Foundation and the United Way of Snohomish County are contributing $75,000 each to the Oso Community Chapel and the Oso Fireman’s Association Mudslide Fund, respectively.
The goal is to steer the money to families and small businesses in the town to help with their needs.
The Fireman’s Fund, the nonprofit arm of the volunteer firefighters in the Oso station, will be developing a system to make sure the funds will be put to the best use in the community, said Toby Hyde, assistant chief of Oso Fire.
“There’s funding out there, from the Red Cross, FEMA and the United Way, but we know there’s going to be gaps, we know there are going to be things people haven’t thought of in the rebuilding process,” Hyde said.
“Given the fact that we are the boots on the ground in the area, we know a lot of people,” Hyde said.
The United Way of Snohomish County has, as of Tuesday, raised $2.2 million from corporations, foundations and individual contributions, and distributed approximately $1.2 million of it. The hospital foundation had raised more than $650,000 earlier this month, but an updated figure was not immediately available.
Chris Winters: 425-374-4165; cwinters@heraldnet.com.
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