Broward Education Foundation and the Stoneman Douglas Victims’ Fund Steering Committee have announced that $10.5 million has been raised from the official GoFundMe campaign for the victims and families of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy and will be distributed as follows:
· Each of the families of the 17 deceased individuals will receive $400,000.
· The 18 injured by gunshot will receive a total of $1.63 million.
· 434 individuals who were present in the 1200 building at the time of the shooting and whose applications were verified will each receive $2,500.
· 1,048 individuals who were on campus at the time of the shooting but not in the 1200 building and whose applications were verified will each receive $1,000.
“The Stoneman Douglas shooting is the worst tragedy our community has faced. Thanks to the generosity of our community, needed funds will be distributed to the victims and their families. I am personally grateful to the steering committee for their time and dedication to this very serious undertaking. I also want to thank Jeff Dion and the National Compassion Fund for their exceptional guidance,” said former U.S. Senator George S. LeMieux, chair of the steering committee, which was responsible for setting the distribution policy for the Stoneman Douglas Victims’ Fund.
There were 1,654 applications submitted and 1,517 of those received funding. Electronic disbursements are scheduled to begin on July 16.
“The disbursements are gifts from nearly 37,000 caring and generous individuals, companies, organizations and foundations and 100 percent of the funds raised will be distributed to the victims and families,” said Christina Fischer, Broward Education Foundation Board Chair. “These gifts are given without any restriction on their use. The families and recipients are in the best position to determine how these funds would be most beneficial to their healing.”
In response to the mass shooting, Broward Education Foundation, National Compassion Fund and GoFundMe collaborated to serve victims by maximizing resources and ensuring a victim-centered, trauma informed transparent distribution process. Broward Education Foundation served as the central repository for the official Stoneman Douglas Victims’ Fund. The National Compassion Fund advised the committee, assisted with ongoing fundraising efforts and administered victim application and vetting processes and GoFundMe advised the Foundation and supported ongoing fundraising.
“We are so grateful and appreciative for all of the donations we received and we sincerely thank the steering committee and all of our partners,” said Shea Ciriago, executive director of Broward Education Foundation. “The global community rallied together to support this fund.”
