Community Corner

How to Help Families Affected by Newtown School Shooting

From our friend's at Newtown Patch, a look at how you can help Sandy Hook residents after last week's horrifying mass shooting.

Update 11 a.m. Dec. 20:

Newtown High School students are selling stickers to raise funds for the families. The stickers feature a hand-print with a heart in the middle, and the words, "Sandy Hook 12-14-12."

More info here: http://newtown.patch.com/articles/newtown-high-school-students-help-with-stickers

Find out what's happening in Phoenixvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Also, a Newtown resident is selling bumper stickers that say, "We are Newtown." All money raised will directly benefit the families of the Sandy Hook school shooting and a memorial to the victims.

More info on that here: http://newtown.patch.com/articles/we-are-newtown-bumper-stickers-available

Find out what's happening in Phoenixvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Update 2:35 p.m

The family of Dylan Hockley has created the Dylan Hockley Memorial Fund to help children with autism and other special needs. More information, visit the Hockley's memorial page on Facebook. To donate via PayPal: dylanhockleymemorialfund@gmail.com

Update 2:04 p.m.

Connecticut police say that in-state residents can call Infoline at 211 for information about how individuals or businesses can support the victims and their families of the Sandy Hook School shooting, including those offering counseling services.

"Assistance may include, but is not limited to, victims’ assistance agencies, counselors, Religious or ministry services, dog therapy, transportation services, and any other type of support goods or services," the police say in a press release issued on the agency's website.

***

Sandy Hook Elementary School Princial Dawn Hochsprung's family have established a scholarship fund in her name to benefit graduates of her alma mater, Naugatuck (CT) High School, which is local less than 20 miles from the Newtown school. Details here. To contribute to the fund, please bring your donation to one of our offices, or mail to WCTFCU, 772 Straits Turnpike, Middlebury, CT 06762. or WCTFCU, 24 Rowan Street Extension, Danbury, CT 06811. For additional information, you can speak with a credit union representative at 203-758-9500 or 800-992-2226.

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And here is a nice list from the Huffington Post about how people can help through various organizations local to Newtown, regional and national:

  • Sandy Hook School Support Fund: United Way, a global nonprofit that works to improve families and individuals’ education, income stability and health, has set up the Sandy Hook School Support Fund through its Western Connecticut chapter. The fund will provide support services to the families that have been affected by the mass shooting. Donations can be mailed to: Sandy Hook School Support Fund c/o Newtown Savings Bank 39 Main Street, Newtown CT 06470 or submitted online here.
  • Danbury Hospital: Danbury hospital has partnered with other local counseling and mental health agencies within the community and is providing crisis intervention services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Find out how you can contribute here.
  • Noah's Ark of Hope Fund: Six-year-old Noah Pozner -- the youngest of the 20 children killed during the shooting on Friday -- leaves behind four siblings, including his twin sister and best friend, Arielle. Supporters have set up the Noah's Ark of Hope Fund to provide the little boy's siblings with counseling services, education and basic needs. Donations can be made online and checks can be mailed to Congregation Adath Israel, P.O. Box 623, Newtown, CT 06470 with "For the Family of Noah Pozner" in the memo line.
  • Friends of the Engel Family Fund: Olivia Engel, 6, was shot and killed during the tragic Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. To help the family of the little girl who longtime family friend, Dan Merton, said "had perfect manners" and was the "teacher's pet, the line leader," supporters have set up the Friends of the Engel Family Fund. Find out how you can donate here.
  • Sandy Hook Elementary School Victims Relief Fund: Ryan Kraft, a former Sandy Hook student who babysat for Adam Lanza -- the shooter who carried out the massacre on Friday -- was inspired to set up the Sandy Hook Elementary School Victims Relief Fund, according to CBS Los Angeles. Money raised will be used to help victims, families and others affected by the tragedy and donations will be directed to the Sandy Hook Elementary School PTSA, according to the fundraising site. Find out how you can get involved here.
  • Newtown Memorial Fund: The Newtown Memorial Fund aims to help victims’ families pay for funeral costs, set up a community-wide memorial and a college scholarship fund for the students of the Newtown Public Schools. Find out how you can get involved here.
  • Emilie Parker Memorial Fund: Emilie Parker, 6, was one of 26 victims killed on Friday in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. To support Emilie’s parents, Robbie and Alissa, in paying for medical expenses, arranging for a funeral in Utah and taking off from work to spend time with family, friends and relatives have set up the Emilie Parker Memorial Fund. Checks can be mailed to: Emilie Parker Memorial PO Box 12751
    Ogden, UT 84412-2751. To donate via PayPal, use the email brookeprothero@yahoo.com.
  • My Sandy Hook Family Fund: A group of Newtown parents have created My Sandy Hook Family Fund to tend to the immediate needs of the victims' families. So far the fund has raised over $30,000 and aims to hit $2 million. Organizers are working to provide anything from airline tickets and hotel accommodations for out-of-town family members to attend funerals to delivering warm meals for grieving parents. Find out how you can donate here.
  • Newtown Youth and Family Services: Newtown Youth & Family Services, Inc., a nonprofit mental health clinic, remained open for emergency counseling over the weekend for families, community members or staff involved in the Sandy Hook
    Elementary school tragedy and is accepting donations.Find out how you can help here.
  • Newtown Parent Connection: The Newtown Parent Connection, a nonprofit that addresses issues of substance abuse, also offers bereavement group counseling on the first Wednesday of every month. The organization told The Huffington Post that it’s going to try to bring in additional counselors to accommodate the needs of those affected by the Sandy Hook shooting. Find out how you can help here.
  • Project Linus: Project Linus, a nonprofit that brings comfort to children in crisis, has arranged to send more than 700 warm, cozy handmade blankets to children affected by this latest shooting, according to an email sent to The Huffington Post. Find out how you can get involved here.
  • The American Red Cross: The American Red Cross of Connecticut provided more than 50 units of blood platelets and plasma to the Danbury Hospital, where some of the victims were transported, spokesperson Melanie Pipkin told the Huffington Post. The aid organization has also distributed food and water to first responders and is setting up a family reception center that will provide initial grief counseling. The aid organization is not seeking blood donations at this time and is asking supporters to reach out to the Sandy Hook School Support Fund. Find out how you can get involved here.

Update 1:43 p.m.

The “My Sandy Hook Family Fund" has been established by local Sandy Hook, CT parents and friends dedicated to providing support the victims' families.

Update 12:30 p.m., Dec. 18

The following information comes from a user-generated Announcement posted on Newtown Patch:

  • Snowflakes for Sandy Hook: Please help the students of Sandy Hook have a winter wonderland at their new school! Get Creative!! No two snowflakes are alike. Make and send snowflakes to Connecticut PTSA, 60 Connolly Parkway, Building 12, Suite 103, Hamden, CT 06514, by January 12, 2013.
  • Coins for Sandy Hook: Students can collect spare change to support their peers at Sandy Hook. Other fundraising ideas include Walk- A -Thons, Spirit Days, Pajama Days, etc. Please send contributions to “Connecticut PTSA Sandy Hook Fund” by February 14, 2012.
  • Ongoing Fundraising Efforts: Donations are being accepted indefinitely to the: “Connecticut PTSA Sandy Hook Fund” to support the ongoing needs of the Sandy Hook Community. Send checks to “Connecticut PTSA, 60 Connolly Parkway, Building 12, Suite 103, Hamden, CT 06514.

Mail snowflakes or donations to: Connecticut PTSA, 60 Connolly Parkway, Building 12, Suite 103, Hamden, CT 06514. Phone: 203-281-6617

Updated, 4:44 p.m.

For a list of obituaries and charities from the families of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims, click here.

Updated, 3:37 p.m., Dec. 17

The U.S. Postal Service has set up a post office box for the public to send its condolences to Newtown. You can send letters and cards to P.O. Box 3700, Newtown, CT 06470.

Original Story

In the wake of the unimaginable tragedy at Sandy Hook School Friday people from all over the world—in Connecticut, California, Canada and much farther away in Australia and India—sent an outpouring of support and want to know how they can help.

If you want to be notified via email of ways to provide comfort and support during this difficult time, please post in the comments section: "I want to help."

Patch will continue to update this article with ways to help—posting updates to the story as well as in the comments thread, triggering an email notification to commenters—and if you know of an organization or fundraiser providing assistance, let us know in the comments section, too.

Already the United Way of Western Connecticut, in partnership with Newtown Savings Bank, created the Sandy Hook School Support Fund to help provide support services to the families and community that are affected.

Check donations may be mailed to: 

Sandy Hook School Support Fund
c/o Newtown Savings Bank
39 Main Street, Newtown CT  06470

If you have questions on the fund, you may call 800-461-0672.

***

A former Sandy Hook Elementary School student named Ryan Kraft, also a longtime neighbor of the Lanza family, posted a Local Voices blog on Newtown Patch saying he set up a fund to help heal his community.

The link to the fund site is here — http://www.crowdrise.com/SHSRelief — and according to Kraft, all monies are directed toward the school's PTSA organization.

Helpful Links

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More links to Newtown Patch’s coverage here:

  • Reaction: Sandy Hook School Shooting
  • Police Raid Sandy Hook Home Hours After Shooting
  • [PHOTOS] Newtown School Shooting

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