Newtown Shootings Donations To Be Distributed

The community foundation formed after deadly school shootings in Newtown, Conn., has released its initial recommendations about how to distribute the donations received since its inception.

The Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation raised $11.4 million with the help of the United Way of Western Connecticut in the aftermath of the Dec. 14 shootings that left 26 dead, including 20 children. The foundation initially decided to distribute $7.7 million of those funds to the families and survivors, and created a committee to decide how to divvy up the remaining money.

According to a report on NPR, that committee, headed by Kenneth Feinberg and Camille Biros, announced its recommendations at a public forum Thursday at Newtown's Edmond Town Hall. They recommended the remaining $7.7 million be distributed as follows:

• The 26 families of the deceased would each receive $281,000.
• Two teachers who were injured would get $150,000 between them.
• The 12 surviving children who witnessed the shootings would get $20,000 each.

While some praised the plan during the public forum, not everybody was satisfied. Caryn Kauffman, who represents a coalition of victims of prior mass shootings, asked during the meeting why the funds were not going to all of the victims.

"The intent was to give the money to the victims. We're starting from a false premise and this process is re-victimizing the victims," she said, according to the NPR report.

The $7.7 million is expected to be distributed on Aug. 16. You can read the full story on NPR's website.

New Foundation To Oversee Newtown Fund

A new foundation has been formed to oversee the more than $9 million that has been donated to the Newtown Fund since the shootings took place Dec. 14.

Soon after the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., the United Way of Western Connecticut and Newtown Savings Banks set up a fund for donations. The organization, however, did not want to oversee the money, so a transition team was formed to create a foundation that would distribute the funds for charitable purposes.

According to The Hartford Courant, the organization, known as the Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation Inc., took two months to create. During that period, members of the team drafted bylaws for the foundation. The transition team officially transferred authority to the foundation, which has former U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman as an unpaid advisor. Lieberman met with families of victims on Wednesday to explain how the organization will operate, and to solicit suggestions.

While the foundation is open for business, it is not yet ready to begin distributing money. The board will first consider requests and suggestions that will be vetted by a "distribution committee." According to Newtown Selectman Will Rodgers, who headed the efforts to form the foundation, there is a possibility there will be more than one distribution committee.

Rodgers told The Courant that there is not yet a timetable for when the first funds will be distributed.

You can read the full story in The Hartford Courant.