The country itself — not just the country music community —is reaching out to victims of Sunday’s mass shooting in Las Vegas.
10/05/17
NASHVILLE, TN — The Music City Cares Fund, established by The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee after 58 people were killed and about 500 wounded at the Route 91 Harvest Festival Sunday night, has begun sending grants Las Vegas-area nonprofits. The first grants are going to:
Bridge Counseling Associates has been in operation since 1971, Bridge Counseling is the oldest nonprofit providing individual and family counseling in Southern Nevada. The organization has been providing emotional and mental support for victims as part of the Family Assistant Center established at the Las Vegas Convention Center in the aftermath of the shooting. Also, it has been providing group support for caregivers, first responders, and other people in counseling services. The organization said today it has seen more than 100 patients beyond its usual caseload — and has had hundreds of contacts — in this week alone and expects the numbers to grow exponentially in the coming days. https://bridgecounseling.org/
Injured Police Officers Fund (IPOF) is composed of sworn law enforcement officers from each of the member agencies who volunteer their time and are appointed by their agency. The organization helped pay for the expenses in the burial of an officer today, with $25,000 going to help the family with additional expenses. Five injured officers remain hospitalized. The organization is planning to help officers with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) going forward. https://ipof.vegas
The Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada is working with families in a multitude of ways. In response to the tragic event that took place on Sunday night, Legal Aid Center has set up a triage system for shooting victims and their families to help them with civil legal challenges in the days and weeks ahead. If the legal issue is out of state, they work with the State Bar of Nevada to find the appropriate referral. For help, call 702-386-1070. www.lacsn.org
Nathan Adelson Hospice is the dominant provider of grief support in the region and has set up special grief and bereavement services available through NAH. Their spiritual staff is fully engaged in providing guidance to those who have suffered loss. www.nah.org
“The bullets are no longer flying, but the damage they caused will forever remain … for those who lived through it, and for those whose loved ones were there,” said Ellen Lehman, president of The Community Foundation. “For all of us who watched it unfold from afar, all we can do now is to do what we can to make their path easier, to support them in every way possible.
“Hence the birth of the Music City Cares Fund, which is already accepting gifts and making grants to address a range of issues and a range of opportunities to help,” Lehman continued. “We can’t do everything. We can’t turn the clock back to Saturday, but we can and must do what we can, when we can.
“Please join in this effort to restore health and rebuild lives. Giving matters.”
Donations to the Music City Cares Fund are tax-deductible, and 100% of the donations will go to nonprofits providing for the immediate and long-term needs of victims in the shooting.
Other places to give include the National Compassion Fund Las Vegas, with 100% of funds to be distributed directly to victims of the shooting. Donations to the fund are held separately from general donations to the National Center for Victims of Crime.
About The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
The Community Foundation exists to promote and facilitate giving in the 40 counties of Middle Tennessee and beyond. It does this by accepting gifts of any size from anyone at any time and by empowering individuals, families, companies, nonprofits, and communities to respond to needs and opportunities that matter. The Community Foundation works with people who have great hearts, whether or not they have great wealth, to craft solutions that reflect their intentions and goals. For more information, call 615-321-4939 or visit www.cfmt.org.
For media inquiries: Pat Embry, pembry@cfmt.org, (615) 321-4939 x114
