News broke yesterday afternoon of the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, TX, a community just three hours away from the Coastal Bend. Reports are stating at least 19 children and two adults, one of them being a teacher, have died, making this the deadliest school shooting in Texas history.
If you are looking to lend a helping hand in the wake of this tragic event, here are a few ways to do so.
Monetary donations – Victims First (a network of families of the deceased and survivors from over two decades of previous mass shootings) has organized a GoFundMe page to make sure that 100% of what is collected goes directly to the victim base so the victims’ families and those wounded and injured are protected from fraud and exploitation.
There has also been a GoFundMe page set up for the beloved teacher who lost her life protecting the kids in her classroom, Irma Garcia. Organized by a local Uvalde family, the funds will be given to the Garcia family to help cover funeral costs and other needs.
The family of one of the student victims, Xavier, has set up a GoFundMe page to help with funeral expenses. The family notes that if you are not in a place to give monetarily, sharing the page with others will greatly help.
Austin FC’s independent Los Verdes Supporter Group has started a GoFundMe page to help the Uvalde community. The page’s description states they are actively working with the city council members of Uvalde on making sure the donations go directly to those families in the community.
H-E-B has committed $50,000 to aid fellow Texans affected by the event and are asking customers to support. Those who wish can contribute to the donation can do so in-store, as part of your curbside or delivery order, in the Favor Delivery App, or online. All donations will go into the Spirit of Giving Fund, a nonprofit H-E-B created in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and the Sutherland Springs tragedy. All funds collected from the donations will benefit the victims and families.
Help with medical expenses – The City of Uvalde took to Facebook Wednesday morning to announce they are accepting monetary donations to help with medical expenses for the affected families. Those wishing to donate can mail a check directly to the city at P.O. Box 799, Uvalde, Texas 78802.
Blood donations – While the Coastal Bend Blood Center has stated they are currently on standby should the city of Uvalde need additional donations, South Texas Blood and Tissue, located in San Antonio is hosting an emergency blood drive at the Herby Ham Activity Center in Uvalde Wednesday, May 25, should you be in the area or know someone who is.
University Health, also located in San Antonio where four victims are being treated, is accepting blood donations through their Blood Donor Services. The hospital has also set up a Uvalde Victims Relief Fund. Funds will be used to support the families while their loved ones are at University Hospital, and to cover any unpaid medical expenses and other needs identified by their social workers. The hospital states any unspent funds will be donated to Uvalde charities involved in the ongoing relief efforts.
Legal efforts – The San Antonio Legal Services Association has put out a call for attorney volunteers. The organization took to Facebook yesterday afternoon to put out a call for legal volunteers to assist Uvalde victims and families with unmet legal needs. The organization will respond with pro bono assistance. Attorneys licensed in the state of Texas are encouraged to reach out to volunteer by emailing UvaldeResponse@sa-lsa.org.
