Latest Newtown-Sandy Hook Foundation Report Updates Progress

Published: 06/24/2023 1:32 p.m

More than a decade since its inception to support the distribution of the bulk of the donated funds that flowed to Newtown following the Sandy Hook tragedy of December 14, 2012, the Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation has released an updated report how these funds are used .

Foundation Director Lucie Connell, MPA, said The Newtown Bee that foundation leaders not only strive for complete transparency in the use of these funds, but also for the benefit of any other community or organization engaged in similar endeavors.

“We believe that documenting the use of Sandy Hook School Support Fund funds in this way is an example for others,” said Connell. “We’ve always prioritized transparency and believe this proactive accounting of work to date proves that.”

Connell said she and her board members are always aware that the mass shooting transformed the community and impacted many lives.

“For that reason, we continue to strive every day to support victim families, SHS students and their families, SHS staff and their families, and emergency responders and their families with the associated costs of ‘mental health costs that are arising from surrendered to the tragedy,” she said, admitting, “Travel in Newtown remains difficult.”

Connell said since the foundation’s inception in 2013, she and her team have “supported 750 individuals through our common support fund and supported 23 organizations through our grantmaking process.”

In addition to providing financial support to individuals struggling with behavioral health issues as a result of the tragedy, the foundation also provides grants to organizations that work directly with those affected. Additionally, it provides recovery leadership through support for training for clinicians and nonprofit leaders, as well as special programs for the community.

The report shows that the foundation has distributed a total of $12,427,389 in support to date, with about 62 percent of those funds going to the 26 families who lost loved ones, two injured teachers and 12 surviving JW students. Another about 28 percent support the mental health and well-being of others who have been exposed to the tragedy.

After the incident, the federal government announced that every single member of the community was considered a victim or otherwise affected at the time of the shooting, leaving Newtown eligible for significant additional federal assistance and financial assistance.

In a memo at the beginning of the report, Chris McDonnell, the foundation’s executive chairman, stated that “data shows that people experience trauma differently” and that there is no “right way” to respond to traumatic loss.

“It depends on the person, their past experience and the level of support,” McDonnell continued. “As we administer our foundations, we only hope that the resources entrusted to us will have the greatest impact and are used to support efforts aimed at psychological well-being and emotional resilience following trauma.”

At the time of the report’s publication, just over $1.1 million in grants went to the following organizations or nonprofits: Ben’s Lighthouse; the Connecticut Institute for Communities, Inc. School-Based Health Center at Newtown Middle School; Embrace the hope; family and child support; Hearts of Hope—Newtown Chapter; HEART 9/11, which supported law enforcement first responders; Lunding/Bannerstone Consulting; the Newtown Community Center Playmakers program and its Race4Chase program.

Also Newtown Kindness; the Newtown Police Department; Newtown Public Schools; Newtown Youth Academy (NYA); Newtown Youth & Family Services (NYFS); Northwest Area Health Education Center (AHEC); the Newtown Recovery & Resiliency Team; the Resiliency Center of Newtown (RCN); The Ana Grace Project; The Avielle Foundation; The Center for Empowerment and Education; The Tapping Solution Foundation; Newtown’s Center for Support and Wellness; and the Wheeler Clinic.

The current foundation board consists of McDonnell; Vice-Chair and Counsel Anne Ragusa; Gavin Arneth, CFO and Treasurer; secretary dr Charles Herrick; and Benjamin B. Spragg, former Treasurer of Newtown. United Way Regional President Isabel Almeida and attorney and former Selectman and Legislative Council Chair William Rodgers are ex officio directors.

Members of the Foundation’s Distribution Committee include Bob Schmidt, Chair of the LCP and Trustee of the surviving Eyewitness children and their families; Cheyanne Wirtz, mother of Allison Wyatt, who died in the shooting; Curtis Urbina, a Sandy Hook/Newtown parent; David Kullgren, chief of the Newtown Police Department; surviving Sandy Hook School teacher Janet Vollmer; Karen Kravec, LCSW and Newtown mother; Kevin Cragin, former longtime member and chairman of the Board of Fire Commissioners, and Reverend Rob Morris, pastor of Christ the King Lutheran Church and a Newtown parent.

“Our vision to help Newtown become a strong community where people come together and support one another on their journey to healing remains at the forefront of our work,” said Connell.

To reduce the overhead associated with running the Foundation, the Jeniam Foundation, Fairfield County Community Foundation (Donor Advised Funds), Newtown Lions Club and Newtown Rotary provide underwriting.

The report can be accessed at nshcf.org.

Contact Editor John Voket at [email protected].

Director Lucie Connell recently reported that since it was funded in the weeks following December 14, the Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation has supported 750 people through its community support fund and provided grants to 23 organizations.