In the second-deadliest school shooting in the U.S. where a gunman murdered 19 children and two adults at Robb Elementary School, the community is still grieving.
Many have since questioned what they can do to help the families of the young victims. The community is looking for blood donations, legal assistance and funds for victims’ families. Read on to learn how you can help.
Donate Blood
University Health System, which is the largest transfuser of blood in the San Antonio area, is encouraging community members to donate blood to hospitals and centers.
“Your donation can help ensure we have supplies immediately available for the victims of this tragic shooting,” it tweeted.
While the South Texas Blood & Tissue was able to send 15 units of blood to the school and local hospitals immediately after the shooting, and another 10 to an area hospital later in the day upon request thanks to donors.
“We will continue to work with hospitals in the area to make blood available as it’s needed and to rebuild their supply for other patients in need,” the organization said.
“This tragedy highlights the importance of always having blood available on the shelf and before it’s needed,” the center continued.
Volunteer Legal Services
The San Antonio Legal Services Association is seeking volunteer attorneys who are licensed to practice in the state of Texas, according to a Facebook post.
“Volunteer NOW to assist Uvalde Shooting Victims and Families with Unmet Legal Needs,” it wrote. “SALSA will respond with pro bono assistance as called upon to do so by community partners and civil leaders over the coming weeks.”
The organization is asking qualified attorneys to email them with their area of practice and availability through the month of June.
Support Verified Fundraisers
GoFundMe has established a series of verified fundraisers supporting victims and loved ones affected by the shooting, which you can find here.
Of those verified, includes a fundraiser organized by VictimsFirst (a network of survivors and relatives affected by previous mass shootings) to provide victims’ family members with no-strings-attached cash payments.
The group said it started the fund “to make sure that 100% of what is collected goes DIRECTLY to the victim base so the victims’ families and those wounded/injured are protected from fraud and exploitation.”