Victims' Funds
As often as possible, VictimsFirst creates location-specific victims' funds on GoFundMe to ensure that donors have a place to donate to victims that ensures 100% will go directly to victims/survivors. We are volunteers and do not take anything from those donations so that every penny goes to victims/survivors in cash payments. These funds are specific to individual incidents of mass violence and are separate from our National Mass Shooting Victims' Fund. Location-specific funds collect donations for a specific victim base, while the National Mass Shooting Victims' Fund provides direct emergency cash assistance to victims of mass violence across the country and at any time of need.
BALTIMORE BROOKLYN BLOCK PARTY SHOOTING:
We are deeply affected and saddened by the mass shooting in the early morning hours that took the lives of two people, critically injured three, and physically injured at least 25 others at the Baltimore Brooklyn block party. We are very sorry we do not have the capacity to directly respond to this shooting to open a location-specific Centralized Victims Fund, but we will assist as much as we can through our National Mass Shooting Victims Fund as funds become available.
Allen Outlet Mall Shooting Victims' Fund:
If you need mental help after the shooting, free mental help is being offered in Collin County right now through LifePathSystems.org. You can also call 972-422-5939 to get help. If you feel suicidal, call 988. If you need ongoing therapy, you can find trauma therapists in your area on www.psychologytoday.com
Other resources: https://www.theimpactcounselors.com (214) 778-2836 as well as Watershed/Lifeologie Counseling Group which is offering limited pro-bono counseling for those impacted by the shooting.
There is a family assistance center to help here: The Family Assistance Center is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is located at 451 St. Mary Drive.
Also, there is a Victims Services Counselor: Misti Archambeault who covers Dallas and Collin counties and is in Garland. Her phone at 214-861-2303, fax at 214-861-2486 or visit the local office at 350 W. I-30, Garland, Texas 75043.
Donations to the Allen, TX Shooting Victim's Fund have closed as of 08/04/2023.
If you would like to donate to support mass shooting victims from all mass shooting, including Allen, you can always donate to our National Mass Shooting Victims' Fund here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/07fd3274-5bac-4f7c-893f-6a42c1549282
Applications for the Allen, TX Shooting Victim's Fund can be found here: https://www.victimsfirst.org/allen
Our Victims' Funds:
VictimsFirst creates victims' funds in the direct aftermath of a mass shooting on GoFundMe so that there is a place that donors can donate to that ensures 100% of all donations go directly to victims/survivors in cash payments. If a centralized victims' fund is started and/or the National Compassion Fund is invited in, we grant over what we collect to the centralized victims' fund. If no centralized victims fund is established locally, we work to distribute 100% of the donations we collect directly to victims. Donations collected through GoFundMe provide mid-term care to victims of mass casualty crime. Immediate support is provided through our National Mass Shooting Victims Fund. If you are interested in supporting long-term physical and psychological trauma-related care for mass shooting victims, we recommend donating to VTV Care.
Active Funds with the National Compassion Fund:
Visit the National Compassion Fund's active funds page. The National Compassion Fund ensures 100% of all donations collected go directly to victims/survivors in cash payments. We fully endorse Jeff Dion, as he has earned the trust of mass shooting victims across the country to administer these funds and manage a process that is public and completely transparent.
A Note on Transaction Fees:
When donating through platforms like Donorbox, PayPal, and GoFundMe, there are unavoidable transaction/processing fees. These are charged to process electronic donations using a credit/debit card. Some of these platforms give you the option to pay for these fees separate from your donation. They are typically a small percentage of your donation plus a set fee (i.e. 2.7% + $00.30). If you would like to donate and avoid these transaction/processing fees, you can do so via Zelle, Zeffy, or check (see instructions above). Please write in the memo section where you would like your funds directed.
VictimsFirst never takes a penny out of the money we receive from any platform for our victims' funds. 100% of what we collect for victims goes directly to victims.