The overwhelming generosity resulting from the tragic shooting at the Capital Gazette office on Thursday, June 28 has been heartening. Thank you to everyone who has given to the funds established in honor of Gerald Fischman, Robert Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith and Wendi Winters at the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County (CFAAC). And thank you too to those who have provided comfort to the people affected in a variety of kind and thoughtful ways.

Two funds were opened immediately in response to so many people’s desire to help:

The Capital Gazette Families Fund will provide immediate relief and long-term recovery support to employees and immediate family members of employees of the Capital Gazette, as well as employees across the company. Grants can be applied to grief and trauma counseling, medical expenses not covered by insurance, funeral expenses, and other associated expenses and services. 

The Capital Gazette Memorial Scholarship Fund has been created to provide an annual award for select students pursuing a degree in Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park.

CFAAC is honored to have been asked to administer the gifts that have come in from over 6,000 donors around the world. Total giving has exceeded $730,000 not including the match from the Michael and Jacky Ferro Family Foundation. Our role is to ensure that these funds get applied as the generous donors intended and we are committed to doing so. 

Grants have already been distributed to the families for funeral-related expenses. As we move into the next phase of family support, a Grants Distribution Committee composed of independent experts and community volunteers is developing the criteria for long-term recovery support. The distribution guidelines have not been finalized. However, the Grants Distribution Committee met last week and developed a timeline. Our goal is to distribute the funds raised to the families as soon as possible in the most transparent and equitable way possible within legal boundaries. 

The affects of trauma do not go away overnight. This will be the beginning of a journey for many who have had their lives upended in unexpected and still unknown ways. Thank you for your patience as we thoughtfully, and as quickly as we can, move forward with the next steps in supporting the Capital Gazette employees and their families through philanthropy.