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CAPITAL GAZETTE FAMILIES FUND

Capital Gazette Families Fund

On June 28, 2018, a gunman forced his way into the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis with a shotgun killing five people and injuring two others. Officers responded to the scene within a minute of the rampage and found employees fleeing from the building. The suspect was found hiding under a desk and was arrested.

The Annapolis community was shocked and heartbroken. Grieving colleagues began covering the story — some of them immediately upon escaping the building.

The Capital Gazette Families Fund was created out of the generosity of thousands of individual donors, businesses, and foundations in response to the tragic shooting at the Capital Gazette news office. The Fund was established in honor of the Capital Gazette newspaper employees and their families. 

This tragedy has united our community. Overwhelming support has been felt from across the country and around the world. Donations have exceeded $1,842,000.

While we know financial gifts cannot erase the traumatic impacts of tragedy, we hope that these gifts, given by thousands of people from around the world, will be a symbol of caring and help the employees and their families begin to heal. 

CFAAC’s role is to serve as the administrator of the Fund and fairly distribute gifts for the direct benefit of the victims and their families. We are inspired and overwhelmed by the generosity of the public to help the victims. In support of our community, CFAAC is waiving all fees for the administration of this Fund so that 100% of the gifts received by December 31, 2018, specifically for the benefit of the victims and their families will be distributed directly to them. For CFAAC to comply with Internal Revenue Service criteria concerning Charitable Funds which benefit individuals, the Fund has and will continue to accept gifts which donors have specifically designated to provide opportunities for our community to heal and grow along with the victims and survivors. CFAAC will form a committee made up of community members to determine how to best utilize these gifts for the benefit of our community. 

The success or failure of this Fund will not be measured in the amount of money raised, but rather by whether the funds were distributed in accord with the intent of the donors in a fair and transparent manner.

CFAAC formed a Distribution Committee composed of independent experts and community volunteers to develop the protocol for distribution of the gifts received. The goal is to provide a transparent and equitable process for the distribution of the gifts to the victims and their families. 

To donate to the Capital Gazette Families Fund, click here.

Along with the Capital Gazette Families Fund, 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.

To donate to the Capital Gazette Memorial Scholarship, click here

Thank you to the thousands of Individuals and Businesses that made direct contributions to the Capital Gazette Families Fund and the Capital Gazette Memorial Scholarship Fund.

And to the organizers, promoters, and vendors that held special events in our community to support the victims, employees, and families of those impacted by this tragedy.

 

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