Nearly $3.5 million raised for Stoneman Douglas victims

Committee of local leaders to determine who will receive assistance

PARKLAND, Fla. – More than $2 million has been raised after a GoFundMe page was set up for the victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.  

Organizers said when you add in money from other collections outside the GoFundMe page, they've actually raised close to $3.5 million.

The question is: How much will everyone get and who will be eligible?

After the attack on Stoneman Douglas, the lives of families all over the community were changed and donations began pouring in from all over the world.

One GoFundMe page in particular, organized by the Broward Education Foundation and the National Center for Victims of Crime, has raised nearly $2.5 million. 

"The contributions came in from everywhere around the world, around the globe, celebrities, children with lemonade stands, and the outpouring of compassion, generosity and support has been one word: awe-inspiring," Christina Fischer, chair of the Broward Education Foundation, said. 

The groups held a news conference Tuesday morning to discuss how and when the money will be distributed, saying they are creating a committee of local community leaders who will determine who will receive assistance, and how much they will receive.

"Generally, we establish categories of benefits for people, families of those who were killed, for people who were injured and for those who were present or suffered psychological trauma," Jeff Dion, of the National Center for Victims of Crime, said. 

Organizers said once the families receive the money there are no restrictions on how they can use it.

"If they want to pay the rent, if they want to pay medical bills if they want to create a memorial or start a scholarship fund -- whatever they want to do is appropriate," Dion said. 

Organizers are still accepting donations.

Click here to donate to the GoFundMe page.

You can also donate $10 by texting "Parkland" to 20222.


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