In the early hours of Sunday, June 12, a gunman, who has now been identified as Omar Mateen, killed 49 people and wounded 53 more in an attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The nightclub is one of the most popular LGBTQ clubs in the city.
As authorities comb through evidence and Matten’s background to determine the why and how’s of the tragic event, millions around the world are mourning the tragic loss of life in what has become one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history. The tragedy has also inspired great acts of charity and kindness from around the nation.
As of Wednesday afternoon, a gofundme campaign to aid the victims of the shooting (families of the deceased and those injured) has raised over $4.5 million dollars. The campaign was started by Equality Florida, statewide organization advocating for gay and lesbian rights. The donations have come from nearly 97,000 individual donors.
Another organization, Lutheran Church Charities based in Chicago, IL, sent their K-9 Comfort Dog Ministry, composed of 12 golden retriever dogs, down to Orlando to comfort first responders, mourners and victims who were hospitalized after the shooting. The canine crew has been working through Trinity Lutheran Church in downtown Orlando, which has an outreach ministry aimed at the local LGBT community.
The Walt Disney Company announced a donation of $1 million to the OneOrlando Fund that benefits non-profits in the community. The purpose of the Fund is to provide a way to respond to the needs of the Orlando community, now and in the time to come, after the effects of the Pulse tragedy.
The National Compassion Fund is also distributing 100% of the funds received directly to victims, which has already totaled over $4 million. Pulse, the nightclub where the shooting took place, has also started an Employee Recovery Fund to provide financial assistance to employees while they are out of work.
JustGive sends our condolences out to all victims and their families of the Orlando shooting. To contribute to any of the above efforts for Orlando, use the links below:
Pulse Victims Fund – GoFundMe
OneOrlando Fund
Pulse Employee Recovery Fund
The National Compassion Fund
– The JustGive Team
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