In wake of tragedy, over $1 million in donations pours in
From far beyond Pittsburgh, from many people with no connections to the city or its Jewish community, more than $1 million has been raised to help deal with losses from Saturday’s Tree of Life shooting tragedy.
A GoFundMe account created by an Iranian political refugee attending graduate school in Washington, D.C. — he knows no one in Pittsburgh — raised more than $730,000 by 7 p.m. Monday.
An account on the LaunchGood crowdfunding site, which is used by the Muslim community, had by the same hour surpassed its goal of $150,000. It will provide at least $152,000 that the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh intends to donate to victims.
Through these and other fundraising sources that seem both likely and unlikely, beyond a million dollars evidently will be available to assist with the burials of the 11 deceased, medical bills for others wounded, counseling for those psychologically impacted, repairs to the Squirrel Hill synagogue and other costs.
Such donations offered voluntarily by thousands of individuals offer their own lesson about broad society in the wake of a horrific attack by a hate-filled individual.
“It’s warmed my heart to see how much of an outpouring of support we’ve gotten from people of all faiths — not just from the Jewish community, but all over Pittsburgh and all over the world,” said Adam Hertzman, spokesman for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.
The federation, which serves as the broad planning agency for the local Jewish community, has a fundraising campaign on its own website that received more than 1,700 contributions exceeding $205,000 by 5 p.m.
The GoFundMe account created Saturday afternoon by Shay Khatiri, 29, a student at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, could now by itself potentially reach a newly stated goal of $1 million. He started out skeptical of his original goal of $50,000, then watched donations climb at a fast and steady clip during days of national media attention focused on Tree of Life.
“People care,” Mr. Khatiri said in an interview when asked to explain the success. “They may not like welfare and high taxes, but Americans are charitable and prefer to contribute in their own way — they want to help.”
He has no connection to Pittsburgh, but said he feels a debt to many professors and mentors who are Jewish and have been helpful to him during his four-plus years in the United States. He was also camped out in the apartment of a Jewish friend in Washington on Saturday when she was devastated by news of the Squirrel Hill attack, and he felt a need to help in some form.
“I don’t want to take credit — it’s the donors that deserve credit,” he said of the effort, through which funds are being transferred directly by GoFundMe to Tree of Life’s financial accounts without Mr. Khatiri having any involvement. “I’ll take credit for the $36 I put into it myself ... and for the two minutes it took me to set it up.”
The Islamic Center of Pittsburgh has coordinated other fundraising with two national Muslim charitable organizations, Celebrate Mercy and MPower Change. The local center, which started out with the intent simply to raise $25,000 to assist with burials, will now work with the families of victims and the leadership of Tree of Life and the Jewish federation to make sure all of the funds are distributed toward the biggest needs, said Wasi Mohamed, executive director of the Islamic Center.
“It’s amazing to see that in a terrible situation there’s some ray of hope — the fact that all these communities can come together around supporting the Jewish community,” Mr. Mohamed said. “In Pittsburgh there’s a very strong relationship between the communities, and we would come to their aid in any way they request. A lot of people assume we’re two competing groups, but in reality we’re very close.”
When told of how Mr. Khatiri’s effort had raised above $650,000, Mr. Mohamed said, “That’s insane — I thought our number was high.”
Tree of Life officials could not be reached directly for comment on the fundraising efforts on their behalf, but they issued a statement: “The support shown worldwide proves that love truly is stronger than hate.”
The congregation also announced it had created two donation accounts — the Tree of Life Victims and Family Account and Tree of Life Synagogue Account — that contributors may send funds to directly by mailing to: First National Bank of Pennsylvania, 1940 Murray Ave., Pittsburgh PA 15217, Attention: Tony North.
It’s possible that the various fundraising will far exceed immediate needs among victims and survivors. The federation’s Mr. Hertzman said the planning group will be collaborating with Tree of Life leadership and families on a strategy to help meet long-term needs, as well as those that are more urgent.
A separate GoFundMe site, meanwhile, was created on behalf of Pittsburgh police officer Tim Matson, to help with his medical expenses after being wounded at the synagogue. More than $40,000 had been raised by 5 p.m.