Texas church announces $3M in donations

SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, Texas—A South Texas church has received nearly $3 million in donations for victims and their families after more than two dozen worshippers died in a mass shooting last year.

The First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs on Sunday announced it received $2.91 million in donations after gunman Devin Patrick Kelley opened fire during church services Nov. 5.

Church leaders said $840,000 was designated for victim relief, the Dallas Morning News reported. Pastor Frank Pomeroy said about $2 million wasn’t designated by donors and about $130,000 was donated for a memorial, the church’s food pantry and funerals. The church will vote on any expenditure above $1,000 used from undesignated donations, Pomeroy said.

The $2.91 million total doesn’t include more than $24,000 designated by donors for specific survivors or families.

Months ago, some donors, survivors and victims’ families questioned how the church was spending donations. Churches aren’t required to publicize their revenue, expenditures and other financial details.

Pomeroy said church leaders couldn’t make the financial disclosure until now.

It took months for the congregation to sort through the cash and checks and arrange a system for distribution.

The donations were sent to the church, a Wells Fargo relief fund and two PayPal accounts.