USA TODAY International Edition
As donations slow, call comes for more giving
Dozens still hospitalized as the public moves on
A Minnesota man was released from a Las Vegas hospital and a Maryland woman took her first steps as survivors claimed small victories more than two weeks after a gunman’s rampage in Las Vegas killed 58 people and wounded hundreds more.
Dozens of victims remain hospitalized, however, and the need to collect more funds to help them is urgent, says the lawyer who is helping build a plan for distributing the money.
“Time is of the essence,” Ken Feinberg told USA TODAY. “Every day that goes by (the shooting rampage) becomes less acute in the eyes of the public. They move on. But the victims need the money.”
Feinberg’s law firm helped dole out compensation funds for major tragedies from the 9/11 terror attacks that killed thousands to last year’s assault at an Orlando nightclub that left 49 dead. Now, the firm has been charged with helping Las Vegas leaders set up a distribution system for donations from multiple fundraising efforts.
Feinberg said time is a critical element in raising and distributing funds. The main GoFundMe account for victims, started by Sheriff Joe Lombardo of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak, has raised almost $11 million. But in the last week the total has risen by less than $500,000.
Feinberg said the leaders of other fundraising efforts totaling a few more million have expressed interest in merging the money for distribution under protocols his firm is developing. The firm will suggest a plan for who gets money — families of those killed, people treated at hospitals, for starters.
Heather Senior Monroe, a psychotherapist and licensed clinical social worker, says strong support groups are crucial. While the tragedy’s drift away from the spotlight might hurt fundraising, it might also be a plus for victims and their families.
“Victims and family members may be called on to speak with news outlets or post on social media, and thus are constantly reminded,” she says. “They need to pull away from such triggers and, instead, prioritize open communication with people who love and understand them.”