In the early morning hours of June 12, a gunman opened fire at a LGBTQ nightclub in Orlando, FL leaving 49 people dead and over 50 injured, nearly all LGBTQ, Latino/a, and young. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families.
The Forum's regional philanthropy association members, especially the Florida Philanthropic Network, as well as other philanthropy-serving organizations and funders across the country are providing support and assistance in this time of need. As with any disaster, there are opportunities to provide immediate, mid-term and long-term assistance to the victims and the broader community. Below are resources to help funders and others interested in responding to this tragedy:
Teleconference Recordings
On June 22, the Forum co-hosted a National Teleconference for Funders: Response to Orlando Shooting for funders concerned about this tragedy and how to best respond. Other co-hosts include Funders for LGBTQ Issues, Change Philanthropy, AAPIP, ABFE, Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, Hispanics in Philanthropy, Native Americans in Philanthropy and Women’s Funding Network. Listen to the recording
On July 28, the Forum co-hosted a National Teleconference for Funders: Supporting Communities Impacted by the Orlando Massacre in partnership with funder affinity groups from around the country for funders focusing on the impact of the Orlando massacre on communities in central Florida and how funders can respond to the needs of those most impacted by this tragedy. Listen to the recording
We will be planning to an additional teleconference on responding to the Orlando shooting (dates TBA) to focus on long-term needs and responses.
Our regional association members in California - San Diego Grantmakers, Southern California Grantmakers, and Northern California Grantmakers - coordinated a statewide call on June 21 to update funders about what’s happening now in Orlando and within the LGBTQ community; and hear from leaders on gun violence prevention work, both within California and nationally, about the complexities of gun violence prevention and their approaches to it. Listen to the recording
Orlando Funds
Three major funds have been established to respond to the Orlando shooting
- Better Together Fund- The Better Together Fund was established by the Central Florida Foundation in Orlando to help the city respond to the needs of the community – not only those we know but those we cannot anticipate – now, and in the time to come. The fund will support:
- Nonprofits that are supporting the survivors and families,
- The LGBTQ, Hispanic, faith and other affected communities,
- Underlying causes of this tragic event, and
- Other needs we cannot anticipate until we face them.
- OneOrlando Fund- Established by the City of Orlando, the OneOrlando Fund will provide support to the victims of the Pulse tragedy and their families.
- Pulse Victims Fund- Equality Florida is collecting contributions via a GoFundMe page to support every single victim of the Orlando shooting. This includes victims’ families, survivors, and those in the club who may not have suffered physical injury but in need of support. Equality Florida is working with the National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC) to distribute the contributions via NCVC’s National Compassion Fund.
Additional Resources
- Florida Philanthropic Network- You can find more information on Orlando shooting response opportunities and updates at FPN’s website.
- Lessons From Roseburg: The Ford Family Foundation- The Ford Family Foundation in Roseburg, Oregon has been a key leader in the response to the mass shooting that took place in Roseburg on October 1, 2015, at the Umpqua Community College. Below are some resources from the foundation about what they’ve learned:
- Governor Rick Scott announced the activation of the Florida Disaster Fund following yesterday’s terror attack in Orlando. The Florida Disaster Fund will help provide financial support to organizations that serve survivors, their families, and all those in need. Make a contribution