An out-of-state nonprofit has raised concerns about whether some Lewiston shooting victims were overlooked by the organization responsible for distributing donations.During the aftermath of the mass shooting, people nationwide were eager to donate to the victims, so the Maine Community Foundation created the Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund to streamline the contributions. “Five weeks, six weeks … I tried to go back to work,” said Arthur Barnard, whose son Artie Strout was killed at Schemengee’s Bar & Grill. “I can remember getting up to go to work and making it to a parking lot a mile from my house. When I started work, I think I was in that parking lot for five hours.”While Barnard was struggling to return to work, the response fund paid his November rent. “It kind of means a lot when you have three teenagers in the home and, you know, a baby and a mother and handicapped adult, and you’re working and taking care of all these people and going through everything,” said Barnard. The response fund raised over $6.6 million; $4.9 million was allocated to victims, family members and survivors, while $1.7 million went to community nonprofits. Donors were able to specify which group they wanted to support. The Uvalde Foundation for Kids claims to have heard from a handful of individuals who say they weren’t given substantial support following the shooting. “We are currently concerned about the original vetting process, deserving individuals being vetted out of the care process, and additional reports that some funding was allegedly rerouted to the Resiliency Center, which has yet served its full purpose to the community,” said Daniel Chapin, national director of the Uvalde Foundation for Kids. The group is an anti-gun violence group formed to help with victim advocacy following the Robb Elementary School shooting. In a press release, the Uvalde Foundation for Kids said it has relevant experience supporting victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting and wants to lend its expertise to stakeholders in Maine.”I did a fund in Uvalde,” said Jeff Dion, executive director of the Mass Violence Survivors Fund. “I’ve never worked with those people, and I can’t say anything about, to support their credibility. So, I just don’t know. I don’t even know what they have to do with this.”Dion helped establish the Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund. He says they used a rigorous vetting process to determine who would receive funding. The board of awarded grants to 162 individuals, all of whom were either present during the shooting or heir to one of the 18 people who were killed. He says this is the first time he’s heard claims that some victims were overlooked. “I thought the response in Maine, and the work of the Maine Community Foundation, was some of the best response that I’ve seen out of all the 31 incidents I’ve been involved in,” said Dion. Barnard believes everyone who needed support got it. While he appreciated the financial help, the money is the last of his concerns. “I don’t know where else it could have gone,” said Barnard. “Little things. I mean, I just … what I do know is that I got to spend the last two hours of his life with him, and he was happy.”The Uvalde Foundation for Kids wasn’t able to connect 8 Investigates with any of the victims who claim to have been overlooked, citing holiday staffing. A spokesperson for the group didn’t respond to our request for an interview. The foundation has asked the Maine attorney general’s office to review its findings and provide oversight. The office hasn’t responded to our request for comment.
An out-of-state nonprofit has raised concerns about whether some Lewiston shooting victims were overlooked by the organization responsible for distributing donations.
During the aftermath of the mass shooting, people nationwide were eager to donate to the victims, so the Maine Community Foundation created the Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund to streamline the contributions.
“Five weeks, six weeks … I tried to go back to work,” said Arthur Barnard, whose son Artie Strout was killed at Schemengee’s Bar & Grill. “I can remember getting up to go to work and making it to a parking lot a mile from my house. When I started work, I think I was in that parking lot for five hours.”
While Barnard was struggling to return to work, the response fund paid his November rent.
“It kind of means a lot when you have three teenagers in the home and, you know, a baby and a mother and handicapped adult, and you’re working and taking care of all these people and going through everything,” said Barnard.
The response fund raised over $6.6 million; $4.9 million was allocated to victims, family members and survivors, while $1.7 million went to community nonprofits. Donors were able to specify which group they wanted to support.
The Uvalde Foundation for Kids claims to have heard from a handful of individuals who say they weren’t given substantial support following the shooting.
“We are currently concerned about the original vetting process, deserving individuals being vetted out of the care process, and additional reports that some funding was allegedly rerouted to the Resiliency Center, which has yet served its full purpose to the community,” said Daniel Chapin, national director of the Uvalde Foundation for Kids.
The group is an anti-gun violence group formed to help with victim advocacy following the Robb Elementary School shooting. In a press release, the Uvalde Foundation for Kids said it has relevant experience supporting victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting and wants to lend its expertise to stakeholders in Maine.
“I did a fund in Uvalde,” said Jeff Dion, executive director of the Mass Violence Survivors Fund. “I’ve never worked with those people, and I can’t say anything about, to support their credibility. So, I just don’t know. I don’t even know what they have to do with this.”
Dion helped establish the Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund. He says they used a rigorous vetting process to determine who would receive funding. The board of awarded grants to 162 individuals, all of whom were either present during the shooting or heir to one of the 18 people who were killed. He says this is the first time he’s heard claims that some victims were overlooked.
“I thought the response in Maine, and the work of the Maine Community Foundation, was some of the best response that I’ve seen out of all the 31 incidents I’ve been involved in,” said Dion.
Barnard believes everyone who needed support got it. While he appreciated the financial help, the money is the last of his concerns.
“I don’t know where else it could have gone,” said Barnard. “Little things. I mean, I just … what I do know is that I got to spend the last two hours of his life with him, and he was happy.”
The Uvalde Foundation for Kids wasn’t able to connect 8 Investigates with any of the victims who claim to have been overlooked, citing holiday staffing. A spokesperson for the group didn’t respond to our request for an interview.
The foundation has asked the Maine attorney general’s office to review its findings and provide oversight. The office hasn’t responded to our request for comment.
