5 Things You Can Do Right Now to Support Newtown, CT

The tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., has left Americans stunned and grieving. We can't bring back the 20 children and six adults killed on Friday, December 14, but there are actions you can take to help the families and friends of the victims, as well as the community of Newtown, who are suffering through the aftermath of the second deadliest school shooting in American history.

When you take your action, tweet what you did with the hashtag #26Acts, in memory of the 26 people who lost their lives in the shooting. The trending hashtag began with NBC's Ann Curry, who recently tweeted: Imagine if all of us committed to 20 mitvahs/acts of kindness to honor each child lost in Newtown. I'm in. If you are RT #20Acts

Get started with one of the five actions below:

Donate to Newtown Youth & Family Services, which is providing counseling for families and community members affected by the Sandy Hook tragedy. They are extending their hours to provide trauma therapy and support, especially for children. Support Newtown Parent Connection, which is earmarking all current donations to be used in support of the victims' families. Send a letter of condolence to Newtown. The U.S. Postal Service has established a special P.O. Box for individuals to send condolence letters. Simply direct your letter to: Messages of Condolence for Newtown, P.O. Box 3700, Newtown, CT 06470 Submit your own message of support to Wall of Love, set up speficially for members of the Newtown community. Donate to the Newtown Memorial Fund, which helps pay for the costs of victims' funerals and provides a lasting memorial to those who lost their lives on December 14.