How you can help victims, families of mass shooting in Colorado Springs: Fundraisers started

Debbie Kelley, The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Updated ·3 min read

Nov. 20—The Colorado Healing Fund at www.coloradohealingfund.org is the state's official fundraiser to benefit victims and families impacted by the Club Q mass shooting at the LGBTQ+ nightclub.

The fund was started in 2018 by a group of victim advocates and community leaders to establish a secure way for the public to contribute to victims of mass casualty crimes in Colorado. Initial funding was provided by the Colorado Attorney General's Office. Pikes Peak Community Foundation, pledging $10,000, is among those donating to the Healing Fund.

Club Q's donation site to help victims, Colorado Gives 365, is through Colorado Healing Fund.

Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, is charged with killing five people and wounding 19 others at Club Q nightclub, shortly before midnight. Authorities said they were investigating whether the mass shooting was a hate crime.

The Colorado Gives site for victims, also recommended by Mayor John Suthers and Governor Polis, is coloradogives.org/story/Clubq

Noted dancer and Colorado College Theatre and Dance Department instructor Jordan McHenry, whose hometown is Colorado Springs, used his Facebook, hoping to raise $5,000 for the young people at Inside Out Youth Services and within a day raised $6,355 from 99 people in the community. He quoted the nonprofit's mission: "To build access, equity and power with LGBTQIA+ young people."

GoFundMe appeals have been launched for families impacted by Club Q mass shooting and more are expected. They will be verified.

Two fundraisers can be found at: https://gf.me/v/c/lmgs/victims-of-club-q-colorado-springs-mass-shooting By Tuesday, these first fundraisers have raised $698,826 of a $750,000 goal.

Former employee Greg Resha, also known as Kyree Myst, is helping raise funds for medical and funeral expenses for the victims and families. $44,188 has been raised of $75,000 goal had been raised on the GoFundMe drive as of Monday and goes through Colorado Gives.

A small business advocate in Denver, Faith Haug of Good Judy Garage, is raising funds for families of the victims killed and to help those injured with medical expenses. "We hope to be able to give to help cover the funeral expenses of each of the 5 community members killed," she wrote on the donation page, www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-the-club-q-families-and-survivors?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=unknown&utm_campaign=comms_lmgs+support-for-the-club-q-families-and-survivors.

Charlene and James Slaugh are siblings who were both injured in the shooting. According to the fundraiser Charlene was shot 13 times. Meanwhile James and his partner, who first met at Club Q, were both shot in the incident. They were about to leave the club when shots broke out. The GoFundMe is on Facebook with their name.

Victims First, a network of surviving victims of mass casualty crime, is organizing Club Q Victims Fund with money going to the victims of the Club Q shooting. In just the last two years victims first has donated to the victims and families impacted by the mass shootings in Boulder, Buffalo, NY, and Uvalde, TX.

Jake Lancer, an LGBTQIA+ music artist, started this fundraiser to support his community following the events at Club Q. All donations made to this fundraiser will go to the Colorado Healing Fund.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Colorado Springs police initially reported early Sunday that five people had died and more than 18 were wounded, then changed it to five dead and another 25 wounded. On Monday, a joint operation between police and the city of Colorado Springs corrected the totals to five fatalities, and 17 people sustained gunshot wounds, another person injured in another manner and one victim with no visible injuries but considered a victim, according to city spokesman Max D'Onofrio. The situation was very chaotic on Sunday, D'Onofrio said, which led to the change in numbers. The suspect also was wounded and remains in police custody in a local hospital. He brings the total to 25 people impacted.