Mass shooting at Texas elementary school: How to help in the Carolinas
Desperation turned to heart-wrenching sorrow for families of elementary schoolers killed after an 18-year-old gunman barricaded himself in their Texas classroom and began shooting, killing at least 19 children and their two teachers.
Relatives gathered at a civic center following the shooting Tuesday at Robb Elementary School in the southwestern Texas town of Uvalde, pleading for information and turning to social media for help. By Wednesday morning, many were left with the grim reality of an unimaginable horror as the names of the young victims began to emerge.
Though the tragedy struck hundreds of miles away, there are several ways North and South Carolinians can help.
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Make a financial donation. GoFundMe has put together a collection of verified fundraisers for people affected by the mass shooting. Click here to donate.
VictimsFirst, a network of victims’ families and survivors from over two decades of previous mass shootings, started a fund to make sure that 100% of what is collected goes directly to the victim base. The organization’s goal is that victims’ families and those hurt are protected from fraud and exploitation. Click here to donate.
Donate to area hospitals and health systems. University Health, which received at least four patients in the shooting, said its blood donation center has been flooded with calls, online appointments, and donations. The hospital system set up a fund that will go toward the patients and families it’s caring for.
These funds will be used to support the families while their loved ones are at University Hospital, to cover unpaid medical expenses and other needs identified by our social workers.
You can donate through this webpage: https://t.co/UpNCS0aWjj— University Health (@UnivHealthSA) May 25, 2022
South Texas Blood & Tissue said it was able to send 15 units of blood to Uvalde to be available at the site of the shooting and at the area hospitals.
“We will continue to work with hospitals in the area to make blood available as it’s needed and to rebuild their supply for other patients in need,” it said in a statement.
It emphasized the need for blood on hand before tragedy strikes, saying the country is facing a historic need for blood going into the holiday weekend. Anyone who wants to donate can schedule an appointment at their local community center.
Click here to give blood to OneBlood.
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Helping children cope with tragedy-related anxiety
Mental Health America offers several tips for discussing tragedies like the Uvalde mass shooting with children. To read their full advice, click here.
Children sense the anxiety and tension in adults around them. And, like adults, children experience the same feelings of helplessness and lack of control that tragedy-related stress can create. Unlike adults, however, children have little experience to help them place their current situation into perspective.
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Each child responds differently to tragedy, depending on his or her understanding and maturity, but it’s easy to see how an event like this can create a great deal of anxiety in children of all ages because they will interpret the tragedy as a personal danger to themselves and those they care about. Whatever the child’s age or relationship to the damage caused by tragedy, it’s important that you are open about the consequences for your family, and that you encourage them to talk about it.
Children need comforting and frequent reassurance that they’re safe. Be honest and open about the tragedy and encourage children to express their feelings through talking, drawing or playing. Try to maintain your daily routines as much as possible.
The Disaster Distress Helpline is a national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual crisis support service is available 24/7 by phone at 1-800-985-5990, and by SMS (text “TalkWithUs” to 66746) to people who are emotionally distressed because of natural or human-caused disasters. Callers and texters are connected to trained and caring professionals from a network of crisis centers across the country. Helpline staff provide supportive counseling, including information on common stress reactions and healthy coping, as well as referrals to local disaster-related resources for follow-up care and support.
(WATCH BELOW: Texas elementary school shooting: Here’s what we know)
