Chiefs rally victims start to see money from KC Strong fund. Here’s why it took so long

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Gunshot victims wounded in the mass shooting at the Chiefs Super Bowl victory rally in February began receiving payments Thursday from the KC Strong fund, which raised more than $2 million, charity organizers said.

The fund was established four months ago in the wake of the shooting by the United Way of Greater Kansas City in partnership with the Chiefs. Of the $2,027,540 raised, $1.2 million is being distributed among shooting victims, and $831,750 is being split between 14 community organizations working in violence prevention.

In total, 20 verified shooting victims will receive checks or direct deposits ranging from $22,000 to $100,000. Each community organization received a grant of nearly $60,000.

“This effort is emblematic of the power of our community, amplified by United Way,” Laurie Roberts, chair of the United Way Board of Trustees, said in a statement.

Funds are being delivered after a rigorous three-month process of verifying victims who were shot at the rally on Feb. 14.

Charity organizers faced criticism the last two months for not delivering funds to victims sooner in the aftermath of the mass shooting. The reason it took some time, they said, was to ensure the right people got the money.

The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office reviewed police reports, spoke with victims and witnesses and verified medical records. Lawyers specializing in victim loss claims determined how much direct assistance each victim was entitled to receive. Distributions were approved by the United Way’s board of trustees June 26.

The entirety of the funds raised are being given to victims and community partners. The United Way did not retain any administrative fees, it said.

Not all of those injured to get payments

The mass shooting resulted in 24 people wounded by gunfire, according to Kansas City police. One woman, Elizabeth “Lisa” Lopez-Galvan, was killed. Among those injured were nine children, ranging in age from 6 to 15 years old.

While 24 people were shot, only 20 will ultimately receive KC Strong funds. One victim opted out of the assistance and asked the United Way to reallocate their payment back into the pool of funding. Another victim could not be reached after continuous attempts, said Kera Mashek, a spokeswoman with United Way.

The alleged shooters, who were among those wounded, were determined ineligible for the KC Strong funds.

It was important, both legally and ethically, to take time in the verification process, Mashek told The Star.

“Our goal at the end of the day was to ensure that people who were true victims in (the mass shooting) would be the recipients of funding, and that no individual who was responsible for perpetrating the crime would receive funds through KC Strong,” Mashek said.

Verified victims were sent forms on May 1 to list their losses — health care costs, mental health care, lost wages, pain and suffering — as a result of the shooting. Those forms were reviewed by lawyers who specialized in victim loss from May 16 through June 20.

Even as KC Strong organizers were contending with criticism for not delivering funds sooner, they were still collecting pledged donations until the last week of June. On June 24, 100% of the pledged funds were collected.

Emily Tavis of Leavenworth, who was shot in her calf at the rally, has been eager to find out how much money her family would receive from KC Strong.

She spoke with The Star Wednesday, the day before victims found out how much assistance they would receive through the fund. Tavis, 32, described the weight of dealing with medical debt, infected wounds and her family’s process of healing.

“I didn’t have insurance at the time of the shooting — insurance from my new job didn’t kick in yet — so it’s been a back-and-forth battle,” Tavis said.

Her husband, Jacob Gooch Sr., 37, has been out of work since the shooting, healing from multiple gunshot wounds. After adjusting from two incomes to one, some monthly bills have been put on credit cards and past due balances are piling up.

But their wounds and pocketbooks are not the only things taking time to heal. Tavis signed up for therapy after having recurring nightmares, and plans to attend at for least eight weeks.

“I had one appointment and I have another one on Thursday,” Tavis said. “My job will pay for four of those (appointments) and hopefully after that, I’ll have money to continue.”

With the assistance of KC Strong, Tavis said her family has a path forward out of debt and the tragedy that changed their lives.

‘Proud of the Kansas City community’

The 14 organizations receiving KC Strong grants include: Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City, Center for Conflict Resolution, The Battle Within, Uncornered, the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission, Guadalupe Centers, KC Common Good, KC Mothers in Charge, Lyrik’s Institution, Newhouse, Rose Brooks, Transition Zone, and University Health.

Three organizations on that list are first-time grantees via the United Way: The Battle Within, Uncornered, and the Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission.

“That was another really cool thing… to be able to have a better understanding of some of the amazing work that’s being done in some of these anti-violence spaces that we weren’t even familiar with,” Mashek said.

While most KC Strong funds went to gunshot victims, charity organizers wanted the funding going toward organizations to be impactful, Mashek said. She said the United Way is confident that the grants of just under $60,000 for each organization can go a long way.

Christina Esteban, managing director of KC Mothers in Charge, said funds from KC Strong will support their ongoing services, including individual counseling for families at no charge and access to support groups.

“(KC Strong funds) would support those mental health services that are critical in learning coping skills and providing a healthy mechanism for healing,” Esteban said.

Chris Rosson, CEO of the United Way, said KC Strong’s investment in these organizations will collectively support tens of thousands of community members for years to come.

“From individuals to corporations to small businesses and philanthropic foundations, our rallying cry was resoundingly answered with donations and encouraging words pouring in from all over the globe,” Rossen said in a statement.

“I’m incredibly proud of the Kansas City community,” he said.

Top donors

By the time the donation page closed April 30, the KC Strong fund had reached over $1.8 million. But donations continued to be collected even after that online giving window closed, the United Way said.

More than 4,000 donors eventually contributed, bringing the total over the $2 million mark. Among some of the top donors were the Kansas City Chiefs. The team, the Hunt Family Foundation and the NFL made a combined donation of $200,000.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, through their 15 & the Mahomies Foundation, donated $50,000. Several Kansas City businesses and organizations followed their lead and donated tens of thousands of dollars.

Several Chiefs players promoted the cause, including a mention on the podcast “New Heights” with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his brother, Jason, who retired from the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Kauffman Foundation gave $250,000, and the Heartland Coca-Cola Bottling Company gave $100,000. The Kansas City Royals Foundation and The Sherman Family Foundation made a combined donation of $100,000.

The United Way does not require certification of how the funds will be used by the victims or organizations, Mashek said. They trust the money will help make up for the losses victims experienced, and ongoing efforts to address violence in Kansas City.

“We know that life has happened for a lot of these families,” Mashek said. “They may have back due mortgages, or back due utilities, or other things that have happened… So, we don’t want to put any strings attached to the payments they receive. They can use it however they best see fit for their families.”

A full 10-page report explaining the KC Strong fund has been posted on the United Way website.