How You Can Help the Victims and Families in Uvalde
Yesterday in Uvalde, Texas, an 18-year-old gunman killed at least 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School. The tragedy marks the deadliest school shooting since Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012.
"I'm furious that these shooting(s) continue, these children are innocent, rifles should not be easily available to all. This is my hometown, a small community of less than 20,000," victim Eva Mireles's aunt Lydia Martinez Delgado told KSAT in a statement. "I never imagined this would happen to especially to loved ones... All we can do is pray hard for our country, state, schools and especially the families of all."
In the hours after the shooting, there has been an outpouring of support for the Uvalde community and the families of victims, and of outrage, and calls for change in this country. Here, how you can help.
Where to donate to help the victims of the Uvalde school shooting:
Donate directly to those affected:
GoFundMe has a hub of verified fundraisers for people affected by the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, including a VictimsFirst fundraiser for the victims and survivors. VictimsFirst is a network of families of the deceased and survivors from previous mass shootings.
Everytown for Gun Safety & Moms Demand Action:
Everytown is a "movement of more than 8 million moms, mayors, survivors, students, and everyday Americans working to end gun violence." Part of Everytown is Moms Demand Action, "a grassroots movement of Americans fighting for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence." You can donate to both below.
Brady Campaign:
The Brady Campaign is a nonprofit "uniting Americans against gun violence. We invite everyone who wants to end our epidemic of gun violence to take action, not sides." The Campaign takes its name from Jim Brady, Ronald Reagan's press secretary who was permanently disabled as a result of an assassination attempt on Reagan in 1981.
The Trace:
The Trace is a nonprofit news organization dedicated to reporting on gun violence. As they write in the group's about page, "We believe that when an issue is shrouded by a knowledge gap, journalism can be a big part of the solution. As a nonprofit newsroom, The Trace is able to dedicate itself to in-depth reporting that doesn’t let up after the latest high-profile shooting leaves the front pages."
South Texas Blood and Tissue:
And, if you're in Texas, South Texas Blood and Tissue—a blood bank that provided blood after the shooting—is holding an emergency blood drive.
More info about South Texas Blood & Tissue here
How to call your congresspeople:
If you'd like to advocate for gun reform, one way to do so is to call your representatives and urge them to act. First, find out your representatives by typing your address into the Congress.gov search tool. Their office phone numbers will be listed in the search tool.
Or, you can call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to speak with one of your elected officials’ offices.
Once you're on the phone, share your name and that you are a constituent. Then, it can be helpful to speak about two current bills that relate to gun reform. There's a bill that passed in the House, HR 1446 or the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021, that would close what's known as the "Charleston loophole," which, per CNN, "allows some licensed gun sales to go through before a required background check is done."
You can also urge your representatives to pass the assault weapons ban, which was law from 1994 through 2004, but was not renewed. HR 1808, the Assault Weapons Ban, reintroduces this ban in the House. As President Biden tweeted, "We know common sense gun laws can’t and won’t prevent every tragedy. But we know they work and have a positive impact. When we passed the assault weapons ban — mass shootings went down. When the law expired — mass shootings tripled."
In speaking about the need for gun control more broadly, you can reference that firearms are the leading cause of death for American children and teens. Also, the vast majority of people in the U.S. support background checks—including 83% of gun owners, per Public Policy Polling.
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