How to give after school shootings
The fourth step in 4/4: pray, talk, act, give
Welcome
If you’re new here, check out the previous posts:
Our hope is to stand FOR something on 4/4: to pray, talk, act, and give together next Tuesday, April 4.
The ideas shared in these initial posts are simply intended to spark your imagination. Choose 1 to try and see where it leads! You can always save this & come back for more ideas later.
Suggestions on ways to give
Donate to grassroots efforts to support families of victims in The Covenant School shooting in Nashville on GoFundMe.
Donate to Daystar Counseling Ministries which is providing free or low-cost counseling to those affected by the Nashville shooting. (Thanks to Claire Swinarski for sharing this.)
Donate blood. Find a local donation site from the American Red Cross.
Volunteer your time in a local school. Call the front office and be specific about how you can help. Do you have one hour a week when you could help with office work or read with students? Be prepared to complete a background check in order to volunteer. If your own children’s/grandchildren’s/neighborhood school is well-resourced, consider another school that might be in greater need of volunteer support.
Bring lunch or treats for teachers to show your support during an anxious, stressful time. Write a note to your child’s teacher (or a former teacher of your own!) to let them know how much they have meant to you. Reach out to teachers you know to learn more about what the past few years have been like for them. Ask how you can support them in long-term ways with your vote, advocacy efforts, and involvement in local educational issues.
More suggestions from YOU on ways to give
Donate to The Rebels Project, a mass shooting and trauma support group started by Columbine survivors.
Donate to groups working to stop gun violence. Set up a recurring gift each month to keep your support going. Or donate a specific dollar amount in honor of the victims: the number of victims, their ages, or anything else to make the gift tangible.
Donate to organizations who promote mental health education and policy such as National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Mental Health America. (Remember you can always check the Charity Navigator rating of any organization you’re interested in supporting.)
A final, hopeful word
Listen to Kelly Corrigan in this short, 7-minute podcast she made after the Uvalde school shooting: Thoughts on Agency & What To Do When We Feel Out Of Control. Her 4 quick takeaways: Recognize what’s already been done and let that prove we can do more. Remember your micro-agency. Believe in multiple solutions. When you’re feeling stuck, give something away: your time, your energy, your gifts.
Where we’re going next
Tomorrow is Sunday. A day for rest, worship, Sabbath. Tomorrow I hope you’ll take some time to pray and reflect about what you might feel called to do on Tuesday, 4/4.
This Tuesday will just be one step in our efforts to pray, talk, act, and give. But even if you give only one small donation, try one new action, have one small conversation, or add one prayer on 4/4, you will have done something MORE. You can take one more step the next day. This is how collective movement comes together for change.
We are not helpless. We can do more together.
#forchangeforkids
Thank you for all of this and spurring action and hope.