Two prominent online fundraisers have raised more than $1.6 million to benefit victims and their families in the days since the Nov. 19 Club Q mass shooting in Colorado Springs, in addition to donations made through various other in-person and online fundraisers.
Five people were killed and 18 others were injured in the violence that erupted at the popular LGBTQ+ nightclub after a lone shooter opened fire with a long rifle, Colorado Springs police reported.
Promoted by Gov. Jared Polis and Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers as the best way to financially assist victims and their families, the Colorado Healing Fund became one of the largest appeals this week.
Club Q's official donation site is funneled through the Colorado Healing Fund, using a portal at Colorado Gives 365. That organization hosts requests for funding for hundreds of nonprofit organizations statewide.
The amount raised through Colorado Gives exceeded $900,000 as of Friday afternoon, Colorado Healing Fund Executive Director Jordan Finegan said. That figure does not include other corporate and individual donations that are still coming in.
More than 13,000 individual donors have given to Club Q shooting victims and their families through Colorado Gives alone, Finegan said.
The Colorado Healing Fund was established in 2018 by a group of victim advocates and community leaders so the public could securely and directly donate to victims of mass casualties. Its purpose is to provide "immediate, intermediate and long-term support after a tragedy happens," Finegan said earlier this week.
"It's very humbling to see that people trust us with their donation and are also giving in order to help those individuals who have been impacted by this tragedy," she said Friday. "They're not going to need support just right now, but also in the long-term."
The organization takes a 10% cut for operational costs in order to sustain the nonprofit, Finegan said this week.
As of Tuesday the fund had distributed $245,000 to Club Q victims and their families, she said Friday.
The fund initially disbursed $50,000 on Sunday to support travel and other immediate needs of victims and their families. On Monday, Colorado Healing Fund released $195,000 in total cash disbursements that were made to the families of the victims as well as the people who were injured.
People can donate securely through https://www.ColoradoHealingFund.org or https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/COHealingFund.
Throughout the week, donations have also poured into a GoFundMe drive hosted by Good Judy Garage, an LGBTQ+ business in Denver. Just before 3 p.m. Friday, the fundraiser had raised $762,941 — surpassing the fund's $750,000 goal at https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-the-club-q-families-and-survivors.
Faith Haug, co-owner of Good Judy Garage and the fundraiser's organizer, said Friday in a post to the appeal she will be meeting with lawyers early next week "to ensure ethical and fair disbursement" of the funds to victims and their families.
She plans to set up a trust fund to directly distribute the money to victims, the appeal states. But how exactly the money will be disbursed is yet to be determined.
"We will determine a fair distribution system that will be made public once established. We will retain control of how and to whom funds are given," Haug wrote on the fundraiser's webpage. "We are still investigating the very best way to do it so all available resources out there can be maximized ..."
Proceeds from several events this week and weekend will also go to the GoFundMe, Haug wrote Friday. They include:
• The Two-Cent Lion Theatre Co. in Denver: 50% of all proceeds from "Clink, Clink" ticket sales from Monday through Friday will benefit the fundraiser.
• The Smiling Toad Brewery, 2028 Sheldon Ave., Colorado Springs: From 1-9 p.m. Saturday, $1 from every pint sold will benefit the fundraiser.
• Occidental Bar, 1950 W. 32nd Ave., Denver: Starting at 7 p.m. Sunday, proceeds from drink specials and a raffle will benefit the fundraiser.
Visit @goodjudygarage on Instagram and click on the "Fund Events" in the story highlights for more information on each event, and to see other events happening this weekend.
Also on Saturday, more than 20 local breweries are participating in the "Brews for Q" fundraiser and will give part of their proceeds from the day to charitable campaigns established after last weekend's attack.
There are 12 other verified GoFundMe appeals, including some for specific families, at https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/colorado-springs-club-q-shooting.
The state’s Crime Victim Compensation program, which in Colorado Springs is run through the 4th Judicial District, also helps victims cover expenses and losses not picked up by insurance companies, with payouts up to $30,000.