Tops Markets is launching a "Buffalo 5/14 Survivors Fund" to provide direct assistance to the families of the 10 people killed in Saturday's mass shooting and others directly affected by the attack.
The supermarket chain is launching the fund with a $500,000 donation and partnering with the National Compassion Fund, which will manage and operate it.
"Tops is committed to supporting those families affected and to help the community grieve and heal from this tragic event," said John Persons, president of Tops. "We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and we thank everyone for their incredible kindness.”
All of the donations to the fund will go to family members of the 10 people who were killed, as well as the three people injured in the attack and people present at the store who have suffered psychological trauma, Tops said.
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"It is our sincere hope to partner with many local and business leaders on this fundraising endeavor," said a spokesperson for Tops.
Donations can be made online at gofundme.com/f/buffalo-survivors-fund. Additional donation information is available at Buffalo 5/14 Survivors Fund - National Compassion Fund.
Tops will form a steering committee, consisting of community and business leaders, to establish the fund's eligibility and distribution policies. Additional details will be provided in the coming weeks.
The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo and the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County will coordinate a companion fund, called the Buffalo Together Community Response Fund. The organizers said dozens of funders have come together to establish the companion fund, which will address community needs beyond those of the survivors of the mass shooting.
“Together, we must double down – all of us, from every corner of Buffalo and beyond – to end racism," said Clotilde Perez-Bode Dedecker, the foundation's president and CEO. "This is the only way to create real change and emerge from the darkness of this heinous act."
Michael Weiner, president and CEO of United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, said the organization is working to provide assistance "to the Jefferson Avenue community that has been so painfully disrupted."
"The Buffalo Together Community Response Fund will provide important resources for both immediate community needs and long-term recovery," he said.
More information is available at buffalotogetherfund.org.
Matt Glynn
