Together Highland Park Unidos Distributes $5.8 Million in Donations and Thanks Donors
The Together Highland Park Unidos Committee announced today that the July 4th Highland Park Shooting Response Fund (Fund) raised a total of $5.8 million and distributed 100% of those funds to victims of the mass shooting and nonprofit organizations providing mental health and other services to the community.
The Fund was established by the Highland Park Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, to accept donations that would be used to support victims and local nonprofit organizations serving the needs of victims and impacted community members. The Fund closed on October 7, 2022, to facilitate the distribution of funds.
“We are grateful and honored to distribute these gifts of compassion,” said Betsy Brint, Chair of the Together Highland Park Unidos Committee. “We thank the generous individuals, private foundations, businesses, and other organizations that have contributed to the Fund to help victims in the aftermath of the senseless shooting.
The funds were distributed according to the Committee’s Final Protocol, which was published on August 17, 2022, after a public comment period and meetings with victims. Claims were due on September 7, 2022, for individuals and on September 14, 2022, for organizations. The individual claims process was managed by the Fund’s Co-Administrators Bruce Boyd and Eric Kessler. The grantmaking process for organizations was managed through the Highland Park Community Foundation.
Eligible individual claims were grouped into three categories:
A. Death Claims and Permanent Catastrophic Physical Injury Claims
Deceased victims and those who suffered permanent catastrophic physical injuries such as severe brain damage, amputation of limbs, or severe paralysis as a result of the shooting. Eligible claimants in this category all received the same payment.
B. Physical Injury Claims for Victims Requiring Overnight Hospitalization
Eligible claimants who were physically injured and initially hospitalized within 10 days of the shooting (July 4–14, 2022) for one or more nights due to physical injuries as a result of the shooting received payment under category. Individual distributions were based on the number of overnight stays in the hospital.
C. Physical Injury Claims for Victims Treated at Hospitals, Medical Facilities, or by a Medical Professional Solely on an Out-Patient Basis
Eligible claimants physically injured as a result of the shooting, treated by a medical professional, and released without an in-patient hospital stay. Eligible claimants in this category all received the same payment.
Community Members not Physically Injured
The 4th of July Parade shooting resulted in harm to victims besides physical injury, creating a need for services beyond those customarily provided in scope or patient numbers historically. Approximately 10%, $580,025, of the Fund total was distributed to support nonprofit organizations serving these needs. Seventeen organizations were funded based on the increase in and type of client services these organizations are providing to victims and the community as a result of the shooting.
- Family Focus Highland Park
- Families Helping Families Chicagoland
- Family Service of Glencoe
- Family Service of Lake County
- Fenix Family Health Center
- Gratitude Generation
- Highland Park Public Library
- Highwood Public Library and Community Center
- JCC Chicago
- JCFS Chicago
- Josselyn
- Laurie S. Bauer Foundation for Sudden Loss
- North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic
- Rainbows for All Children
- Southeast Lake County Faith in Action Volunteers
- The Balance Project
- Youth Services
“Donations were made from across the country and close to home. We are distributing 100% of the money received to victims and the organizations that serve them. In addition to financial gifts, we have been supported by so many donations of time and energy to make this possible. We look forward to publicly sharing a complete accounting of our cash and in-kind donations,” said Brint.
“The HP Community Foundation has proven itself to be a financially solvent, strategically sound, valued partner of the City and an effective administrator,” said Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering. “The comprehensive, deliberate, and methodical work of the Committee ensured that the funds were distributed in a thoughtful and compassionate way that honored the intent of the donors to help victims.”
The Committee will issue a full report with a narrative explaining the distribution and grantmaking process, and share a list of donors on the Together Highland Park Unidos website, july4fund.org. An independent audit will be conducted by RubinBrown, a public accounting firm donating their services.
Out of respect for the families and their privacy, the individual names and amounts of gifts from the Fund will not be published.
A second fund, the July 4th Recovery Fund, has been opened by the Highland Park Community Foundation to accept donations that will be used to address continuing mental health needs and other services resulting from the shooting.