Community Corner

Data on Sandy Hook Memorial Funds Released

Some 43 charities have raised tens of millions for purposes related to assisting or memorializing the victims and their loved ones.


This article written and reported by Eileen McNamara

Since the Dec. 14 shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, 43 charities have collected a combined $20.4 million in donations and have distributed nearly $2.9 million of those contributions. 

Those charities, in reports they submitted recently to the state, have said their purpose is to provide direct financial support or other assistance to the 26 families who lost loved ones in the Newtown shootings. They also intend to create scholarships and an endowment to support Newtown’s children and youth, purchase memorial trees, pay for the construction of a memorial to the Sandy Hook victims and recognize, support and inspire acts of kindness, according to a report released Tuesday by Attorney General George Jepsen. 

The information came from a voluntary request by Jepsen and Consumer Protection Commissioner William M. Rubenstein, who sent a letter and short survey last month to 69 charities either registered with the state Department of Consumer Protection, or publicly identified as having accepted donations related to Sandy Hook Elementary, where 20 children and six adults were killed on Dec. 14. The charities were asked to respond by April 12. 

“This request was an initial step to provide information to the public, Newtown community and other charitable organizations trying to meet the needs of those affected by this tragedy,” said Jepsen.  

“My office will be following up with the charities that did not respond.”   Rubenstein said, “We see this as a good first step toward providing transparency to the activities of the various funds, and guiding future donors who may wish to make a contribution.” 

The charities were asked about their organization, services and funds, including the dollar amount of any donations and pledges to date; and the purposes for which money was being collected. 

“Our offices may reach out in the future to all the charities to determine how the donations were expended and the steps taken to prevent fraud or misuse of funds,” Rubenstein said.

The survey results are available on the attorney general's website, as well as the consumer protection department's website. 

Here is a short list of some of the groups and the amounts they've collected:

  • Charity: Adopt a Sandy Hook/Newtown Cop, Amount Received: $33,000. Amount Spent: $31,000, Percent Spent: 94. Report Text: View.
  • Charity: The Animal Center, Inc. Amount Received: $250,000, Amount Spent, $900. Percent Spent: 0.36. Report Text: View
  • Charity: Atkinson Memorial Scholarship Fund. Amount Received: $110,000. Amount Spent: $0. Percent Spent: 0 percent. Report Text: View
  • Charity: Ben's Lighthouse Fund, Amount Received: $12,000, Amount Spent, $400. Percent Spent: 3.33. Report Text: View
  • Charity: Healing Newtown Arts Fund. Amount Received: $18,800, Amount Spent, $3,500. Percent Spent: 18.62. Report Text: View
  • Charity: DonorsChoose.org. Amount Received: $73,000, Amount Spent, $73,000. Percent Spent: 100. Report Text: View
  • Charity: Fairfield County Community Foundation. Amount Received: $60,8274. Amount Spent, $33,745. Percent Spent: 5.5. Report Text: View.
  • Charity: Hartford Marathon Foundation. Amount Received: $44,8428, Amount Spent, $0. Percent Spent: 0. Report Text: View
  • Charity: My Sandy Hook Family Fund. Amount Received: $1,500,000. Amount Spent: $1,000,000. Percent Spent: 66.67. Report Text: View
  • Charity: Newtown Children's Museum. Amount Received: $95,215, Amount Spent, $26,816. Percent Spent: 28. Report Text: View
  • Charity: Newtown Memorial Fund. Amount Received: $1,100,000. Amount Spent: $366,000. Percent Spent, 33. Report Text: View
  • Charity: Newtown Rotary Club Foundation. Amount Received: $711134, Amount Spent, $103702. Percent Spent: 14.6. Report Text: View 
  • Charity: Sandy Hook School PTA. Amount Received: $800,000, Amount Spent: $5000. Percent Spent: 0.62. Report Text: View 
  • Charity: Sandy Hook Family Memorial, Amount Received: $16,954. Amount Spent: $4,000. Percent Spent: 23.6. Report Text: View 


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