Direct support for the victims and families affected by
Half Moon Bay shooting.
THREE WAYS TO DONATE:
In Person
In Person:
San Mateo Credit Union
Half Moon Bay Branch
40 Cabrillo Hwy North
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
Checks made out to SMCU Community Fund and add Coastside Victims Fund in the memo of the check
By Mail
By Mail:
SMCU Community Fund
ATTN: Support Services
350 Convention Way
Redwood, City, CA 94063
Checks made out to SMCU Community Fund and add Coastside Victims Fund in the memo of the check
January 23, 2023, is a day that forever changed the San Mateo Coastside community. A mass shooting occurred at Terra Garden in Half Moon Bay, California, and Concord Farms in nearby San Mateo County, California. The shooter killed seven people, critically injured one person, and caused psychological injuries and trauma to the dozens of other persons present and the Coastside community as a whole. In response to this tragedy, Mavericks Community Foundation in partnership with the SMCU Community Fund and with the support of the City of Half Moon Bay has set up the COASTSIDE VICTIMS FUND
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Following national and trauma-informed best practices, the Coastside Victims Fund will directly support survivors and victims’ families. No administrative fees will be taken from donations and 100% of the money raised will go directly to victims. This fund will allow victims and survivors to decide for themselves what they need to cope with and manage their trauma.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of this fund?
The monies raised via this fund will be utilized for direct assistance to the victims of the mass shootings that took place in Half Moon Bay on January 23, 2023. Direct-to-victims-assistance funds are necessary to ensure that 100 percent of donations collected go directly to victims. After mass shootings victims and surviving witnesses often feel an overwhelming sense of loss of control, victim assistance funds allow them to determine for themselves their support needs and provides them with control over how best to cope with the lasting trauma.
Who is eligible for this fund?
Family members of the deceased, those who suffered life-altering injuries and hospitalizations, and those who witnessed the shootings or were displaced as a result will be eligible to receive grants.
Who decides what the funding allocation and eligibility requirements are?
An oversight committee including representatives from Chinese American and Latino farmworker service providers, former regional elected officials, victims advocates and representatives of the Mavericks Community Foundation and San Mateo Credit Union Community Fund will comprise the oversight committee. The committee will be tasked with developing eligibility and distribution protocols for the fund. The committee will draw on already established best protocols for mass casualty events.
What about immigration status?
Eligibility for the fund will not be dependent upon immigration status.
What is the timeline for setting up the fund and getting direct assistance to victims?
The fund itself is currently operational and accepting donations. The oversight committee will determine the interval of grant disbursement to victims and the overall lifetime of the fund.
What if the next of kin live outside the U.S.?
Mavericks Community Foundation and San Mateo Credit Union Community Fund will work with the San Mateo County District Attorney's office to identify next of kin and make grant disbursements accordingly, even if those grants need to be disbursed out of the United States.
Is there transparency with this fund?
Yes, transparency of monies raised and grants distributed will occur via independent audits, disbursement protocols will be publicly posted online and updates will occur via city meetings as requested.
What about funds that have already been raised?
Organizations that have been collecting funds can determine if they would like to transfer or donate those monies to the Coastside Victims Fund for direct distribution to victims.
What is the fee?
No administrative fees will be taken from the fund, 100% of funds raised will go directly to victims.
Are contributions a tax write-off?
Yes, donations to the fund are tax deductible.
Are there restrictions on how the money can be spent?
No. After a mass shooting, victims, their families and witnesses immediately sense a loss of control. Allowing victims and survivors to decide for themselves what they need allows them to cope and manage their trauma in the best way possible.
The model for such a fund was first developed by Ken Feinberg for the 9/11 victims, and used by other communities (e.g., Thousand Oaks and Boston One Fund) following mass shooting events, including for the victims of the Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting.