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Minnesota Helps Awards First Grants to Bridge Collapse Victims
Sept. 17, 2007
The Minnesota Helps - Bridge Disaster Fund awarded its first round of grants to organizations that are providing services and aid to victims of the I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis.
Immediately after the August 1 disaster, the public responded with generous offers of support. In response, the fund was formed to pool contributions from the community to provide aid to victims, their families and first responders affected by the bridge collapse.
Local foundations created and provided seed money for the fund. Since its creation, other foundations, many corporations and their employees, churches and community groups, and individuals from Minnesota and around the nation have contributed. Numerous fundraisers throughout the community have raised additional funds. Thus far, more than 1,000 contributions ranging from a few dollars to tens of thousands have been received, totaling $720,000.
Proposals were reviewed and approved by representatives from several of the initial funders, who will continue to review requests for funding from agencies providing services to the victims and their families affected by the bridge collapse. To date, six grants totaling $213,998 have been awarded:
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Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES), $4,000 for expenses associated with providing initial counseling and therapy for children and their families who were directly involved with the bridge disaster and for follow-up therapy
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Family and Children's Services, $6,175 for immediate crisis intervention, family stabilization services, crisis response mental health team, outreach and for future clinical services to people affected by the disaster
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Metro Critical Incident Stress Management Team (CISM), $10,000 for additional services and outreach, education and support to service responders impacted by the bridge collapse
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Pillsbury United Communities, $163,473 for immediate and ongoing needs of children and youth workers from Waite House who were impacted by the bridge collapse
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Survivor Resources, $15,000 for grief support for family members of deceased victims, people who were on the bridge and survived and citizens who assisted in the rescue effort
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United Cambodian Association of MN (UCAM), $15,350 for assistance with funeral expenses for victims of the bridge collapse, legal counseling and translation services to surviving family members
One hundred percent of the money in the fund will be distributed over the next weeks and months to nonprofit organizations and agencies that are providing direct services and support to the victims and their families. Funding partners are working with first responder agencies and others involved in response efforts to identify the most pressing needs and direct support to those areas. Additional grants will be made to address the long-term needs of the victims, which are just now becoming apparent.
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