COMMUNITY NEWS BRIEF
Maine Community Foundation raises $1.8 million for Lewiston recovery, announces Lewiston Victims & Families Fund steering committee
Committee to direct funds to victims’ families, survivors, and individuals present at October 25th mass shootings
Maine Community Foundation (MaineCF) announced that it has raised $1.8 million in response to the October 25th mass shooting. At a press conference, the foundation said that more than $1.3 million of the $1.8 million total is specifically for the Lewiston Victims & Families fund. A local volunteer steering committee will direct the use of the funds in the weeks and months ahead.
MaineCF created the Lewiston-Auburn Area Response Fund within 36 hours of the October 25th mass shootings that claimed the lives of 18 people, injured 13 more, and traumatized the community.
Tom Platz, Principal and CEO of Platz Associates, was announced as the Chair of the Victims & Families Fund’s steering committee. “As many of you know, Lewiston is a special place, and we have gathered a special group of community leaders and connected people in the networks impacted,” said Platz.
“I am pleased to share that we will hold our first meeting this afternoon, and already, there is so much resolve and drive to help. It is a poignant honor to work with this group to help bring Lewiston back from this terrible mark on our history.”
The steering committee volunteers are:
- Tom Platz (Chair), Platz Associates
- Deborah Anthoine, St. Mary’s Health System
- Kevin Bohlin, Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
- Marc Frenette, Trafton, Matzen, Belleau & Frenette, LLP
- Meg Greene, Brann & Isaacson
- Laura Lee, Maine Community Foundation
- Neil Kiely, Androscoggin Bank
- Steven Littleson, Central Maine Healthcare
- John Ochira, Maine Community Foundation
- Catherine Ryder, Tri-County Mental Health Services
- Joe Samaha, father of victim in Virginia Tech shooting
- Sitara Sheikh, Maine Association for the Deaf
- Cara Cookson, Special Liaison to the Office of the Attorney General
Jeff Dion, a nationally recognized fund administrator for victims of mass casualty events, is also working with MaineCF and the steering committee to ensure proper management of the fund.
Eligibility for the funds will include the families of people killed, those injured, and individuals who were present at the time of the shootings in Lewiston who may have experienced trauma.
Further information about MaineCF’s response to the Lewiston shootings is available at www.MaineCF.org/Lewiston.
