What to know about 22 groups and funds founded after Sandy Hook – Danbury News Times

There are also scholarships for aspiring educators and grant programs for families with children with autism. There are nonprofits promoting mental and physical health, and others focused on school safety, gun violence, or aiding victims and families who experience the tragedy of a mass-casualty event.

The Charlotte Helen Bacon Foundation

Founded by family and friends of Charlotte Helen Bacon, The Charlotte Helen Bacon Foundation works to fund programs and organizations that “help support animals, children, and families,” according to the foundation’s website.

Charlotte’s Litter Therapy Dog Program supports school-based therapy dog programs, advocating the use of therapy and comfort dogs through the foundation’s published children’s books:”Good Dogs, Great Listeners” and “The Dogs of Newtown.”

The Charlotte Bacon Veterinarian Scholarship is a fully endowed scholarship through the North Carolina State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine that is awarded annually to two first- to- third-year vet students who show a significant service to children in an educational or community setting.

The Charlotte Bacon Selah Scholarship works to help couples who are grieving the death of a child, providing funding for grief counseling and retreats.

The Charlotte Bacon Bereavement and Grief Research Initiative supports grief research and organizations caring for bereaved families.

Joey’s Fund with Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism

Created in the spirit of 7-year-old Josephine Gay, Joey’s Fund with the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism provides grants for families with children with autism.

In its first two years, the fund awarded 36 grants totaling over $130,000 that were used to provide items like an adaptive bicycle, aqua-therapy, specialized summer camps and financial relief from medical bills.

According to the Flutie Foundation website, Joey’s Fund continues to serve as a “crucial funding bridge for autism families who are advocating, promoting, supporting and seeking out opportunities for their loved ones. Since its inception, 193 families have received over $375,000 in financial support, making their journey just a little bit easier.”

Safe and Sound Schools

Founded by Michele Gay, the mother of Josephine Grace Gay, and Alissa Parker, mother of Emilie Parker, Safe and Sound Schools is a national nonprofit that serves as a safety advocacy and resource center providing research-based tools and support for crisis-prevention, response, and recovery, according to the organization’s website.

The organization presents workshops and provides customized presentations for school communities and organizations, in addition to holding annual school safety summits and offering an array of resources and programs built “to better protect our schools, to provide safe schools, secure schools, for our children and educators. And to help others the same in their communities.”

Sandy Hook Promise

Founded by Mark Barden and Nicole Hockley, the Newtown-based national nonprofit works “to honor all victims of gun violence by turning our tragedy into a moment of transformation,” according to its website.

The organization offers a proven, evidence-informed “Know the Signs” program while advocating for “sensible, bipartisan school and gun safety legislation,” as a way to “teach young people and adults to recognize, intervene, and get help for individuals who may be socially isolated and/or at risk of hurting themselves or others.”

Since its founding, the nonprofit has engaged over 23,000 schools and more than 18 million participants through its programing, along with being recognized as a top-rated charity for transparency and for community leadership from organizations including the U.S. Department of Justice, the Roosevelt Institute, and Child Abuse Prevention Services.

The Avielle Foundation and The Avielle Initiative

Created in 2013 by Jennifer Hensel and Jeremy Richman in honor of their daughter, Avielle Rose Richman, and the victims of the Sandy Hook tragedy, the Avielle Foundation and Initiative works to build compassion and prevent violence

The foundation began by supporting research, educational programs, events and training for future generations of scientists. Following the death of Jeremy Richman in 2019, the foundation formed the Avielle Initiative through a partnership with the University of Colorado based National Mental Health Innovation Center in 2020.

The Avielle Initiative has two major components, according to its website. The organization seeks technology-based solutions to improve clinical care, quality, build empathy, and empower people to improve their own well-being. It also supports the careers of youth scientists through the endowment of the Jeremy Richman Brain Health Internship and Fellowship. The internship is awarded annually to a high school student, while the fellowship goes to an individual starting a post-doctoral research career.

Rachel D’Avino

The family of Rachel D’Avino, a paraprofessional killed in the shooting, has encouraged donations to the charity Autism Speaks and set up a memorial fund through the Connecticut Community Foundation to support children with behavioral problems or animals in need. To donate to the latter fund, visit the Connecticut Community Foundation’s website and select “give to a specific fund.” 

Jessica Rekos Foundation – Whale & Dolphin Conservation USA

The Jessica Rekos Fellowship for Orca Conservation honors Jessica Rekos who by the age of 6 had developed a deep fascination for whales, learning as much as she could about them.

According to U.S. Whale and Dolphin Conservation, the fellowship is “dedicated to examining the past, present, and emerging threats to Orca whales, and identifying areas where more knowledge and research is needed to help conserve and protect Orcas and their habitats.” The project also includes examining the critically endangered Southern Resident Orca population.

The fellowship was supported by the Jessica Rekos Foundation, which her family operated until recently. Donations to the fellowship may still be made on the U.S. Whale and Dolphin Conservation’s website. 

Vicki Soto Memorial Fund, Inc

Four fundamental principles outline the Vicki Soto Memorial Fund, Inc, named for the first-grade teacher, according to the nonprofit’s website:

To encourage a love of education by supporting teacher-led initiates and educator-driven programs; lead and implement vital literary needs in our local community and our state; enrich student and youth organizations that foster reading, writing, education and teaching opportunities; and to support future educators’ potential by awarding four prestigious renewable scholarships annually.

“Ms. Soto, as she was known to her first-grade students, was a passionate, dedicated, creative, funny, loving Sandy Hook Elementary School teacher. Every day she was excited and eager to be in her classroom teaching her students,” the website reads. 

“She was passionate about teaching, and our hope is, through this fund, she will continue to inspire others to teach as well.”

Ben’s Lighthouse

Based in Newtown and named in honor of the life of 6-year-old Benjamin Wheeler and his enthusiasm for lighthouses, Ben’s Lighthouse offers a free summer camp program, The Isle of Skoo, for children ages 4 to 8 that pairs them with a high-school aged mentor to build social connections through the mentor/mentee relationship, according to the group’s website.

The mission of Ben’s Lighthouse “drives us to foster all children’s potential to build a more compassionate and connected world,” the website states. “The lighthouses that Ben loved provide the perfect metaphor that guides our work. Through music, puppetry and mentorship, participants are encouraged to find and share their own light — to stand tall and shine bright.”

The Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung Memorial Fund & Hochsprung Doctoral Fellowship

Started in honor of the principal of Sandy Hook Elementary School, Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, by her family, including her daughters Erica and Tina, The Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung Memorial Fund gives an annual scholarship to a senior at Naugatuck High School who is going into the field of education.

Founded in 2012, the Dawn Lafftery Hochsprung Center for the Promotion of Mental Health and School Safety at Russel Sage College in Albany & Troy seeks to develop and share “solutions that promote the mental health of each child and safe learning environments for all children,” according to the college’s website.

In 2021, the college established a doctoral fellowship for Hochsprung, described as one of the college’s “most promising doctoral candidates,” as an “award for advanced scholarly research in the areas of mental health and/or school safety.”

The Ana Grace Project

Founded in 2013 to honor the memory of Ana Grace Marquez-Greene, the Ana Grace Project adopted its slogan, “Love Wins,” which has become a rallying cry for the project’s mission to promote love, community, and connection for every child and family through three lead initiatives: partner schools, professional development, and music and arts.

Through collaboration with organizations like The Child Trauma Academy, Klingberg Family Centers and Clifford Beers Clinic, the nonprofit has reached and trained thousands of participants through academic mental health conferences, safety conferences and trauma training locally, nationally and in Canada, according to its website.

Through a music and arts initiative, the project also supports the Ana Grace Márquez-Greene endowed memorial music scholarship for incoming freshman at Western Connecticut State University, as well as the CREC Ana Grace Elementary Academy of The Arts Elementary School in Bloomfield. 

Allison Wyatt Memorial Scholarship for Art 

The University of Florida offers a scholarship named after Allison Wyatt, a 6-year-old who loved art. The scholarship supports students pursuing an art degree and is awarded based on financial need and merit, according to the university. 

The Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary

In 2014 by a state legislature vote, the Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation was awarded over 34 acres of Connecticut state farmland that would become home of the Catherine Violet Hubbard Sanctuary named in honor of 6-year-old Catherine Violet Hubbard and her spirit of kindness toward all living things, according to the sanctuary’s website.

With a mission of strengthening the bond between animals, humans, and the environment, the sanctuary aims to “create a kinder and gentler world for all.”

Since its inception, the sanctuary has found homes for over 250 animals in need and helped 80 animals stay with their senior owners while bringing free humane education to over 110,000 people.

HONR Network Inc.

Founded by Lenny Pozner, the father of Noah Pozner — the youngest victim of the Sandy Hook tragedy — in the face of conspiracy theories and harassment of victims’ families, the HONR Network’s goals are to empower victims and their families through advocacy and education, provide education to victims as well as to law enforcement, employers, and others who deal with victims of online aggression, and to help craft policy and legislative reform that makes the internet a safer, more inclusive, place for all, according to the group’s website.

Started with the aim of protecting the memory of Noah Pozner and other victims and families affected by the tragedy, the mission of HONR has expanded as a way to help others affected by mass-casualty tragedies and widely publicized violence, according to the website.

Since 2013, HONR says it has provided advice and assistance to families of victims from every mass crisis event, helping them to deal with online hate, harassment, defamation and threats.

Mary’s Fund

Established in memory of Mary Joy Sherlach, a school psychologist at Sandy Hook Elementary, Mary’s Fund is dedicated to supporting programs that aid mental and social wellness of children and adolescents, according to its website.

Initially started in Fairfield County, a New Jersey chapter of the fund started by one of Sherlach’s two daughters and her husband, Maura and Eric Schwartz, continues the legacy, supporting local mental health charities including the Mental Health Association of Southwestern New Jersey.

The Emilie Parker Art Connection

Founded by the parents of Emilie Parker, the Emilie Parker Art Connection helps local community art programs for children, part of the nonprofit’s effort to support the things loved most by Emilie, including her talent as an artist and joy in expressing “her creativity, love, excitement and her true self through art,” according to the charity’s website.

The Lauren Rousseau Passionate Educator Award

Awarded to students attending her alma mater, the  Lauren Rousseau Passionate Educator Award honors the memory and legacy of Lauren Gabrielle Rousseau, a substitute teacher at Sandy Hook.

At the University of Bridgeport Graduate School of Education, where Rousseau received her graduate degree, the scholarship dedicated to her is awarded to a student pursuing a degree in education and nominated by a faculty member.

Rousseau “had a deep passion for the education of children and a deep-rooted devotion to the teaching profession,” the school’s website reads. “The recipient of this award demonstrates a passionate for the education of all children and youth.”

The CMAK Foundation

Inspired by the life of Chase Michael Anthony Kowalski, the CMAK Foundation honors his memory through its work aimed at healing and strengthening children, families and communities.

With a goal of capturing Chase’s competitive spirit, the foundation focuses on health and wellness for children and family with programing including its Race4Chace Kids Triathlon Program, which organizes  safe, professional youth races at sites across the country in partnership with U.S.A. Triatholon.

Dylan’s Wings of Change Foundation

Named for 6-year-old Dylan Christopher Hockley and inspired by his parents’ eulogy at his celebration of life, the foundation started as a memorial fund before receiving its nonprofit status in 2013 and expanding its programing in the years since.

The charity’s first mission was to support children with autism and related conditions by providing grants to small organizations without the ability to easily raise money, according to the foundation’s website.

In later years, the nonprofit founded a youth-led social and emotional learning program called Wingman, which served schools and organizations, offering sports and dance programming, along with being used for professional development for adults.

In 2020, Dylan’s Wings of Change partnered with The Friendship Journey from Florida to create social program for people with disabilities that expanded into a full-fledged eight-week summer experience, according to the group’s website. 

Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement

Named in honor of 6-year-old Jesse McCord Lewis, the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement aims “to create safer and more loving communities through no cost Character Social Emotional Development programs” suited for all stages of life, according to the charity’s website.

Jesse’s mother, Scarlett Lewis, started the organization after “she decided to be part of the solution to the issues that we’re seeing in our society today — and that also cause the tragedy.”

Through an array of programs, resources, and training, the charity’s programming reaches 3 million children attending 10,500 schools in 120 countries, according to its website.

Caroline Previdi Foundation 

The Caroline Previdi Foundation was created in honor of 6-year-old Caroline. The foundation, run by her family, strives to continue her “legacy of kindness” by providing scholarships to children so that they may participate in activities. 

The Grace McDonnell Art Fund

Started by the parents of 7-year-old Grace Audrey McDonnell, the Grace McDonnell Art Fund raises money to support young artists and youth art programs through scholarships and grants. The fund also supports art camps on Maui and Martha’s Vineyard, two of Grace’s favorite places, according to her mom.