Community Foundation Will Give $7.7 Million to 40 Families

The organization created to oversee more than $11 million in donations to a United Way-organized Newtown relief fund announced today it would send $7.7 million to the families most affected by the Dec. 14 Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings.

The Sandy Hook School Support Fund was set up in the days immediately following the shooting as a joint project of the United Way and Newtown Savings Bank. Funds will go to the families of the 26 victims, as well as 12 families of the most affected survivors of the shooting.

The move comes two weeks after the fund announced it would distribute $4 million to families. 

"This initial release of funds and our schedule of activities in the next two weeks reflects the board’s intention and efforts to balance a thoughtful, transparent process with the appropriate sense of urgency to meet the needs of the community," said foundation Board of Directors member Anne Ragusa at the time of the initial announcement of $4 million.

In addition, the distribution committee will hold public hearings on May 7 and 8 to allow community input on the fund. A newly formed "distribution committee" will oversee the hearings, chaired by retired federal judge Alan Nevas. Newtown residents Dr. John Woodall and Joe Smialowski will also serve on the committee alongside attorney Kenneth Feinberg, the foundation announced.

"In our meetings with the families of those most severely impacted by the events of 12/14, the one thing we heard more than any other was their desire to have an independent third party involved in the process," said Dr. Charles Nevick, a member of the foundation's Board of Directors. "The inclusion of Judge Nevas on this distribution committee with Dr. Woodall and Joe Smialowski is in keeping with the Foundation’s by-laws and brings a qualified, unimpeachable third party into the process."

Public hearings will take place May 7 at 6:30 p.m. and May 8 at 10:00 a.m. No location has been announced yet.

“I have been very impressed by the dedication and commitment of the Foundation’s board," said Nevas in a statement. "Their talents in combination with the advice and counsel of a nationally respected expert like Ken Feinberg will no doubt be of great assistance to me, Dr. Woodall and Mr. Smialowski."

In recent months, critics have decried what they see as a lackluster pace in releasing the money. Most notably, a group of victims' families called on nonprofits to release the funds raised in the aftermath of the shooting.

 daughter of Dawn Hochsprung, drew attention when she criticized the United Way's handling of fund distribution.

"The United Way gallantly stepped up to help manage the influx of donations, but who are they really helping?" she wrote in the Facebook post.

At the time, board members reacted by saying they would move "as quickly as possible to bring relief to the families" in the future.

"The reality of the approach that we have adopted is that having a dialogue with those impacted in the community requires time particularly when so many are in the midst of responding to trauma," said Herrick.