Uvalde, Texas, Elementary School Shooting: How to Help the Victims and Families
From giving blood to donating to the GoFundMe account, there are several ways you can assist.
Uvalde community members gathered together after the school shooting.
As the community mourns for the victims of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas -- where on Tuesday, a gunman entered the school, killing 19 children and two adults, and wounding several other students -- organizations are offering help.
This was the second deadliest shooting at an elementary school, following the 2012 massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Twenty children and six adults died at Sandy Hook.
Two funeral homes in the area -- Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home and Rushing-Estes-Knowles Mortuary Uvalde -- are providing their services for free to the families who lost their loved ones in the Uvalde shooting.
If you'd like to assist the victims and families of the Robb Elementary School shooting, we've listed some ways you can offer to help below.
Donate to a fundraiser
GoFundMe has set up an account for the victims of the Uvalde school shooting. All of the fundraisers have been verified by GoFundMe. One fundraiser by VictimsFirst has already raised nearly $4 million. The entire donation will go directly to the victims' families.
You can also donate to specific families listed under the verified section of the GoFundMe account.
First State Bank of Uvalde has opened an account for the families of Robb Elementary School. You can visit any bank branch to donate or mail a check to 200 E Nopal St., Uvalde, TX 78801.
The bank says you can also donate through Zelle by sending to this email address: robbschoolmemorialfund@gmail.com
And for charities more broadly, before you donate, you want to make sure that a given charity aligns with your values and that the donation is being used in ways you'd like. For more information, see our guide on how to vet a charity.
Give blood this week
Several wounded children were hospitalized following the shooting. Nearby hospitals in Texas are encouraging community members to donate blood.
University Health System, located in San Antonio, Texas, is asking people to donate blood if they live in the area. "Your donation can help ensure we have supplies immediately available for the victims of this tragic shooting," it said.
Blood drives in the area have been set up for those who are able to donate blood. The South Texas Blood and Tissue organization sent 25 units of blood to Uvalde on Tuesday. It's urging the community to schedule a blood donation appointment at their nearest blood donation center.
If you're an attorney, volunteer your services
The San Antonio Legal Services Association is calling for volunteers from among the attorneys in the San Antonio area. Attorneys will be needed to help the victims and families of the Uvalde shooting with any legal needs. If you're available and interested, you can reach out to volunteer by emailing UvaldeResponse@sa-lsa.org.