Community Response to Mass Shooting at Borderline

Four months after a dozen people were killed in a mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, more than $3 million in donations has been given to the victims’ families. Checks totaling $3.6 million were recently distributed to more than 200 people who lost loved ones, were injured in the Nov. 8 shooting or were there when the attack happened. 

Thousands of people from across the country and world have hosted fundraisers for the victims or donated directly to the foundation, she said.

“It was just a massive effort,” Bechtel said. “I’ve never witnessed this outpouring of support.”

The funds were divided into three tiers: 70% of the money was given to families who lost loved ones in the shooting, 20% was distributed to survivors who were physically injured in the bar and 10% was given to people who were inside the bar when the gunfire erupted.

The money will help with costs such as medical bills, mental health treatment and lost income, Bechtel said.

The shooting shocked the community. And it was just the initial blow of a withering assault on the close-knit suburb, which then had to contend with two massive wildfires that erupted nearby, displacing many who had just lost family members.

Conejo Valley Victims Fund Update
 
We are profoundly grateful to Kirsti Thompson, Director of Operations of Give An Hour California.  Give An Hour continues to provide ongoing support to those impacted by the Borderline tragedy at no cost by trained, licensed trauma experts. 
 
Because of the tremendous outpouring of support both locally and globally, $3,618,726 in distributions has been mailed out during the month of March to the victims’ families and survivors present at the time of the Borderline tragedy.  These funds are being disbursed as outlined in the Final Protocol published on the website www.ConejoValleyVictimsFund.org.
 
Additional dollars have been pledged and we will continue to raise funds to help. The need for support for those impacted is far from over. Funds raised will be distributed periodically in accordance to the same protocol as outlined above. 
 
As previously discussed, we have contracted with Armanino, one of the top 25 largest independent accounting and business consulting firms in the United States, to complete an independent review of the funds raised and distributed. This report will be published on our website as soon as it is completed.  Their report will confirm that 100% of funds raised went directly to those impacted and present during the tragedy and will protect the confidentiality of those involved.

Links:

• http://www.ConejoValleyVictimsFund.org