BUFFALO, NY (WIVB) — The final plan for how more than $4.5 million and counting in funds donated to the Buffalo 5/14 Survivors Fund will be distributed has been released.
The National Compassion Fund, in coordination with a local steering committee, and the public worked together to set guidelines for who will receive the money and other logistics.
The required application for those eligible to apply is expected to open on August 16, 2022. Interested applicants can sign up for email updates for when the application is available and when the deadline is approaching.
Those eligible to apply for funds have until September 14, 2022, and can only select one distribution category for which they’re eligible.
Here are the five eligibility categories:
- Application for Legal Heirs of Those Killed
- Eligible applicants for deceased victims killed as a result of the shooting will receive the highest level of payment under the scope of this Final Protocol. A final payment determination will be made upon receipt of all pertinent data and is subject to all comments above.
- Individual Physical Injury Applications for Victims Wounded by Gunfire
- Eligible applicants who were physically present within the area of eligibility designated in Figure 1 (below) at the Tops Market grocery store at the time of the shooting and were physically injured by gunfire, which shall be defined as being hit by bullets or shrapnel, will receive payment under this Final Protocol.
- Individual Physical Injury Applications of Victims Treated on an Out-Patient Basis
- Eligible applicants who were physically present within the area of eligibility designated in Figure 1 (below) at the Tops Market grocery store at the time of the shooting, who suffered non-gunshot wound physical injuries as a result of the shooting, and who received medical Treatment no later than Saturday, May 21, 2022, will receive a payment under this Draft Protocol.
- Individuals Present at the Site Experiencing Psychological Trauma
- Any individuals who were present at the store at the time of the shooting and experienced psychological trauma, and whose presence at the site was validated by law enforcement no later than September 14, 2022, are eligible to receive payment under this Final Protocol.
- Tops Employees Not Present at the time of the Shooting
- Tops employees assigned to the store on Jefferson Avenue as of 5/14/2022, but who were not present within the area of eligibility at the time of the shooting will be eligible for payment under this protocol.
Those who are eligible, as laid out in the five categories, are deemed to have been “present” at the time of the mass shooting, according to the NCF Final Protocol. This means they were “physically present inside or in the parking lot of the Tops Market grocery store located on Jefferson Avenue (as indicated by Figure 1 below) at the time of the shooting.”
Source: National Compassion Fund
Read the Final Protocol below:
Patrick Ryan is a digital producer who has been part of the News 4 team since 2020. See more of his work here.
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