Members of the public continue to step up and assist where they can after Tuesday's brutal shooting at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, that killed 19 children and two teachers.
The owner of a South Texas casket company is stepping up yet again to help the families who lost children in the attack. Trey Ganem runs Soulshine Industries in the town of Edna and has decided to donate caskets so these families will have one less thing to worry about.
When he heard about the tragedy it was put in his heart to console and support those who were affected.
"I knew this was something that I was led to do… give the love that I can give to these families," Ganem said.
The caskets will be personalized with things that the families will remember them by, with Ganem saying: "We definitely want it to represent the life that loved."
Elsewhere, the Hillcrest Memorial Funeral Home, which is located across the street from Robb Elementary School, said in a Facebook post on Tuesday evening that it would be assisting families of the shooting victims with no cost for funerals, according to the AP.
Meanwhile, over two dozen units of blood have already been sent to hospitals in Uvalde from the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center in San Antonio. Generous San Antonio residents stood in line for over two hours as the center stayed open longer until the last donor was served.
The South Texas Blood and Tissue Center in San Antonio said in a Twitter post that they have added openings on Memorial Day for those wishing to donate. If you wish to donate blood, you can do so here.
The Center and University Health are also holding blood drives throughout this week.
The University Health Foundation has also set up a victims relief fund which they say "will be used to support the families while their loved ones are at University Hospital, to cover unpaid medical expenses and other needs identified by our social workers." The City of Uvalde is also accepting donations to help those affected, while GoFundMe has set up a page dedicated to verified fundraisers to assist those affected by Tuesday's shooting.
Also, The San Antonio Legal Services Association is calling for volunteer attorneys to help shooting victims. SALSA said in a Facebook post that they "will respond with pro bono assistance as called upon to do so by community partners and civil leaders over the coming weeks."
However, Rania Mankarious with CrimeStoppers of Houston said it's good to give, but you need to give carefully.
"Make sure you are giving to a reputable charity. One that has a brick-and-mortar representation in that community. A lot of times we look to give to national nonprofits, and that's wonderful, but where you have such a localized, traumatic event, you'll want to send your dollars to a local nonprofit, brick-and-mortar in that space," Mankarious said.
She added that if you receive a text message or see a post on social media asking you to donate, proceed with caution.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok
Related
Related
