Deschutes County
Request: $100,000
Our children need to be together, with trauma-informed care, now. We request support for the next six months (November 2026 to April 2027):
Special education first: small sensory-friendly gatherings, trained aides, adaptive equipment, and quiet rooms
Licensed and bilingual counselors and therapy dog teams at every event
Healing groups for Spanish-speaking families, dads and parents, including meeting space at $150 an hour
Monthly family gatherings, classmate meetups and outings that give children new memories besides October 15
Help for families and local providers to apply for Crime Victims' Compensation, so therapy is covered for years
Our events fill within hours. Funding lets us book venues and counselors weeks ahead, not days, so no family is turned away.
This funding gives each child a place to play, a counselor nearby, and families who understand. It helps parents learn the signs of trauma and get support for themselves. And it builds a local network of trained providers and Crime Victims' Compensation access that will serve these children for years, not weeks.
Our disaster response experience: We mobilized within days. In our first week, parent volunteers organized seven free events, and families filled more than 430 spots, most within hours. VictimsFirst, a national organization founded by families affected by mass shootings, advises us on long-term recovery. Board member Chris Peak, whose stepmother was killed in the Nashville school shooting, brings lived experience of what healing takes over the years.
