LEWISTON — A local social service organization is giving the money it received from a community fund in the wake of the Oct. 25, 2023, mass shootings to a national nonprofit, which says it is establishing its own fund to help survivors and the families of victims.

The Root Cellar, a Portland nonprofit with an office in Lewiston, announced Wednesday it would be donating $65,521.79 to VictimsFirst, which said it will distribute those funds to people directly affected by the mass shootings. 

About $6.6 million was raised by the Lewiston-Auburn Area Broad Recovery effort following the shootings that killed 18 and wounded 13 at Just-In-Time Recreation and Schemengees Bar & Grille in Lewiston.  

The effort was spearheaded by the Maine Community Foundation, with $4.7 million going to the shooting victims and $1.9 million to local nonprofits whose services would help support the broader community as it recovered.

Joel Furrow, The Root Cellar’s executive director, said his organization used the original $65,000 grant from the fund to create a community-based trauma program. That resulted in the training of eight facilitators and two staff members who oversee weekly trauma healing groups offered in eight-week cycles.

The Root Cellar provides community support services including food assistance, education and language programs and workforce development. The organization seeks to “meet needs, build community and address systemic barriers.”

Furrow said that after learning about the details of how the Broad Recovery fund collected and distributed donations, board members agreed that their organization needed to find a way to give back to those directly impacted by the mass shootings. 

“Once you have understood the needs of the victims and families and survivors, they’re the story here,” Furrow said Thursday. “We wanted to make a pathway to make that possible.”

The ability to give back the funds came when the organization reviewed its end-of-year finances and determined it had money available close to the amount of the original grant. 

“We looked at where we were going to end the fiscal year and saw we had an amount available that essentially mirrored the grant,” he said. “That made it possible for us to do this without affecting our day-to-day programs.”

According to a press release from VictimsFirst issued Wednesday, the donation from The Root Cellar, and any other money raised, will go to victims’ families, survivors and those present at the shootings. Applicants will complete a verification process to qualify for assistance.

VictimsFirst was founded by families affected by mass shootings across the country and provides pro bono services like rapid response, community preparedness education and advocacy for victims. Other victim assistance includes services such as housing and utilities, transportation, food, access to medical and mental health services, navigation of government benefits and employment services.

Direct family members of those killed, those physically injured and people who were present and survived the shootings may apply for financial assistance through VictimsFirst’s website, the press release said. Questions can be directed to [email protected].

VictimsFirst stood out to The Root Cellar leaders due to its experience with distributing funds to those directly affected by mass violence.

“We were really impressed with their transparency and their history,” Furrow said. “They are truly just focused on making sure victims are cared for to the best of their ability.”

Furrow said The Root Cellar leaders felt a sense of responsibility once they better understood the ongoing needs of victims’ families and survivors.

“The need is too great and we can’t ignore that,” Furrow said. “Inaction causes continual harm. That’s at the heart of this for us.”

Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said The Root Cellar’s decision reflects the same considerations community organizations faced responding to the tragedy. 

“I applaud the Root Cellar for following their convictions and doing what they feel is right at this time,” he said. “While donors (to the Lewiston-Auburn fund) had a choice regarding where to donate funds and chose accordingly, it’s obvious that the Root Cellar board of directors wrestled with many ethical questions.

“I fully believe that the Root Cellar accepted the MCF grant in good faith and used the funds in the spirit in which they were intended. What’s missing in this community conversation for me is that organizations and people did what they thought was right at the time.”

While the leaders of the Lewiston mass shooting donation effort were transparent about where the donations would go, and a review by the Maine attorney general’s office confirmed there was no mishandling of the funds, some people have said they feel the fundraising was misleading and that the money should have gone only to victims’ families and survivors, not nonprofit community services.

The Root Cellar’s and VictimsFirst’s announcements come as the Lewiston City Council considers the city’s role in helping with the ongoing needs of those affected by the shootings.

Councilors continue to discuss a resolution tabled in February that would direct city staff to work with partners to develop a voluntary assessment of those needs. Councilors say they are carefully considering the implications of privacy and with whom they may partner.

The Maine Resiliency Center, which was established after the shootings to support all those impacted by shootings, is scheduled for a presentation to the council at its March 17 meeting.