Sandy Hook Fund Will Give $4 Million to Most Affected Families

An interim advancement committee representing the Sandy Hook School Support Fund's community foundation announced Tuesday it would release $4 million to the 40 families "most severely impacted" by the Dec. 14 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

The number includes families of the 26 victims and two injured, as well as 12 families of the children who survived the shooting but who were in classrooms directly involved with the incident.

"This initial release of funds and our schedule of activities in the next two weeks reflects the board’s intention and efforts to balance a thoughtful, transparent process with the appropriate sense of urgency to meet the needs of the community," said foundation Board of Directors member Anne Ragusa.

She said the foundation has, to date, held three meetings with another six scheduled for victims' families, first responders, teachers and others impacted by the shooting.

The Sandy Hook School Support Fund has received more than $11 million to date, but critics have decried what they see as a lackluster pace in releasing the money. On March 25, raised in the aftermath of Newtown and other nationally visible tragedies.

daughter of Dawn Hochsprung, drew attention for criticizing the United Way's handling of the funds.

"The United Way gallantly stepped up to help manage the influx of donations, but who are they really helping?" she wrote in the Facebook post. "[M]ore than two months later the victims' families are being asked for proof of hardship before even the smallest disimbursement is issued. Proof of hardship?"

Board members defended their pace in the statement and said it would move "as quickly as possible to bring relief to the families" in the future.

"The reality of the approach that we have adopted is that having a dialogue with those impacted in the community requires time particularly when so many are in the midst of responding to trauma," said foundation Board of Directors member Charles Herrick.

The board subsequently released a calendar listing upcoming meetings and announcements through May 29, when it says the first full allocations will be released.