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How the Money Is Distributed
Your donation is making a difference
Thanks to the generosity of more than 1,500 Minnesotans, The Minnesota Helps- Bridge Disaster Fund™ has collected more than $1.2 million. These funds are being distributed to nonprofit organizations and agencies providing direct services and support to the survivors of the I-35W bridge collapse and their families.
To date, $871,993 has been granted from the fund through organizations to help families cope with their immediate and short term needs ($243,740 to provide group services and $628,253 for individuals). Donations have paid for rent, mortgages, utilities, food, transportation, car seats, and other expenses on behalf of many survivors. More money is being disbursed each and every week, as survivors submit their requests for funding, and 100% of the money raised will be distributed.
For more information, please view the press release issued on November 28 with updates on funding distribution.
Grants to organizations providing services
Soon after the collapse, the first grants were distributed to six organizations that continue to provide grief support and mental health counseling, family services, crisis intervention, and clinical services to victims, emergency personnel, and survivors of those who lost their lives on the bridge.
View the full press release announcing the grants in September 2007.
Grants to provide support to individuals and families
As part of the response to the bridge collapse, a Long Term Recovery Committee (LTRC) was formed to coordinate aid to survivors. The Long Term Recovery Committee includes representatives from the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Greater Twin Cities United Way, Hennepin County, Catholic Charities, and Pillsbury United Communities - Waite House.
These organizations have been continuously providing the survivors and families with immediate relief services. They have also sought to contact each individual and family who was on the bridge to evalute and document their individual needs and refer them to agencies that could help.
Funding from Minnesota Helps™ is based on financial need. If support is needed the LTRC agencies apply for funds from Minnesota Helps, which then make payments to vendors on behalf of the survivors. This process does not duplicate efforts or other available relief funding and it targets support to those who need it most.
Many of the individuals and families have participated in the needs assessment, and are currently working with LTRC coordinators. Some families require little or no assistance, either because they have received payment through insurance or other sources, or have no immediate needs. Most are evaluating their immediate or projected needs, collecting bills, reconciling insurance payments, and/or waiting to request funding.
For more information on how survivors and families can apply to fund eligible expenses, please view the Funding Requests page.
Individuals directly affected by the bridge collapse should contact the Greater Twin Cities United Way at 2-1-1 or (800) 543-7709 outside of the metro area.
$213,998 was awarded in September to the following organizations:
- Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES) -- $4,000. For expenses associated with providing initial counseling and therapy for children and their families who were directly involved with the bridge disaster and for follow-up therapy.
- Family and Children's Services -- $6,175. Immediate crisis intervention, family stabilization services, crisis response mental health team, outreach and for future clinical services to people affected by the disaster.
- Metro Critical Incident Stress Management Team (CISM) -- $10,000. Additional services and outreach, education and support to service responders impacted by the bridge collapse.
- Pillsbury United Communities -- $163,473. Immediate and on-going needs of children and youth workers from Waite House, impacted by the bridge collapse.
- Survivor Resources -- $15,000. Grief support for family members of deceased victims, people who were on the bridge and survived, citizens who assisted in the rescue effort.
- United Cambodian Association of MN (UCAM) -- $15,350. Assistance with funeral expenses for victims of the bridge collapse, legal counseling and translation services to surviving family members.
View the full press release announcing the grants.
page last updated 4/30/08
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