ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer announced Friday that the OneOrlando Fund had received more than $7 million in donations.
“We're showing the world that we are Orlando United. I'm so proud of the people standing behind me,” said Dyer.
The line was out the door and around the corner at the Amway Center Friday. Many were hoping to buy an "Orlando United" T-shirt.
“I'm hoping it goes to the families and the victims to help with their medical expenses or future medical issues that they may or may not have,” said donor Tawnya Smith. “You always want to contribute when horrible things like this have occurred.”
The fund was set up to help people directly affected by the Pulse nightclub shooting, the mayor said.
“The purpose of the fund is to provide a way to help respond to the needs of our community, now and in the time to come, after the effects of the Pulse nightclub tragedy,” Dyer said in a release.
The funds will be distributed directly to the victims, Dyer said. The city partnered with the Central Florida Foundation for the OneOrlando fund.
“We're working through how we can directly distribute the funds and on what criteria, but we want to distribute them directly to the victims and the families,” said Dyer.
City leaders are confident that the funds will be distributed to victims in a timely manner.
“We don’t want to just knee-jerk start handing it out, but we also want to get it out quickly and expeditiously,” said Dyer.
And transparently, he added.
Dyer also announced a newly formed oversight board which will create a process to distribute donations not in months or weeks, but as quickly as possible.
“We want to make sure that we do it correctly,” said Dyer.
The foundation serves as the region’s community foundation, and is home to more than 400 charitable funds.
“We were able to identify needs that they themselves couldn't even articulate,” said Amy Decker of the American Red Cross.
Dyer said in a news conference Friday that after listening to the advice and input from others, they'll be giving the money from the OneOrlando fund directly to the survivors and relatives. Previously, they had decided the money would be filtered to them through nonprofit agencies.
“We've engaged the gentleman who did the OneBoston fund to help us. He's flying in to help give us some direction, but we are working through the details,” said Dyer.
“People may not realize what they're really going through until like a month later, two months later, and then you may be in full blown post-traumatic stress disorder,” said Donna Wyche with Orange County government. “You can bet the city and county are going to work together to make sure people know where they can go, if that's a one-stop shop or whether that's a wide array of where you can go to get certain services, we'll have that information available.”
He said 94 families and 256 people have visited the city's assistance center since it opened.
The mayor said the money will be dispersed to begin helping people with medical care, food, rent and other emergencies.
GoFundme said roughly 300 accounts have raised more than $6 million; combine that with another $7 million to the city's account.
Several other funds have been established, including one set up by the owner of Pulse. Others have been set up by gay and Latin advocacy groups
The fund will support:
- Nonprofits that are supporting the victims and families
- The LGBTQ, Hispanic, faith and other affected communities
- Underlying causes of this tragic event
- Other needs we cannot anticipate until we face them
The release said: The OneOrlando Fund is a project of Strengthen Orlando, Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation created for the purpose of supporting and starting projects to strengthen the Orlando community.
The outpouring of support from our City partners has already begun:
- Walt Disney Company $1,000,000
- In addition, eligible donations from Disney employees will be matched dollar for dollar by Disney. Employee Matching Gifts: A Program of The Walt Disney Company Foundation
- Darden Restaurants $500,000
- The Orlando Magic $100,000
- JetBlue $100,000
- Mears $50,000
- Comcast NBCUniversal $1,000,000
- Tishman Hotel Corporation $25,000
To contribute to the OneOrlando Fund, please visit OneOrlando.org.
Checks may be made payable to OneOrlando Fund and sent to:
OneOrlando
PO Box 4990
Orlando, FL 32802-4990
For information regarding the OneOrlando Fund or to make a wire transfer, please contact info@oneorlando.org.
#OrlandoUnited
The Associated press contributed to this report.