On June 21, 2024, Fordyce, Arkansas endured horrific violence when a gunman opened fire at a Mad Butcher Grocery store, killing four people and wounding nine. The entire state was heartbroken. Many stepped up to help.
Arkansas Community Foundation established the Fordyce Survivors Fund to provide direct financial assistance to the survivors of the deceased and those directly affected by this tragedy.
The Community Foundation partnered with two other organizations, Victims First and the Mass Violence Survivors Fund. These organizations have extensive experience in mass shooting support for survivors.
Contributions to the Fordyce Survivors Fund will be distributed with guidance from the Community Foundation and ultimately determined by a community-led steering committee of Fordyce residents and local leadership. Click here to read the final protocol and steering committee members.
The Fordyce Survivors Fund Steering Committee held its final meeting on December 3, 2024 at Fordyce City Hall to determine the distribution plan for funds raised for survivors and the families of the deceased. In total, $150,213.86 was raised from hundreds of donors nationally, but mostly from Arkansas individuals, corporations, local fundraisers and many citizens of the Fordyce community. The Foundation also provided seed funding from our disaster response fund. These funds are being distributed by Mass Violence Survivors Fund (MVSF.)
The local steering committee identified categories for those impacted by the shooting and placed them into three categories.
- Families of the deceased (4)
- Individuals injured by gunfire (7)
- Individuals that obtained non-gunfire injuries or psychological trauma (23). These individuals were physically present inside Mad Butcher Grocery or Dollar General or in the parking lot of the Mad Butcher Grocery Store.
All applicants were heavily vetted by law enforcement, and in the case of those with physical injuries, by medical providers. In total, 34 survivors were validated. The money distributed in each category was tiered, with the families of the deceased receiving the most funds, then those injured by gunfire, then those with non-gunfire injuries. Survivors will receive their deposits or checks in December.
The Mass Violence Survivors Fund is the leading authority on financial assistance to victims of mass casualty events. They help coordinate fundraising efforts nationwide and locally with strategies and tools for how the money is deployed effectively using a community-based decision making process. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Victims First works behind the scenes as rapid responders to mass shootings. They have worked more than 50 shootings since 2012. They have developed a robust best practices document for use by any community or group affected by a shooting. It is the only comprehensive guide that exists to help community leaders, politicians, and nonprofits in alleviating the chaos that follows an event like what happened in Fordyce. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
CLICK HERE TO READ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE FUND