Families of Boulder shooting victims complain about nonprofit organization

A police vehicle sits in the parking lot outside the King Soopers grocery store where the mass shooting occurred on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, in Boulder, Colorado.

BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — Families of the King Soopers shooting are expressing frustration with nonprofit organizations that have received donations in their name since the tragedy.

Families of victims of the 2021 mass shooting are demanding more transparency from nonprofit organizations that have been accepting donations since the shooting nearly three years ago. They claim the Colorado Healing Fund is withholding donations and not responding to questions from victims.

This isn’t the first time nonprofits have come under fire. Just last year, they donated 100% of their funds to the victims of the Club Q shooting, citing family complaints.

In a letter to the nonprofit, the group claimed it was being “obstructed” by the group, saying:

“Just last month, after we asked the Colorado Healing Foundation the simplest of questions, the nonprofit continued to stonewall us and was unwilling to answer.

• How much money does the Boulder Fund currently have?
• Who is the Treasurer of the Colorado Healing Fund?
• Who has the authority to release financial statements to us?
• Must a board meeting be held to prevent the diversion of Boulder funds elsewhere?
• When is the next board meeting?
• Can our family speak at the board meeting? ”

Boulder shooting victim family

Tralona Bartkowiak’s mother, Starr, is one of the dissatisfied.

“It’s reliving the nightmare over and over again. It’s not a lack, it’s a lack of nothing – no transparency,” she said.

Colorado Healing Foundation responds

But the Colorado Healing Fund said it is transparent about the money it collects and spends. They publish a report on their website twice a year on where their money is going. For example, the Colorado Victim Assistance Agency received $3 million, and the Boulder Strong Resource Center received just over $400,000.

Part of the frustration with the center is that many of the victims’ families are not local and cannot use the center.

The report also shows that a 5% management fee was collected from the fund, totaling more than $200,000 to date.

The report also says more than $600,000 remains.

“The CHF Board retains a smaller portion of the total endowment to address medium- and long-term needs as they arise,” the report said.

But opponents of the Colorado Healing Fund say that shouldn’t happen.

“I think whatever they have left should be divided by 10 and sent to 10 families immediately, because that’s what the families want. Actually, that’s what I want. “And whatever it is, it should happen equally and they should do it immediately,” Starr said.

The group also raised concerns, claiming the foundation had refused to release a copy of its endowment audit report.

The Colorado Healing Foundation responded: “The finances of the Colorado Healing Fund are audited annually by Kundinger, Corder, Montoya, PC, and all audits are “clean” or uncorrected. Once the audit is complete, a 990 will be completed based on those numbers. All of our 990s are published on our website. ”