How to get support, take action in Charlotte and beyond after the Texas school shooting

If you or someone you know is struggling and in need of immediate assistance, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is open 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255 or suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

Another mass shooting — this time at a Texas elementary school — has left families in that community devastated and others around the country, including in Charlotte, searching for answers.

For those who’ve experienced violence, parents, school-age children and more, the headlines out of Uvalde can be triggering. That can leave many in need of mental health support and avenues for constructive ways to channel their emotions.

On a local and national level, there are groups that work to provide that.

Here are some resources to utilize if you’re in need of help and support:

North Carolina Victim Assistance Network

NCVAN offers and helps coordinate support groups for those who lost loved ones to crime. Find a group near you at www.nc-van.org.

CMPD Homicide Support Group

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police’s Victims Services Unit leads support groups for those impacted by homicides. Get more details here on the city’s website.

Mothers of Murdered Offspring

MOMO offers, among other services and programs, grief support for families who’ve lost loved ones to crime. The organization also works on violence prevention endeavors, including projects to help address the root causes of crime.

Learn more about their offerings at momocares.org/familysurvivor-support.

National Alliance for Children’s Grief

NACG is an organization that works with local partners to provide support specifically to young people dealing with loss. Click here for details on affiliated groups and programs in North Carolina, including in the Charlotte area.

Survivors Empowered

Founded by the parents of one of the victims of the 2012 mass shooting at an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater, Survivors Empowered helps connect those affected by violence with each other and with resources in their communities.

They also have a “rapid response team” “made up of veteran survivors of violence that have walked the walk” that deploys to assist victims and their families after mass shootings.

Get more information here.

The Koshka Foundation for Safe Schools

The Koshka Foundation, founded in the wake of the mass shooting at Virginia Tech in 2007, offers a variety of services. The group provides safety training to schools, law enforcement and community groups. They also issue scholarships, safety seminars, lessons for parents and students and resources for survivors of mass shootings.

Learn more about offerings at www.koshkafoundation.org.

The Rebels Project

The Rebels Project was created by survivors of the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado after another mass shooting in their state in 2012. They offer support groups, resources for survivors and avenues for survivors to connect with each other. Get more information on their work here.

Everytown for Gun Safety

Everytown, founded in 2013 as a partnership between Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, works to address gun violence through lobbying and organizing. Learn more about their efforts in North Carolina and ways to get involved at www.everytown.org/state/north-carolina/