Daughter of shooting victim wants funds disbursed United Way-established fund: $10 million in account still has not been distributed

This July 2010 file photo provided by the Newtown Bee shows Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, principal at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., who was killed in the shooting rampage there on Dec. 14, 2012. Hochsprung and five other teachers and administrators will be posthumously awarded the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal at a White House ceremony on Feb. 15, 2013. less This July 2010 file photo provided by the Newtown Bee shows Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, principal at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., who was killed in the shooting rampage there on Dec. 14, 2012. ... more Photo: Eliza Hallabeck, Associated Press Photo: Eliza Hallabeck, Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Daughter of shooting victim wants funds disbursed 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

NEWTOWN -- The daughter of the principal killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School has taken to social media to vent her frustration and concerns over how money is being distributed -- or not -- by the United Way of Western Connecticut.

In the days after the Dec. 14 shootings at the elementary school, the United Way established the Sandy Hook School Support Fund for the millions of dollars being donated to the community from around the world. The fund now stands at about $10 million.

Cristina Lafferty-Hassinger, the daughter of slain principal Dawn Hochsprung, posted messages on Facebook and Twitter saying she was upset that money has yet to be distributed from the fund.

She also expressed outrage that those affected the most by the shooting were being asked for "proof of hardship" to receive money from another fund set up to address immediate needs.

"We've been victimized enough," Lafferty-Hassinger said in a Facebook posting. "We shouldn't have to fight for what's rightfully ours, but we won't be taken advantage of in our darkest hour."

Lafferty-Hassinger, who declined further comment when reached by The News-Times, also stated in her posting that "we've all been walking a fine line between not wanting to profit from the death of our loved ones, and not wanting someone else to profit from our source of grief."

Kim Morgan, director of the local United Way, said the Newtown Sandy Hook Community Foundation was recently put into place to distribute money from the support fund after receiving input from the community.

Late last month, family members of those murdered at the school were invited to a meeting to meet the new board of directors of the foundation.

"We wanted to bring the families in early in the process to make sure their voices are heard," Morgan said.

She said in the coming weeks foundation officials plan to meet with community groups affected by the tragedy to discuss how the dollars should be spent.

"We want to meet with all the groups impacted, including victim's families, families of the survivors, teacher and first responders, so that wise and thoughtful decisions about how the money should be spent," she said.

Morgan said the United Way will have no voting rights on how the money is spent.

"The foundation itself will be managed by people in the community," she said.

Morgan added that an immediate needs fund was also established in recent weeks with $250,000 in donations specifically earmarked for immediate needs of those impacted.

A letter distributed by the United Way states that anyone who may need assistance from the immediate needs fund "should be prepared to show official documentation of missed work or a decrease in wages, and copies of bills that need to be paid."

Morgan said money has already been distributed from the fund to help families pay mortgage expenses, utilities and to provide help with their grocery bills and mental health care costs.

"Because its an immediate needs fund, we have to document what the needs are," she said. "How else could we explain where that money is going? We have to verify the identity of the individual and what their need is."

Morgan said anyone who needs help from the immediate needs fund is urged to call 860-990-1984.

dperrefort@newstimes.com; 203-731-3358; www.twitter.com/DirkPerrefort