National Gun Violence Emergency Relief Fund
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 4, 2026
YOUTH PEACE & JUSTICE FOUNDATION LAUNCHES NATIONAL EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND FOR YOUTH GUN VIOLENCE VICTIMS;
NATIONAL — The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation today announced the launch of its National Emergency Gun Violence Relief Fund, a rapid-response initiative providing direct financial assistance to youth victims of gun violence and their families anywhere in the United States.
The Foundation confirmed that all approved emergency requests will be processed for disbursement within 24 hours or less from the date of application approval, ensuring immediate access to critical support during the most urgent stages of recovery.
Fundraising for the initiative remains ongoing, but the Foundation emphasized that the defining purpose of the program is not dependent on individual or incident-based fundraising efforts. Instead, it is designed to provide pre-established, immediately deployable relief resources nationwide, eliminating the need to launch separate, case-by-case or community-specific fundraising campaigns following each tragedy.
A RESPONSE TO SYSTEMIC DELAYS IN TRADITIONAL FUNDRAISING
According to the Foundation’s Board and President Daniel Chapin, the model was developed after repeated observation of a consistent national pattern in the aftermath of tragedies, including experiences in communities such as Shreveport, Louisiana, and Lewiston, Maine.
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In those and other cases, the Foundation noted that while community support often arrives quickly, families can face delays in accessing funds due to:
* Time required to organize and verify individual fundraising campaigns
* Platform or administrative review processes
* Distribution timelines controlled by third-party entities
* Lack of immediate liquidity for urgent needs in the first 24–72 hours
“We saw families waiting while funds were being organized around them,” Chapin said. “This fund removes that delay entirely.”
The National Emergency Relief Fund is structured as a pre-established, continuously active national reserve, allowing immediate response to qualifying incidents without requiring new fundraising launches for each case.
Key features include:
* Nationwide coverage for youth victims of gun violence
* Immediate access to pre-existing relief funding pools
* Guaranteed 24-hour-or-less disbursement from approval date
* No requirement to initiate separate or incident-specific fundraising efforts
* Restricted-use structure dedicated solely to victim and family assistance
* Streamlined application and verification process for rapid response
“This is the difference between reacting and being ready,” Chapin said. “Victims & Communities should not have to start from zero every time tragedy strikes.”
FUNDRAISING CONTINUES — BUT RESPONSE DOES NOT WAIT
The Foundation clarified that ongoing fundraising efforts will continue to support and expand the program, but availability of assistance is not dependent on the success or timing of any single campaign.
“This fund is built to operate regardless of whether a new fundraiser is launched tomorrow or next month,” the Foundation said. “The response is already in place.”
Donations will be used to sustain and replenish the national relief pool, ensuring continuous readiness for emergency disbursement anywhere in the country.
LESSONS FROM SHREVEPORT AND LEWISTON
The Foundation cited prior engagement in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Lewiston, Maine as key influences in shaping the national model.
In both communities, families faced immediate needs following tragedy while navigating fragmented fundraising systems and delayed access to resources.
“These experiences made one thing clear,” the Foundation stated. “The need for help is immediate, but the systems supporting that help are often not. This fund is designed to close that gap permanently.”
ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION PROCESS
Eligible applicants include:
* Youth victims of gun violence
* Parents or legal guardians of affected youth
* Immediate family members directly impacted by qualifying incidents
Applicants must provide:
1. Full name and contact information
2. Relationship to victim or survivor
3. Description of immediate emergency need
4. Requested assistance type or amount
5. Supporting documentation when available
Applications may be submitted via:
* Phone
* 24-hour Community Crisis Line & Online Chat
All applications are reviewed on an urgent priority basis, with approved requests triggering disbursement within 24 hours or less.
A NATIONAL RESPONSE STANDARD
The Foundation stated that the initiative establishes a new operational standard for emergency victim assistance in the United States, centered on preparedness, speed, and direct delivery of aid.
“This is about making sure help is not rebuilt from scratch every time a tragedy happens,” Chapin said. “It already exists. It is already ready. And it is already moving.”
Media Contact: Jennifer West
Youth Peace & Justice Foundation
Daniel Chapin, Founder & President
254-499-8027
Charity ID: 88-3268749
**24-Hour Community Crisis Line Available & Confidential Online Chat**
APPLY FOR AID HERE