BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — It is another step forward in healing the Buffalo community since the mass shooting at the Tops store on Jefferson Avenue.
New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), the state’s largest teachers union, has created a Memorial Scholarship Fund. It is aimed to help the victims and families with their education.
“What we heard directly after May 14 was unspeakable trauma that students were experiencing given the shooting,” reflected David Rust, CEO, Say Yes Buffalo.
@nysut has created a Memorial Scholarship Fund to help Buffalo victims & families of the mass shooting. Three of the ten victims killed, Pearl Young, Margus Morrison & Aaron Salter were all @nysut members. #BuffaloMassacre @WKBW pic.twitter.com/0qVtFiUnep
— Eileen Buckley (@eileenwkbw) September 9, 2022
Buffalo Public School students living in the city's 14208 zip code were deeply affected by the mass shooting at the Jefferson Avenue Tops where authorities say a gunman deliberately targeted Black people, killing ten and injuring three.
“Putting our arms around this zip code around Tops with this scholarship fund is so important that we keep the memory going of these great people and that we let the folks that have survived know that they have a family of Western New York and we liked to use the scholarship fund to say — we support you — we care about you and we are with you,” explained Michael Deely, NYSUT.
NYSUT is teaming with Say Yes Buffalo for this new scholarship fund to assist the victims of the tragedy and their families so they have money to pay for college.
“It grows in time. It's there in perpetuity to support those again impacted directly or indirectly and living in the zip code,” Rust noted.
Among the men and women who lost their lives in that attack, a few had strong ties to education, including Margus Morrison, Aaron Salter, and Pearl Young. All were NYSUT members.
“Pearl was a substitute teacher. She worked Friday before she was shot on that Saturday. A lifelong substitute — leader in her church — leader of the church education group in her church — just touched so many lives,” replied Deely. “Margus was a bus aide. He did multiple jobs, but as a member of NYSUT he was a bus aide in Buffalo, helping the kids get on and off the school buses.
And Aaron Salter, the Tops security guard who tried to stop the shooter, was a former substitute school teacher in Buffalo.
“That right there, in itself, would help us remember them that much more,” declared Lenny Lane.
Lane, president of Buffalo's F.A.T.H.E.R.’S., tells me it’s wonderful and exciting NYSUT members are donating to help families who were directly impacted and are still struggling.
“We can not do anything without one another and I think we are better together when things happen like this,” Lane responded. “This community responded in a way in which it came together, like never before and I think that we set the bar high for other cities.”
NYSUT members have already contributed more than $40,000 to the scholarship fund, but anyone can contribute.
Say Yes says the scholarships will begin next year for students who are already in college or are planning to attend.
Deely said his union hopes this creates an impact to heal the community that witnessed a deliberate act.
“It was a hate crime and we have to understand that and talk about it so that we can keep it from happening again,” remarked Deely.
