On behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced Monday that the office has pledged a $8,355,648 grant to organizations in direct support of the tragic Boston Marathon bombings. Holder and his cohorts estimate that some 1,000 victims will require crisis and recovery services.
One of those organizations, The One Fund Boston, helped to cohere the business and philanthropic communities at large, generating more than $10 million in contributions after the first 48-hours of the dual explosions alone. Said former Mayor Tom Menino of the swift and selfless response by donors, “In my 20 years as mayor, I’ve never seen the business community come together so quickly.”
BostInno reached out directly to representatives from the One Fund but have yet to hear back.
“This grant funding will provide critical support to many who were affected by last year’s terrorist attack on the Boston Marathon,” said Attorney General Eric Holder in a statement.
We will never forget the courage of the first responders, marathon participants, and bystanders who rushed to save lives on that terrible day, nor the heartbreak and pain of those who suffered injuries or lost friends and loved ones. With this grant, we reaffirm the Justice Department’s firm commitment to standing with the victims of this heinous crime – and all of the community leaders and service providers who continue to heal this remarkable and resilient city.
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On that fateful April 15 day in 2013, the two pressure cooker bombs which combusted at the Marathon’s finish line on Downtown Boston’s Bolyston street claimed the lives of three and injured over 260. The direct aftermath and metro area-wide manhunt for the two suspects saw a fourth fatality, MIT police officer Sean Collier, who was murdered in cold blood while sitting in his cruiser in neighboring Cambridge.
The more than $8.3 million will be dispersed amongst entities like The One Fund, who aided the immediate families of those who untimely passed away, as well as the surviving victims – many of whom were subjected to amputation when the contents of the pressure cookers, mostly scrap metal various shrapnel, mercilessly shredded through the crowd of spectators.
Said Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance Executive Director Liam Lowney in a statement, “We are grateful to OVC for its continued support in developing a response that is tailored to specifically address the physical and emotional injuries caused to so many individuals, their families and our community as a whole by this tragedy.”
In hoping to make the 2014 Boston Marathon an optimistic, upbeat experience, Adidas officially announced its new lineup of Marathon swag in its vibrant Solar Zest color scheme.
