El Paso, we stand by you

Last winter we captured this photo on a site visit to El Paso. This cross sits at the top of the Franklin Mountains overlooking the city.  To us it represents the strength and beauty of this community. 

Dear friends, colleagues, and alumni in El Paso: 

This should be a time of celebration as families and communities prepare for a new school year. Instead, as parents and students were back-to-school shopping in El Paso, the unthinkable happened, again. Dozens killed and injured. Hundreds, likely thousands, of lives changed forever.  

We have worked closely with many educators and schools in El Paso, and our hearts break for this beautiful city. The start of the school year will be challenging for students, teachers, and families. But we know El Paso educators are strong and will band together to support their communities in this time of tragedy. 

The safety and care of our students are necessary components of a high quality education. When horrors like this happen in our state and our country, our schools increasingly bear responsibility for providing emotional support and counseling to their scarred communities. Educators continuously rise to these challenges, but they should not have to shoulder the burden alone.  

Let’s lend El Paso a helping hand. If you can, please consider donating to any of the following fundraisers, or consider participating in the #ElPasoChallenge, a campaign developed by Ruben Martinez, a local sixth-grade student. Ruben’s goal is to inspire individuals to perform 22 acts of kindness in honor of those killed. We believe Ruben’s initiative is a testament to the strength of this community.

El Paso, we stand by you.  #ElPasoStrong

Ways to help:

• Townsquare Media of El Paso GoFundMe page:
  https://www.gofundme.com/f/el-paso-8319-victims-fund
• Vitalant – El Paso blood bank:
  https://www.vitalant.org/

For our friends in El Paso, please take care of yourself. If you need support here are a few resources you can consider using.

Support Services:

• Emergence Healthcare Network at 915-799-1800 
• El Paso Center for Children at 915-565-5021
• El Paso Behavioral Health Services at 915-521-2450