A $3.9 million grant will go toward the victims of the 2019 Gilroy Garlic Festival shooting, the California Victim Compensation Board announced Oct. 1.
The board was awarded the grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program.
The grant provides funding until October 2022 and will help fund compensation provided by CalVCB.
According to CalVCB, as of Sept. 30, 666 victims and family members have filed claims and CalVCB has compensated them more than $247,000. Benefits provided to applicants include income loss, support loss to legal dependents of deceased or injured victims, medical expenses and mental health treatment.
“We are very grateful for OVC’s support to provide long-term assistance for the victims of this tragic event,” said CalVCB Executive Officer Lynda Gledhill. “This grant ensures that all the victims of this shooting and their families receive the help they need.”
The AEAP grant will fund the Gilroy Strong Resiliency Center (GSRC), which opened in January 2020 at The Neon Exchange in downtown Gilroy. The GSRC will develop programming for direct and indirect victims, including psychoeducation, coping skills techniques training and social interaction, along with the development of an app that victims can use to schedule appointments and view event calendars.
The grant will also provide individual and group counseling services for victims and first responders diagnosed with depression, anxiety, PTSD and increased use of substances.
Victims have until July 27, 2026 to file claims with CalVCB.
