JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Following its reopening, Dollar General revealed the list of organizations it awarded $2.5 million to help support the community rocked by the racially motivated murders.
When a gunman opened fire at the Dollar General Store on Kings Road and killed three innocent Black residents, just because of their race, he also opened up a huge wound in Jacksonville.
News4JAX talked to residents Friday, after the store’s reopening, and asked if the donations from Dollar General would help in mending the fears. A number of people said “no.”
“I think they should just close the store. I can’t believe they are trying to reopening it again,” a woman, who did not want to be identified, said.
The woman said she does not think that money will help the community.
“Help the people whose families were affected by this, those that perished in the shooting and that is that,” she said.
Others said Dollar General is helping.
“Well, I think anytime somebody donated anything in for a good cause, for a neighborhood always gonna be a good thing,” resident Larry Hicks said.
Dollar General said the $2.5 million will be divided up in several ways:
- $500,000 to the First Coast Relief Fund to support the community in the near and long term as it works to recover from the tragedy
- $1 million company pledge to match donations to its Employee Assistance Foundation, which aids members of the DG family in specified times of need
The additional $1 million to support nonprofit and community organizations was informed by conversations with community and business leaders, nonprofits and charitable groups, employees, and local neighbors regarding how the funds can be used to help the community heal and rebuild, Dollar General said.
The nonprofit 904WARD is one of the organizations that will benefit from that additional $1 million. Its share will go to advance racial unity and healing.
“We think one of the biggest challenges we have in the fight against racism is just bringing people together to talk about differences,” 904WARD Director of Equity ReGina Newkirk Rucci said.
As for the site of the crime, there is no word yet if a permanent memorial will be built, but one thing we do know is the shock, the horror, the grief and the questions about the racist attacks continue.