A LETTER FROM THE TROJAN FOUNDATION

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November 11, 2024

 

A year has now passed since the tragic bus accident that has so deeply impacted our school district and the community. Since the accident, TVStrong has received over $1,000,000 in donations through an outpouring of support from both local and national donors. We again express our deepest gratitude to the countless donors that have extended compassion and hope to the Tusky Valley Local School District. Being selected as the stewards of these donations was an honor and heavy responsibility for the Trojan Foundation board.

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All applications we received for funeral and memorial expenses, medical and mental healthcare, lost property, and lost income of families were paid in full. 

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As these immediate expenses were covered and donations continued to come in, the board elected to accelerate distribution of funds directly to the students and families impacted. This decision was made in the spirit of honoring the donor's wishes while also maintaining compliance with the organization’s 501(c)3 status. The majority of the funds were released to the families beginning in January. 

 

The remaining donations were held in a reserve fund to facilitate medical and mental health costs directly related to the accident for all students of the district. A fund was also established for the continued care of emotional support dogs that have been placed in the school system for 10 years of service in an effort to support all students and staff of Tusky Valley.
 

At this point in time, we are no longer accepting donations, and applications for funds have been few and far between. The board has elected to fully disburse the remaining funds by once again directly distributing them amongst the passengers involved in the accident and their families. 

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The Foundation will continue to manage funds that were granted by the State of Ohio for mental health services for our students, families, and members of the community until these remaining funds are exhausted. Any mental health services incurred should be billed to TVStrong through the provider or sent directly to The Trojan Foundation.

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We are actively establishing six scholarships in honor of the lives we lost, funded through the Trojan Foundation scholarship fund, not using TVStrong donations. With permission and guidance from the families, we hope to honor the memories of Dave, Kristy, Shannon, Katelyn, JD, and Wyatt forever.

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We are available for any questions or concerns you may have at info@trojanfoundation.org. We remain committed to supporting the district and community to remain TVStrong.

 

Respectfully,

 

The Trojan Foundation Board

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UPDATE 5/16/24:

 

We have received close to $1,000,000 in donations for TVStrong over the last 6 months. Roughly 75% of those funds have been disbursed to date for funeral and memorial expenses, medical and mental healthcare, lost property, lost income, and distributions made directly to families. The remaining donations are in reserve for medical and mental health bills we are continuing to receive on behalf of those involved. Our intention is to continue this approach through the end of the year, at which point we will reevaluate a path forward to fully disburse any funds that remain.

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APRIL 1, 2024

 

The Trojan Foundation would like to publicly acknowledge the unprecedented outpouring of both local and national support to the Tuscarawas Valley Local School District. We as a foundation express our deepest gratitude to the countless donors that have extended compassion and hope to those families impacted by the tragic accident. Without the altruism of many donors, the TVStrong account could never have functioned to provide support and hope for our district. Your support cannot be appreciated enough.

 

As the managers of the TVStrong fund, it is essential that the Trojan Foundation remains transparent to both donors and recipients alike. Our mission has been to receive and protect the sacrifice of donors, assisting those impacted by the accident as efficiently and ethically as possible. To date, the board has directly disbursed $675,000 to the intended families, with their approval.

            

Within weeks of the accident, the Trojan Foundation board disseminated funds from the TVStrong account to families via a needs-based assessment. All applications were thoroughly reviewed, and 100% were approved and paid in full. This process allowed the Foundation to cover urgent needs, such as funeral and memorial costs, medical expenses, and replacement of equipment and personal belongings.

 

As the immediate expenses were covered and donations continued to come in, the board elected to accelerate distribution of the remaining funds directly to the students and families impacted. This decision was made in the spirit of honoring the donor's wishes while also maintaining compliance with the organization’s 501(c)3 status. 

 

The majority of the funds were released to families affected by the tragedy, beginning in January. The remaining donations are now held in a reserve fund designated to facilitate medical and mental health costs directly related to the accident for all students of the Tuscarawas Valley District in the coming months and years. We acknowledge the extension of trauma ranges to every student within the district, and continued medical and mental health support will remain an ongoing essential goal for use of donor funds. These reserves remain available until the expenses required to support the health of our students are covered, or the funds themselves are exhausted.

 

We as a foundation remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure every dollar donated to the TVStrong account completes its mission to help students in the Tusky Valley District. While we understand no monetary compensation can erase the trauma sustained with this tragedy, we aim to honor the donors’ wishes to directly support the students and families impacted.

 

We are available for any questions or concerns you may have at: info@trojanfoundation.org. We remain committed to supporting the district and community to remain, TVStrong.

 

Respectfully,

 

The Trojan Foundation Board

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