Maine Community Foundation Misuses Nearly $2 Million in Donations Meant for Victims of Mass Shooting A $2 million dollar donation campaign for the victims of the 2023 mass shooting in Maine was found to have been misused for funding left-wing and Muslim groups. After a mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, that killed 18 innocent people in October 2023, a nearly $5 million donations campaign was launched by the Maine Community Foundation to benefit the 162 family members of the victims. The campaign was promoted by the state's Democrat Governor Janet Mills, who endorsed the Maine Community Foundation as the most trustworthy organization to send donations to help the victims. However, it now appears that at least $1.9 million of the $4.7 million raised was siphoned off and handed over to 29 local non-governmental organizations and community organizers with no connection to the victims, which provided no services to them after the attack.NGOs receive shares without victim connectionThe money was distributed among 29 NGOs, none of which had any association with the victims of the shooting, despite providing no services to them. This has raised questions about the legitimacy of the donation distribution process and the involvement of NGOs in receiving large payouts. In some cases, the NGOs received more than twice the amount given to the family members of the victims.For instance, Jennifer Zanca, a Lewiston shooting survivor, expressed shock when she found out that many of the NGOs had received $65,522 from the Maine Community Foundation. This incident has highlighted issues with the accountability and transparency in charitable donations, particularly in cases where public funds are raised to support victims of a tragedy. The findings of this investigation shed light on the need for proper oversight and regulation of charitable organizations, especially in the wake of a major disaster.Calls for charity oversight riseFurthermore, the incident has sparked debate about the role of NGOs in disaster relief and recovery efforts, with some experts arguing that they may prioritize their own interests over the needs of the affected individuals and communities. As the community continues to grapple with the aftermath of the mass shooting, many are calling for increased transparency and accountability in the distribution of funds and resources.