Madison organizations, businesses step up to help community after school shooting

 

MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) — Organizations and businesses in the Madison area are stepping up to help with the healing process after Monday's devastating shooting at Abundant Life Christian School.

"Every kid in that school was impacted, but every kid outside of that school was impacted," said Michael Johnson, president and CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County.

The organization hosted Tuesday night's vigil at the state Capitol, calling it a start to the long healing process.

"There was a young woman that was there, who approached me. I work with her father," Johnson said. "She was like, 'I'm a student of the school and I just wanted to be here.' And she started tearing up."

Johnson said the clubs are doing everything they can to provide support, including private therapy sessions for children and adults, and visits from crisis therapy dogs.

"To have a grandmother approach me last night and say, 'my grandbabies are afraid to go to school,' that just hit differently," Johnson said.

Other businesses are stepping up, too.

Jose Zavala, the owner of the Rocky Rococo on Monona Drive in Madison, got a call from the school's superintendent on Monday.

"She reached out and asked if I could feed 180 students, teachers, and parents," Zavala said.

He brought dozens of pizzas and breadsticks to Dean Medical Center, where parents and children were reunited after the shooting.

Later, Zavala got a call from someone wanting to feed their neighbor, whose children attended the school.

"On my way to deliver that to the family, it came up in my head, like, why not feed more families?" he said.

Zavala posted in the Madison Foodies group on Facebook, offering to bring pizza to ALCS families. More than a dozen reached out.

"I had a lot of people from the community call to pay for those families' dinners, so everything was taken care of by the community," he explained.

It's the effort Johnson says is needed right now to make an impact.

"We can give our thoughts and prayers, but we've also got to act," he said.

Johnson said it's also important to keep kids busy and active during this difficult time, and make sure they feel loved.

Click here for details on services at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County.