The Nexstar Media Charitable Foundation will donate $20,000 to The Virginia Beach Tragedy Fund, established by the United Way of South Hampton Roads to assist the families of those killed or wounded during a shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center last year.
The contribution will be made on behalf of WAVY-TV and WVBT-FOX43, Nexstar Broadcasting’s television stations serving Virginia Beach and the surrounding Hampton Roads region in Virginia.
On May 31, 2019, a Virginia Beach city engineer shot and killed 12 people and seriously injured four others at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center before being killed by police.
The shooting and its aftermath captured national attention and the impact to Virginia Beach and the Hampton Roads region was immense.
The Foundation’s contribution will be designated for United Way’s Virginia Beach Tragedy Fund, to help address the financial challenges associated with losing a family member, in some cases the primary bread-winner, or in the case of those injured, adjusting to life with physical challenges.
The $20,000 donation will be presented by WAVY-TV/WVBT-FOX43 Vice President and General Manager, Carol Ward.
“On the one-year anniversary of this tragic event, we are honored to make this contribution to help those whose lives were dramatically altered forever by this shooting,” said Ms. Ward. “The spirit and determination of the Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads communities is strong, and this incident has brought everyone together to assist the families affected. Giving back to the communities we serve in 114 markets across the country is core to Nexstar’s mission and we are proud to make this donation on behalf of WAVY-TV/WVBT-FOX43, Nexstar Media Group and all of the company’s 13,000 employees.”
“This is such an incredible way for WAVY to commemorate the anniversary of the tragedy that struck our community one year ago and honor the memories of those we lost,” said Michele Anderson, President & CEO of United Way of South Hampton Roads, the administrator of the Virginia Beach Tragedy Fund. “This gift will go directly to support the victims and their families as they continue to heal and work to rebuild their lives.”
The Nexstar Media Charitable Foundation’s mission is to contribute to and work with public charities and non-profit organizations to improve the communities in which Nexstar Media and its subsidiaries do business.
The foundation was originally established in 1958 and it makes donations of approximately $350,000 annually.