HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - The foundation overseeing the largest pot of donations sent to Newtown following the December massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary School is nearly doubling the amount of its initial disbursement.
The Newtown-Sandy Hook Community Foundation announced Thursday it would increase the amount of money going to the 40 families most affected by the tragedy from $4 million to $7.7 million. The funds will be distributed by May 23.
The beneficiaries included the families of the 26 people killed, 12 surviving children from the classrooms where people were shot, and the two people wounded during the shooting.
The foundation also announced that retired U.S. District Court Judge Alan Nevas will chair the initial distribution committee. The panel will be advised by attorney Kenneth Feinberg, an expert in disaster-fund management.
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