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Youth Peace and Justice Foundation Campaign Surpasses $8000 for Citibank Shooting Response

17 hours ago
6 min read

Updated: 8 hours ago

The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation announced on November 7, 2026, that its response campaign following the November 4 shooting at the Citibank Sabal Center in Brandon, Florida, has surpassed $8,000 in pledges and direct donations, including private benefactor support through its corporate giving platforms such as Benevity, among others.


The national foundation, also known as The Uvalde Foundation For Kids, said the campaign was created to support those affected by the shooting, including appropriate assistance for the family of Citibank employee Leanne Selman, 41, who was killed, and others placed in danger during the incident.


The Foundation said funds and support are being directed through verified and family-approved channels where appropriate, with attention also given to the needs of employees and community members directly affected by the violence. The fundraiser is expected to continue through Thanksgiving 2026.



“We are grateful to every individual who has contributed, pledged and to those private benefactors and platforms who have stepped forward to make this response possible,” said Daniel Chapin, Founder and National Director of the Foundation.

Eye-level view of candles and flowers at a quiet public memorial.
A community response begins with remembrance and care for those affected.

Foundation reports growing support after the Brandon shooting


The announcement marks a fundraising milestone in the Youth Peace and Justice Foundation Campaign Surpasses $8,000 for Citibank Shooting Response effort, which began after the deadly incident at the Citibank Sabal Center.


According to the Foundation, the campaign has drawn support from individual donors as well as private benefactors. The Foundation described the response as a sign that people outside the immediate area are paying attention to the long-term needs created by workplace violence.


The campaign is focused on several clear needs:


  • Support for Selman’s family through appropriate channels

  • Assistance connected to the broader impact on employees and others affected

  • Recognition of courage shown during the emergency

  • Continued attention after the initial public focus fades


Foundation leaders said the amount raised so far is meaningful, but they also stressed that the human loss remains at the center of the campaign.


“Surpassing $8,000 is an encouraging milestone, but behind that number is a family experiencing an unimaginable loss and a workplace community dealing with the consequences of violence,” Chapin said. “Our responsibility does not end when the immediate emergency is over. We want to ensure that those affected are not forgotten and that assistance continues to be available as recovery moves forward.”


The Foundation’s statement did not announce a final fundraising goal. Instead, it framed the campaign as an ongoing response tied to the needs of those directly affected and to the process of recovery after violence.


Assistance will focus on verified and family-approved channels


The Foundation said it established the response campaign to help facilitate assistance in a careful and appropriate way. That includes working through verified and family-approved channels when support is connected to Selman’s family and other separate families affected .


That detail matters in the aftermath of a tragedy. In public emergencies, grief often draws immediate generosity, but families can also face confusion, unwanted attention, and unofficial fundraising efforts. By stating that assistance will move through verified and approved channels, the Foundation is signaling that it intends to protect the dignity and wishes of those closest to the loss.


The Foundation also said it is addressing broader needs connected to employees and others affected by the incident. Those needs can extend beyond the day of the emergency. In many workplace violence cases, the effects can reach coworkers, witnesses, first responders, relatives, and people who return to the same physical place after a traumatic event.


It did say the campaign is meant to provide support connected to the shooting response and recovery. That includes direct concern for Selman’s family and the wider workplace community.


The campaign follows the death of Leanne Selman


Leanne Selman, 41, was identified by the Foundation as the Citibank employee who died following the November 4 shooting.


The Foundation’s announcement kept the focus on the loss to Selman’s family and community. It did not provide additional personal details about her life, nor did it describe the full circumstances of the shooting beyond its location and impact.


That restraint reflects the sensitive nature of the response. Families affected by violence often face public attention at the same time they are dealing with shock, grief, and practical needs. Any response effort must balance transparency with compassion.


The Foundation’s message centered on a simple point: the loss of one person affects many people, and the recovery does not end when the immediate emergency response is over.


For employees and others present during the incident, the impact may continue in quieter ways. Returning to routines, processing fear, supporting coworkers, and honoring a lost colleague all take time. The Foundation said it wants continued assistance to remain available as recovery moves forward.


John Fraley will be recognized for courage during the emergency


The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation also said it is moving forward with its intention to recognize Citibank security officer John Fraley with a Foundation Heroism Award.


The award is meant to honor Fraley’s actions during the emergency. The Foundation did not provide a full account of those actions in the announcement, but it described the planned recognition as part of its broader response to the shooting.


Recognizing courage after a violent incident can serve several purposes. It acknowledges the actions of people who responded under pressure. It also gives the community a way to name the help, protection, and sacrifice that can happen during moments of danger.


The Foundation’s planned award places Fraley within that part of the story. While the campaign centers on support for those harmed and affected, the recognition points to the role of people who responded when others were at risk.


Wide-angle view of a small community gathering around a candlelit memorial table.
Public recognition and quiet support can both be part of recovery after violence.

The Foundation frames the response as long-term support


The Foundation’s statement emphasized that the campaign should not be seen as only an immediate reaction to the shooting. Chapin said the organization’s responsibility continues after the emergency.


That message is common in community-based responses to violence, but it carries special weight in workplace incidents. Public attention often moves quickly. Families and employees continue to live with the effects long after the headlines slow down.


The Foundation said its role includes continuing to make support available and making sure those affected are not forgotten. That can mean helping connect aid to families, keeping public attention on verified support efforts, and recognizing people whose actions helped others during the crisis.


The announcement also reflects the Foundation’s national focus. While this incident took place in Brandon, Florida, the response has drawn attention beyond the immediate area through individual donors and private benefactors.


The Foundation, known also as The Uvalde Foundation For Kids, has positioned its work around youth, peace, justice, violence prevention, and support after tragedy. In this case, its campaign is tied to a workplace shooting rather than a school-based incident, but the stated focus remains assistance, recovery, and recognition.


Donations and benefactor support pushed the campaign past $8,000


The Foundation credited the milestone to both individual donations and private benefactor support. It did not identify specific benefactors in the announcement.


The combined support helped the campaign pass $8,000 by November 7, three days after the shooting. The timing shows a rapid response from people who wanted to contribute soon after the incident became known.


While the total is an early milestone, the Foundation made clear that it views the amount as part of a larger effort rather than a finish line. Chapin’s statement described the money as helpful and encouraging, while returning attention to the emotional and practical realities facing those affected.


The Foundation’s message suggests the campaign may continue as needs become clearer. In many crisis response efforts, needs can change over time. Immediate concerns may include family support and emergency expenses. Later needs can include memorial efforts, employee support, community healing events, or other forms of assistance approved by those involved.


The Foundation did not list specific future costs. It framed the next phase around continued availability of assistance and continued attention to the people affected.


What comes next for the response campaign


The Foundation said it will continue its efforts connected to the Brandon shooting response. That includes support through appropriate channels and the planned recognition of John Fraley with a Foundation Heroism Award.


The announcement did not provide a date for the award presentation. It also did not provide a schedule for future campaign updates.


At this stage, the clearest next steps are the continuation of the fundraising response and the Foundation’s work with verified channels. The Foundation’s statement indicates that it wants to keep the focus on the affected family, the workplace community, and the need for sustained care after violence.


For the Brandon community, the campaign represents one part of a broader recovery process. That process includes grief for Selman, concern for those who were endangered, and public recognition of the actions taken during the emergency.


The Foundation’s announcement also places responsibility on the wider public not to look away too quickly. A shooting can leave behind needs that are not visible in the first few days. Families must grieve. Coworkers must process what happened. Communities must decide how to remember, support, and respond.


The campaign’s $8,000 milestone is a concrete measure of support. The Foundation’s broader message is that continued care matters just as much as the first response.


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