New Nonprofit – Teachers Rising Up – Aims To Give Counseling To Survivors Of School Violence
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - A new non-profit is forming in the Denver metro with a mission to improve counseling services for students, parents, and teachers affected by violence in schools. It's called Teachers Rising Up.
Founder and CEO David Croft, of Aurora, said sometimes students and teacher who live through tragedies in schools may not receive adequate counseling and mental health services afterward.
"Where we are today, in our society, these kids really need support," Croft said. "We need to come around these students and these teachers and these parents and anybody who works in the building... to help them get to the next stage of healing through counseling."
So, he started Teachers Rising Up – or "TRU" – to ensure those who survive school shootings, suffer from bullying, or lose a friend to suicide, can access proper counseling services, and have the chance to heal.
One of the images the non-profit uses is an American flag with a yellow line through the middle, symbolizing a yellow school bus.
"A school bus is supposed to take us into our future, and periodically the school bus comes home, and there are people who should be on it that are not, because of school shootings or a violent decision that they've made," Croft explained.
As a parent and a former educator of 30 years, Croft said it is a cause that is very close to his heart.
"We are true to these victims to make them better, it is a passion that I will go to my grave making better," Croft said.
It's still in the early stages of development. The organization just filed as a non-profit with the IRS in November, but Croft is already hard at work finding donors to make his vision come to life. If you would like to donate, click here.
