Mary's Fund - Continuing Her Work
Mary's family established Mary's Fund through the Fairfield County Community Foundation with the goal of continuing her work. The fund is dedicated to continuing her life’s work through scholarships and supporting mental health charities that provide access to mental health for children and teens who might find it inaccessible in Fairfield County, Connecticut.
The fund has donated $300,000 to a program through Fairfield County called "Teen Talk," which places counselors in middle and high schools. The Golf Classic was organized by Mary's husband. Bill, along with family and friends as a way to raise funds and continue Mary's passion for supporting the mental health of vulnerable youth.
Sandy Hook Promise
Mary's husband, Bill, serves as the co-founder and board chair of Sandy Hook Promise. The Newtown-based national nonprofit organization was started by several family members of those killed in the shooting.
According to Sandy Hook Promise, more than 18 million people have participated in a program that teaches students and educators about potential signs someone may be in crisis, and the organization's anonymous hotline has received more than 150,000 tips reporting someone who may be at risk of harming themselves or others.
"There's 11 planned school shootings that we thwarted because the kids have been taught to learn how to recognize the signs of someone in trouble or someone that might have a situation where they would do something like this," Sherlach said.
Sandy Hook Promise said district officials and/or local law enforcement confirmed the thwarted attacks, which were planned in California, Florida, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and Virginia.
Sandy Hook Promise has also helped pass four federal laws, including the Mental Health Reform Act, the STOP School Violence Act, STANDUP Act and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
Bill Sherlach said he hopes his wife would be proud of the work that’s been done — “that we didn't just sit back, that we were as proactive as we could be to try to carry on what she stood for as a school psychologist who basically would do anything she could to make sure that who she was working with got the proper services, was given the proper direction." Sherlach said.