"Blue Jeans for Newtown" Reaches Out to Sandy Hook Victims

The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut has shaken and saddened the entire country.

It’s also left many of us wanting to do something — anything — to help.

San Diego County’s Auditor/Controller Office has come up with a unique way to raise funds to send to the people of Newtown: a project they’ve dubbed “Blue Jeans for Newtown.”

For as little as $3 (or as much as each person would like to donate), Auditor/Controller employees can buy a one-day “blue jean” pass that will let employees dress a little more casual than usual, starting Dec. 20.

All of the money collected will be given to the United Way Sandy Hook School Support Fund, which was created to help parents and families bury the 20 children and six adults killed at Sandy Hook Elementary, and to provide other support to the Newtown community.

Sean Sander, director of revenue and recovery for the Auditor/Controller, and James Bryant, senior auditor and controller, came up with the blue-jean pass idea.

Sander also said that it was quickly and enthusiastically approved by Tracy Sandoval, the new Finance and General Government Group General Manager/Auditor-Controller, and other managers. Another co-worker created a design for blue-jean passes in short order, and Sander said employees are already lining up to donate and help.

“I think when this (Sandy Hook shooting) happened, it shocked everyone,” Sander said. “You can just tell it’s on people’s minds…whether you have kids yourself, or grandkids. It’s on people’s minds and people are thinking, ‘well, what can I do about it?’

“This is a collaborative effort to show our support for the victims,” Sander said.