Financial assistance following the September 11 attacks

Charities and relief agencies raised over $657 million in the three weeks following the September 11, 2001 attacks, the vast bulk going to immediate survivors and victims' families. While this is a rather large sum, it is small compared to the many billions of dollars paid by the government and private insurance companies.

Government assistance

In the morning hours of September 21, the Congress approved a bill to prop up the airline industry and establish a federal fund for victims. The cost of the mostly open-ended fund reached $7 billion (the average payout was $1.8 million per family). Victims of earlier terrorist attacks, including those linked to al-Qaida, were not included in the fund—nor were those who would not surrender the right to hold the airlines legally responsible.

American Red Cross

From the donations to the Emergency Relief Fund, as of 19 November 2001, the American Red Cross granted 3,165 checks to 2,776 families totaling $54.3 million.

172,612 cases were referred to mental health contacts. The 866-GET INFO number received 29,820 calls. As of 3:10 p.m. November 20 2001, there had been 1,592,295 blood donations since September 11.

"Fire Donations" took charitable contributions on behalf of firefighters, EMS, and rescue workers.

Other charitable drives

* In the Washington, D.C. area (Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area), "Giant Food" offered to match contributions made in-store up to $1 million.

* For the families of the 79 employees of the Windows of the World Restaurant: Windows of Hope Family Relief Fund, c/o David Berdon & Company, 415 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017.

* Arista Records re-released singer Whitney Houston's recording of "The Star Spangled Banner" as a charity single following the attacks, with all profits going towards the firefighters and victims of the attacks. Mariah Carey also recorded a charity single, "Never Too Far/Hero Medley", released on the Virgin Records label.

* In Ireland, the National Fire Brigade Committee opened a disaster fund to raise money for the families of those injured or killed in the attacks. [ [http://www.rte.ie/news/2001/0913/irishreax2.html RTÉ News (Ireland)] ]

Emergency supplies

On Thursday and Friday, September 14-15 September 2001, various relief supplies for the World Trade Center relief effort were collected from the New York City area, and dropped off at the Javits Convention Center or at a staging area at Union Square. By Saturday morning, enough supplies (and volunteers) were collected.

Memorial funds

Many families and friends of victims have set up memorial funds and projects to give back to their communities and change the world in honor of their loved ones' lives. Examples include:

* Beyond the 11th
* The Peter M. Goodrich Memorial Foundation
* Our Voices Together
* September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows
* Heroic Choices (originally the Todd M. Beamer Foundation)
* [http://www.tuesdayschildren.org Tuesday's Children]

References