Appeals plead for help from the Web sites of trade unions and trial lawyers. Big-city department stores take out ads pledging a part of sales for relief efforts. Neighbors summon their whole town for charity dinners.

The requests, and the outpouring of cash, continue unabated. More than $840 million has been donated so far, the Chronicle of Philanthropy estimated Monday. Fund-raising experts say there's no end in sight, as long as Americans feel threatened and anxious about terrorism and the war to end it.

When suicide hijackers destroyed the World Trade Center and damaged the Pentagon, South Dakota rancher Dennis Jones felt "all of America got a pitchfork stuck in its back."

"We got to figure out a way to pull that pitchfork out and turn this thing around," he said.

The result was the Rural America Patriot Fund. Jones, who lives in the small town of Bath, S.D., wants money from farmers and ranchers nationwide to help the U.S. government rebuild New York and care for casualties in the evolving war effort.

"In some ways, it's the American people's way of currently engaging in the war," said Paul Schervish, a sociologist at Boston College, where he runs the Social Welfare Research Institute.

Historically, people give in times of crisis as long as they remain aware that there's a need, experts say. National leaders and everyday people alike feel moved to help.

Former President Bill Clinton and former Sen. Bob Dole are promoting scholarships for children of attack victims. Formula One drivers donated race helmets and uniforms to be auctioned off. The Miss America contest included appeals for donations.

A John Lennon tribute concert at New York's Radio City Music Hall, organized as a benefit for other charities, became a relief effort. Paul McCartney is among the stars staging another benefit later this month at Madison Square Garden.

Two 15-year-old girls in Jackson, Wyo., discovered they were too young to give blood _ the minimum age is 17 _ so they raised money instead.

Melissa Thomasma and Ashleigh Allan organized a dinner with food donated by local restaurants. They plugged the event on the radio, ran a raffle and held a silent auction of donated books, sweat shirts and a slightly used dirt bike _ offered by a 12-year-old boy.

"We raised over $15,000 in, like, one day," Melissa said.

At the same time, television and radio broadcasters, Web sites and the print media are urging people to give.

The ads themselves are donated. Celebrities such as Julia Roberts have made spots for the American Red Cross for free. Radio and television stations donate the air time for the announcements to run.

All the appeals help satisfy a powerful need among Americans everywhere to connect and to heal, Schervish said. Americans recognize themselves in the victims.

Schervish says people look at the tragedy this way: "These are like our children; these are our children. These are like our spouses; these are our spouses. These are who I am."

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On the Net:

Ranchers' fund: http://www.ruralamericapatriotfund.org