Head Named for Attacks Charity
By ARLENE LEVINSON
AP National Writer
NEW YORK - The organizations that created the September 11th Fund to help victims of the terrorist attacks said Monday they've appointed an executive director and a board to oversee the effort.
Within hours of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the September 11th Fund was created by the United Way of New York City and The New York Community Trust.
Until now, the staffs of those groups have overseen collection and distribution of the fund. Individuals, corporations and foundations have given to aid families of the thousands killed in the attacks. The fund is also helping those who lost their jobs and homes.
So far, $320 million has been pledged and donated to the fund, including $150 million raised in a telethon broadcast nationwide. About $90 million of that has been received, with close to $16 million given out.
The money distributed up to now has chiefly gone to emergency cash grants for survivors, and for agencies with pressing needs, such as a volunteer ambulance corps that had to replace three ambulances destroyed in the attacks.
New needs continue to present themselves, Lorie Slutsky, president of the Community Trust, said in a conference call with reporters.
"Half of the needs we see today, we didn't see four weeks ago," Slutsky said.
For example, agencies that serve immigrants have asked for help. Those groups are assisting people whose problems are compounded by a language barrier and wariness of U.S. government services, a fund spokeswoman said.
The fulfillment of pledges is slowed by the fact that many were made by credit card, and bills have yet to be processed, Slutsky said.
The fund will be run by Joshua Gotbaum, a controller of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget during the Clinton administration, who was named executive director and chief executive officer. Franklin Thomas, a former president of the Ford Foundation, was selected as board chairman.
The Chronicle of Philanthropy estimates more than $952 million has been donated and pledged to all groups raising money in the wake of Sept. 11.
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On the Net:
September 11th Fund: http://www.september11fund.org/
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