Because We Are Americans
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AmeriCares
AmeriCares, the national and international disaster relief organization, has established a fund for the families of the New York City uniformed firefighters, police officers, and uniformed Port Authority employees who perished at the World Trade Center. For more information, visit www.americares.org/InTheNews/Article.asp?id=161.
Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund
The Families of Freedom Scholarship Fund has been created to provide education assistance for postsecondary study to financially needy children and spouses of those killed or permanently disabled as a result of the terrorist attacks. For more information, go to www.familiesoffreedom.org.
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army has been serving meals to emergency personnel each day of the rescue and recovery effort. Volunteers and supplies may again be needed. For more information, go to www.salvationarmy-usaeast.org/disaster/index.htm.
Save the Children
Save the Children trains counselors, teachers, parents, and volunteers to help children come to terms with these tragic events and to help communities to cope with traumas and crisis. For more information, visit www.savethechildren.org/us_tragedy/fund.htm.
The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors
The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) provides services to those who have been affected by the death of a loved one serving in the Armed Forces. The Department of Defense has directed the respective services to ensure all surviving family members are referred to TAPS for follow-up care and assistance. For more information about TAPS, visit their official website, www.taps.org.
NEW YORK CITY RELIEF EFFORTS
New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund
Governor George E. Pataki has established the World Trade Center Relief Fund for the benefit of the victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The purpose of the fund is to benefit all victims, both injured and deceased, and their families and dependants, including innocent civilians, firefighters, police officers, Port Authority police officers, emergency medical personnel and relief workers, and others impacted by the attacks. For more information go to www.state.ny.us.
September 11th Fund
The September 11th Fund was created by the United Way and The New York Community Trust to help with the immediate and longer-term needs of the victims and their families. For more information, go to september11fund.org/epledge/sept11.cfm.
Twin Towers Fund
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani has established the Twin Towers Fund to coordinate the outpouring of support for the families of members of the New York City Fire Department and its Emergency Medical Services Command, the New York City Police Department, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the New York State Office of Court Administration, and other government offices who lost their lives or were injured at the World Trade Center. For information, go to www.nyc.gov/html/em/twintowersfund.html.
WASHINGTON, D.C., RELIEF EFFORTS
Survivors’ Fund of the National Capital Region
The Survivors’ Fund will focus on the long-term educational, health, income maintenance, and other needs of individual victims and their families in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., region. For more information, go to www.cfncr.org.
POLICE ORGANIZATION FUNDS
New York City Police Foundation Heroes Fund
The New York City Police Foundation has established a special fund for police officers injured or killed in the World Trade Center relief effort. For more information, go to www.nycpolicefoundation.kintera.org.
New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund
The New York Police and Fire Widows’ and Children’s Benefit Fund assists the families of fallen New York City firefighters and police officers. For more information, go to www.nypfwc.org.
FIREFIGHTERS’ FUNDS
New York Fire Fighters 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund
The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) will send financial assistance to the families of all fallen firefighters and EMS personnel. For more information, go to daily.iaff.org/fund.htm.
IF YOU WANT TO GIVE BLOOD
In this period of uncertainty, the American Red Cross has a responsibility to assure blood availability regardless of any contingency including additional terrorist attacks in this country or U.S. military action. Donors are encouraged to set up an appointment to make a blood donation by calling 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or by visiting www.redcross.org.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thanks to Jonathan Sacks, president of America Online, for suggesting this book, and to Larry Kirshbaum and Maureen Egen of Warner Books for their willingness to publish it quickly and for the benefit of charity.
We also want to thank Jennifer Nessel for her help in researching, and Rose Hilliard for her help in assembling our content. Claire Zion gracefully shepherded the book through its accelerated publication process. Thanks also to the production team: John Kane, Jaime Putorti, Cecilia Marcon, David Honigsberg, Christopher Tinney, Rob Stauffer, Anna Maria Piluso, and Rebecca Springer.
For help in preparing our AOL content, we are grateful to an indefatigable team of researchers—Emily Heckman, Jod Kaftan, Jennifer Stroup, Sally Swift, and Caroline Walker—who delved through some 60,000 message board posts. Anne Borsch eliminated obstacles as soon as they appeared. And we are deeply indebted to the AOL programmers, photo editors, community leaders, chat hosts, and others who worked around the clock for a week to create a vast online memorial and healing center.
Our greatest thanks go to the 31 million members of the AOL community, who shared their deepest feelings with us and made this book possible.