Source: International Association of Fire Fighters
The New York Firefighters 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund has
raised more than $70 million to benefit the widows and families of our
344 fallen brothers who were killed in line of duty at the World Trade
Center. Funds continue to come in daily from IAFF affiliates, the
public, and corporate givers. To date, nearly $16 million has been
distributed to the families.
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The Fund was created one day after the September 11 terrorist attack by
the International Association of Fire Fighters, the Uniformed
Firefighters Association of N.Y. Local 94 and the Uniformed Fire
Officers Association of N.Y. Local 854 when General President Harold
Schaitberger and General Secretary-Treasurer Vinnie Bollon arrived in
New York City and met with the presidents and executive boards of the
two locals.
Within two weeks of the tragedy, the 9-11 Fund had already made the
first distribution of $10,000 to each of the families. That check was
soon followed by another for $10,000 and a third for $25,000, bringing
the total distribution to $45,000 per family in mid-November.
More than $50 million of the money collected by the Fund was raised by
IAFF locals across the United States and Canada, who responded
spontaneously to the need without any prompting from the International.
"I am extremely proud of all the work our members and affiliates have
done to raise millions upon millions of dollars for our grieving
families in New York," said General President Schaitberger. "I am also
grateful for the support we have received from the public and the
corporate community in this effort to do all we can to ease the burdens
faced by the loved ones of our fallen brothers. The outpouring of love
and generosity has been incredible."
When they set up the fund, the 9-11 Fund Board of Directors, composed of
the presidents and treasurers of the International and the two New York
affiliates, made the firm decision not to conduct any advertising or
solicitations on behalf of the fund, or enter into any marketing
agreements.
The Fund directors covered all the legal bases to ensure the money would
be properly managed and quickly distributed. Most of the work has been
done pro bono, and administrative costs are expected to be minimal. The
IAFF also set up a parallel 9-11 Fund in Canada.
The IAFF is lobbying Congress to win a one-time exemption from IRS
regulations to allow the equal distribution of the entire 9-11 Fund to
each of the 344 families of our fallen brothers.
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