Former Ford Foundation President Franklin Thomas to Lead September 11th Funds As Chairman; Board Named; Joshua Gotbaum Named Executive Director & CEO

    NEW YORK, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The New York Community Trust and United
 Way of New York City, the nonprofit organizations that established The
 September 11th Fund, today announced the formation of a Board to oversee and
 direct the activities of the Fund, as well as the separate September 11th
 Telethon Fund supported by the entertainment industry's "Tribute to Heroes"
 show.  Franklin Thomas, former president of the Ford Foundation, was appointed
 Chairman.  Members of the Board were also named, drawn from the governing
 bodies of the two sponsoring institutions and other recognized leaders from
 the public and private sectors.  Joshua Gotbaum, former executive associate
 director and controller of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, has been
 named Executive Director and CEO.
     Under the leadership of Mr. Thomas and Mr. Gotbaum, the Board will be
 responsible for making grants from the September 11th Fund and the September
 11th Telethon Fund. To date, the September 11th Fund has received pledges and
 contributions from thousands of individuals, corporations, and charitable
 organizations totaling more than $170 million and will address both the
 emergency and longer-term needs of the victims, their families and the
 affected communities. The Board will also establish guidelines for the
 distribution of about $150 million pledged to the September 11th Telethon Fund
 for victims and families.  It will ensure all funds are distributed fairly and
 effectively, in accordance with the wishes of those from around the world who
 have donated.
     "I am privileged to begin this effort with the distinguished individuals
 who have agreed to serve on the board, " Mr. Thomas said.  "With their
 intelligence, wisdom, and insight, I am confident that we will advance the
 extraordinary work being done by government and the business and nonprofit
 sectors to rebuild our communities."
     The September 11th Fund's grant program is currently supporting efforts to
 improve the health and well-being of individuals and families touched by the
 tragedy; spur the economic recovery of individuals and families in New York
 and other affected communities; and ensure the capacity of nonprofits to
 continue to provide services.
     The September 11th Fund works by making grants to organizations that are
 expert in providing direct services and meeting a variety of needs.  Nearly
 $16 million in grants has already been approved to more than 35 nonprofit
 agencies in the New York region.  For example, emergency grants from the Fund
 have already made it possible for Safe Horizon to distribute over 6,000 checks
 to victims' families that will cover basic needs such as mortgage payments and
 utility bills.  The Fund is currently reviewing more than 100 proposals for
 both immediate and longer-term needs.
     In accepting the position, Gotbaum noted, "Thousands suffered from the
 events of September 11th, but thousands more have reached out to provide help.
 Our task is to turn their contributions into action, to work with many
 organizations and speed the recovery."
     All of the funds contributed to the September 11th Fund will go directly
 to grants.  Mr. Gotbaum and a small staff will be supported by funds raised
 separately and expressly for this purpose.  The Fund will continue to draw as
 well on the experienced teams at United Way of New York City and The New York
 Community Trust.
     "We are enormously pleased that Frank Thomas, a man of extraordinary
 experience, integrity and judgment, has agreed to lead this critical effort,"
 said Lorie A. Slutsky, president of The New York Community Trust.  "We
 established The September 11th Fund to provide a way that thousands could help
 the victims of the attack, their families and communities with confidence that
 their funds would be used wisely, effectively and fairly."
     "Speaking for the thousands of annual United Way contributors around the
 country who donated to The September 11th Fund, the selection of Frank Thomas
 and Josh Gotbaum should assure all of us that our charitable dollars will be
 distributed in an expedited, direct and appropriate fashion," said Ellie
 Ferdon, chair of United Way of America.
     Franklin Thomas heads the TFF Study Group, which focuses primarily on
 assisting the development process in Southern Africa. He was president of the
 Ford Foundation from 1979-1996.  Before joining Ford, Mr. Thomas was the first
 president of the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation.  He served as
 Deputy Police Commissioner in Charge of Legal Matters for the New York City
 Police Department and Assistant US Attorney for the Southern District of New
 York.  Mr. Thomas serves on several corporate and nonprofit boards and is an
 advisor to the Secretary General of the United Nations.
     Joshua Gotbaum is the former executive associate director & controller of
 the US Office of Management and Budget and has over 20 years of financial and
 management experience.  Prior to joining OMB, Gotbaum was Assistant Secretary
 for Economic Policy for the US Treasury, Assistant Secretary for Economic
 Security for the US Department of Defense and general partner at Lazard Freres
 & Co, an investment bank in New York City.
     Below are a list of Board members and their affiliations and a list of all
 grants awarded to date.
 
     About the September 11th Funds
     The September 11th Fund was established by The New York Community Trust
 and United Way of New York City to meet the immediate and long-term needs of
 victims, families and communities affected by the terrorist attacks of
 September 11th.  To date, over $170 million has been contributed and pledged.
 The September 11th Telethon Fund was established to collect donations pledged
 through the entertainment industry's "Tribute to Heroes," the two-hour
 telethon that aired live on multiple TV networks and thousands of radio
 stations around the world. The September 11th Telethon Fund has received about
 $150 million in pledges.  The website address is
 http://www.september11fund.org.
 
     About The New York Community Trust
     The New York Community Trust was established in 1924 to improve the
 quality of life in New York City and help people with their philanthropy.  An
 aggregate of 1,500 charitable funds set up by individuals, families and
 business, The Trust last year distributed over $145 million in grants
 throughout the New York region and all over the country for issues related to
 children and families, health, community development, education, the arts and
 many other worthwhile causes.  Their website address is
 http://www.nycommunitytrust.org.
 
     About United Way of New York City
     United Way of New York City (UWNYC) is a volunteer-led organization
 dedicated to helping New York's most vulnerable citizens become and remain
 self-sufficient.  UWNYC funds a network of the most effective health and human
 services nonprofits in the five boroughs; mobilizes collaborative efforts to
 address our community's most pressing needs; and provides management
 assistance, technology training, donated computers and more to help nonprofits
 achieve maximum impact. UWNYC is part of a system of 1400 local United Ways
 nationwide.  Visit the website at http://www.uwnyc.org.
 
                           September 11th Fund Board
 
     Bruce L. Ballard, M.D.
     Dr. Ballard is associate dean for Student Affairs and Equal Opportunity
 Programs and Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Joan and Sanford I.
 Weill Medical College of Cornell University.  He is a member of the Group for
 Student Affairs of the Association of American Medical Colleges, and a fellow
 of the American Psychiatric Association and the New York Academy of Medicine.
 He is a member of The New York Community Trust Distribution Committee.
 
     John H. Biggs
     Mr. Biggs is the chairman and chief executive officer of Teachers
 Insurance and Annuity Association and the College Retirement Equities Fund
 (TIAA-CREF). He has been with TIAA-CREF for almost 20 years, as president,
 chief operating officer and trustee.  He is a fellow of the Society of
 Actuaries, member of the American Economic Association, and director of
 National Bureau of Economic Research. He serves as vice chairman of the board
 of United Way of New York City.
 
     Stanley Brezenoff
     Mr. Brezenoff is president and CEO of Maimonides Medical Center. He was
 the executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. He
 served Mayor Edward Koch as Deputy Mayor for Operations and First Deputy
 Mayor. Other government posts have included serving as commissioner for the
 Department of Employment and president of the New York City Health and
 Hospitals Corporation. He chairs the Dean's Council of NYU's Robert F. Wagner
 School of Public Service and the League of Voluntary Hospitals and Homes of
 New York.
 
     Samuel C. Butler
     Mr. Butler is chairman of the board of the New York Public Library and the
 former managing partner of Cravath, Swaine & Moore. He is a director of
 several corporate boards and has served on the Harvard Board of Overseers and
 the boards of the American Museum of Natural History and Vassar College.
 
     Reverend Calvin O. Butts, III
     Rev. Butts is the pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York
 City. Dr. Butts is the chancellor of the State University at Westbury and is
 chairman of the C.T. Walker Housing Corp. and a member of the board of the
 Central Park Conservancy. He is actively involved in the African-American
 community in New York City and has received numerous awards and commendations
 for his efforts. He serves vice chairman of the board of United Way of New
 York City.
 
     C.L. Clemente
     Mr. Clemente is the senior vice president of Corporate Affairs of Pfizer,
 Inc. A member of the Corporate Management Committee, he also serves as
 corporate counsel and secretary of the Pfizer Board of Directors. Mr. Clemente
 is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the United States Council
 for International Business, the Board of Directors of the Public Affairs
 Council, the Business-Industry Political Action Committee (BIPAC), and Project
 Hope. He serves as chairman of the board of United Way of New York City.
 
     Ernest J. Collazo
     Mr. Collazo is managing partner of Collazo Carling & Mish.  He is a member
 of the Executive Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New
 York, a director of the United Hospital Fund of New York and the VIP Community
 Services.  He also is a member of the Federal Bar Council (Committee on Second
 Circuit Court), the Federal Bar Council Inn of Court (Master), the Advisory
 Committee to the Rules Committee of the Second Judicial Circuit of the U.S.
 Labor Advisory Council (to the Health Care Industry), and the Committee on
 Second Circuit Courts (Federal Bar Council).  Mr. Collazo is a former director
 of the Lehman College Foundation and the Association of the Bar of the City of
 New York Fund, Inc. He is a member of The New York Community Trust
 Distribution Committee.
 
     Jill M. Considine
     Ms. Considine is chairman and chief executive officer of The Depository
 Trust & Clearing Corp. She served as president of the New York Clearing House
 Association and she was managing director, chief administrator officer,
 American Express Bank, Ltd., and was the New York State Superintendent of
 Banks. She was the president and chief executive officer of The First Women's
 Bank and was a vice president at Bankers Trust and the Chase Manhattan Bank.
 
     James E. Copeland
     James E. Copeland is the chief executive officer of Deloitte & Touche in
 the U.S. and its global parent of Deloite Touche Tohmatsu.  He serves on the
 board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S.-Japan Business Council. He
 is former chairman of the board of United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta and was
 president of Research Atlanta.
 
     Abigail Disney
     Ms. Disney is a philanthropist and speaker active in supporting women's
 initiatives.  She is the president and founder of the Daphne Foundation and
 Vice President of the New York Women's Foundation.  Ms. Disney is also one of
 the founders of Liberty Media for Women.
 
     Charlotte Moses Fischman
     Ms. Fischman is a partner of Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP.  She is
 a director of NAMI-Metro, a member of the New York City Bar Association Ethics
 2000 Committee, the Board of Visitors, and Columbia Law School.  She is also a
 member of the First Judicial Department Disciplinary Committee, a former
 trustee of Brandeis University, and a former director of the Mexican-American
 Legal Defense and Education Fund and The Legal Aid Society. She is a member of
 The New York Community Trust Distribution Committee.
 
     Marty Franks
     Mr. Franks is executive vice president for CBS Television and senior vice
 president of Viacom Corp.  Mr. Franks has also held a number of posts in
 Washington, including service under President Jimmy Carter, chief of staff to
 Senator Patrick Leahy, and executive director of the Democratic Congressional
 Campaign Committee.
 
     Gary Ginsberg
     Mr. Ginsberg is executive vice president of Investor Relations and
 Corporate Communications for News Corporation.  Mr. Ginsberg is a former
 senior editor and counsel for George magazine and former assistant counsel to
 President Clinton.  He serves on the board of New Visions for Public Schools
 and New York Cares.
 
     Thomas S. Johnson
     Mr. Johnson is the chairman, president and CEO of Greenpoint Bank.  He is
 the former president and director of Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company and
 former president and director of Chemical Bank in New York City. He is a
 trustee on numerous boards, including U.S. Capital Group, The Asia Society,
 The Cancer Research Institute of America, The Institute of International
 Education and WNET Channel 13, and is a member of the Council on Foreign
 Relations. He serves on the board of United Way of New York City.
 
     Robert M. Kaufman
     Mr. Kaufman is a partner of Proskauer Rose LLP.  He is the board chairman
 of Pirelli Cables and Systems LLC, Old Westbury Funds, Inc., and the Times
 Square Business Improvement District.  He is a trustee of Brooklyn Law School,
 chair emeritus for the Fund for Modern Courts, and past president of the
 Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the American Judicature
 Society. He is vice-chairman of The New York Community Trust Distribution
 Committee.
 
     Shelly Lazarus
     Ms. Lazarus is the chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ogilvy & Mather
 Worldwide.  She is a member of the board of directors of a number of industry,
 business and academic institutions, including Ann Taylor Stores, General
 Electric Company, Teacher's Insurance and Annuity Association-College
 Retirement Equities Fund, New York Presbyterian Hospital, and the World
 Wildlife Fund.  She also serves as chair of the board of trustees of Smith
 College, and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and The Business
 Council. She is former chairman of the American Advertising Agencies.
 
     Barbara Scott Preiskel
     Ms. Preiskel is the former senior vice president and general counsel of
 the Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. She is a trustee of Wellesley
 College, the American Museum of the Moving Image, and Tougaloo College. She is
 a former director of Textron, American Stores Co., General Electric Co.,
 Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co., and the Washington Post Co. She is a
 former member of The New York Community Trust Distribution Committee, where
 she served as chairman.
 
     Rossana Rosado
     Mrs. Rosado is editor-in-chief and general manager, News and Sales, of El
 Diario-La Prensa. Mrs. Rosado is an Emmy-award winning television producer for
 her work at WPIX-TV in New York City. She is El Diario's first female
 editor-in-chief and has helped build the tradition of advocacy journalism. She
 serves on the board of United Way of New York City.
 
     Anne P. Sidamon-Eristoff
     Mrs. Sidamon-Eristoff is chair emerita of the American Museum of Natural
 History.  She serves on the boards of the Black Rock Forest Consortium, the
 God Bless America Fund, the Greenacre Foundation, the Storm King Art Center,
 and the World Wildlife Fund.  She is a former director of the Girl Scout
 Council of Greater New York, the Museum of Modern Art, and Scenic Hudson. She
 is chairman of The New York Community Trust Distribution Committee.
 
     Wilma ("Billie") S. Tisch
     Mrs. Tisch is the president of Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New
 York. She is also chairman emerita of the WNYC Foundation and a life trustee
 of the UJA Federation. She serves as vice chairman of the board of United Way
 of New York City.
 
     Lulu C. Wang
     Ms. Wang is the chairman and CEO of Tupelo Capital Management LLC. She is
 a trustee of Wellesley College and on the Finance Committee of the Rockefeller
 Family Fund. She is president of the Shoreland Foundation and a board member
 of the Women's Forum and WNYC. She is a member of The New York Community
 Distribution Committee and chairs its Finance and Investment Committees.
 
     Carl Weisbrod
     Mr. Weisbrod, an attorney, established and is president of the Alliance
 for Downtown New York. He has been president of the New York City Economic
 Development Corporation, director of the Mayor's Office of Midtown
 Enforcement, executive director of the City Planning Commission, and president
 of the New York State 42nd Street Development Project. He is a trustee of the
 Ford Foundation and NYU Down Hospital among other organizations.
 
                           September 11th Fund Grants
 
      Organization                   Purpose                             Amount
 
      Safe Horizon      To provide emergency financial               $7,546,000
      (3 grants)        assistance to the families of               ($1,000,000
                        attack victims and no-interest loans     cash-flow loan
                        to meet cash-flow needs of the State        funding and
                        Crime Victims Board fund.                  $846,000 for
                                                                    operational
                                                               support-2 weeks)
 
      Seedco            For a loan fund for nonprofits               $2,150,000
                        directly affected by the disaster.           (one year)
 
      United Ways       For direct cash assistance to                $2,100,000
      throughout        victims and their families.
      the region
 
      Forest Hills      To replace three destroyed volunteer           $937,000
      Volunteer         ambulances and to enhance the                (6 months)
      Ambulance         ability of 34 volunteer ambulance
      Corps, Inc.       corps to provide backup for the City's
                        Emergency Medical Service system for
                        the next six months.
 
      Mental Health     To augment a citywide crisis resource          $910,847
      Association of    database, including certified                (6 months)
      New York City     clinicians, and increase the capacity
                        of its mental health hotline.
 
      Consortium for    For the Emergency Employment                   $438,000
      Worker            Clearinghouse, which is providing            (3 months)
      Education         assistance to those who lost jobs
                        as a result of the attack.
 
      Cross-Cultural    For rescue efforts, respite services,          $320,000
      Solutions         and volunteer coordination at
                        Ground Zero and on the Spirit of
                        New York, from 9/11 through 10/20.
 
      New York City     To provide grief counseling to                 $225,000
      Fire Department   firefighters and their families.             (6 months)
 
      NPower New York   For coordination of technology                 $196,900
                        services to nonprofits affected              (2 months)
                        by the World Trade Center attack.
 
      Food for          To provide emergency food relief               $195,500
      Survival          to those affected by the attack and          (2 months)
                        food management and operation assistance
                        to organizations involved in the
                        recovery effort.
 
      Legal Aid         To provide emergency civil legal               $171,000
      Society           assistance to low-income                      (6 weeks)
                        attack victims.
 
      Feed the          For emergency relief efforts consisting        $137,000
      Children          of deliveries of food and supplies.            (1 week)
 
      Interfaith        To provide counseling, support, and            $100,000
      Neighbors, Inc.   crisis intervention to children,            (10 months)
                        teens, teachers, and youth practitioners
                        in the aftermath of the attack.
 
      Disaster          To provide psychiatric services to              $75,000
      Psychiatry        victims of the attack.                       (6 months)
      Outreach
 
      Arab-American     To provide emergency assistance                 $60,000
      Family Support    to individuals, schools, police              (3 months)
      Center            and other agencies in dealing with
                        the effects of the attacks on
                        Arab-Americans.
 
      National Fallen   To purchase the ceremonial materials            $54,000
      Firefighters      required for the funerals of                 (3 months)
      Foundation        New York City firefighters who
                        died during the rescue efforts.
 
      New York          For emergency information and                   $50,000
      Immigration       help immigrants get access to relief         (6 months)
      Coalition         assistance harmed by the attack,
                        and to document and inform authorities
                        of bias incidents against members of
                        immigrant groups.
 
      Asociacion        To assist families of Mexican workers           $40,000
      Tepeyac de        killed in the World Trade Center attack.     (2 months)
      New York
 
      God's Love        For meals provided to emergency                 $37,870
      We Deliver        personnel at the World Trade                   (1 week)
                        Center disaster site and a senior
                        center near the disaster area.
 
      Asian American    For legal assistance and other                  $30,000
      Legal Defense     preventive measures against hate             (6 months)
      and Education     violence in the wake of the
      Fund              World Trade Center attack.
 
      Women's Venture   To provide technical assistance to              $30,000
      Fund, Inc.        the small business community affected        (6 months)
                        by the World Trade Center attack.
 
      Alianza           To provide emergency services to                $20,000
      Dominicana        Washington Heights residents who             (2 months)
                        were victims of the attack and to
                        help other agencies serving immigrants
                        provide grief counseling.
 
      Community         For emergency funding to an agency              $16,400
      Resource          displaced by the attack.                     (2 months)
      Exchange
 
      Children's Hope   To help an agency located near the              $15,500
      Foundation        World Trade Center reestablish itself.        (1 month)
 
      Healing Works     To provide short-term counseling and            $15,000
                        health services to victims and               (6 months)
                        survivors of the disaster and the
                        caregivers and social service providers
                        working with them.
 
      Liberty Center    To provide emergency assistance to              $10,000
      for Immigrants    Guyanese immigrants in the Richmond          (6 months)
                        Hill area of Queens to deal with fear,
                        bias incidents, and concerns of the
                        undocumented.
 
      Women's Housing   For feeding rescue personnel at the              $8,600
      and Economic      World Trade Center disaster site.              (1 week)
      Development
      Corporation
                                                           Total    $15,889,617
 
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SOURCE  United Way of New York City