CONTACT: Joyce Infante, Senior Vice President for Communications, Marketing, and Product Development (212) 807-3619 Foundation Center Releases September 11: Perspectives from the Field of Philanthropy New York, NY. August 30, 2002. In the days immediately following the tragic events of September 11, there was a swift and generous outpouring of aid and support from countless Americans, who donated blood, volunteered their time and labor, and sent contributions to the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the September 11th Fund, and other relief agencies and funds. A new publication from the Foundation Center reveals that the response by America's charitable institutions was not only swift and generous, but also laid the all-important groundwork for New York City's—and the nation's—recovery from one of the most ill-fated days in its history. September 11: Perspectives from the Field of Philanthropy features more than a dozen interviews with philanthropic leaders who offer personal accounts of how their foundations and nonprofit organizations mobilized to identify needs and deliver aid to a broad spectrum of victims. "When you read the stories told by the people we interviewed, several common themes emerge. They describe a surprisingly coordinated process of identifying charities with existing service-delivery capacities and tapping their expertise to distribute relief aid quickly and efficiently," observed Foundation Center president Sara L. Engelhardt. "But even more than that, they recognized almost immediately that the process of recovery from an event as unprecedented and catastrophic as September 11 would be complicated and protracted, demanding long-term strategies for relief and recovery." In addition to the interviews conducted by Foundation Center staff, the book includes two introductory essays that outline the challenges facing charities as they strive to raise and disburse funds, as well as the complex and shifting regulatory environment in which the philanthropic response took place. (See attachment for the full list of those who contributed essays and interviews for this publication.) The Philanthropic Response to 9/11: Creating the Record and Telling the Story September 11: Perspectives from the Field of Philanthropy is just one component of a multi-year initiative the Foundation Center is undertaking to create the definitive record and tell the story of philanthropy in the aftermath of September 11. In the Researching Philanthropy area of the Center's Web site, visitors will find "Philanthropy's Response to 9/11: Creating the Record," where the Center maintains a listing of foundation and corporate pledges and contributions for relief and recovery efforts. Visitors will also find a report on the Center's initial analyses of this data, Giving in the Aftermath of 9/11: Foundations and Corporations Respond, which was released last February and will be updated later this year. From this area of the Center's Web site, visitors can link to its award-winning online journal, Philanthropy News Digest, in which it publishes and has archived 9/11-related news and provides the narrative component of its 9/11 project through essays and in-depth interviews, some of which are included in September 11: Perspectives from the Field of Philanthropy. Additional components of this project are under way, says Ms. Engelhardt. Starting in September, Philanthropy News Digest will offer original reporting on the many pressing issues facing the sector in the wake of 9/11. The Center will also soon issue a report on the impact the events of 9/11 are having on grantmaker policies and programs. A later phase of this project will focus on grants and services provided by recipient agencies. The Annie E. Casey Foundation provided the lead grant in support of this multi-year initiative. Free Copies of September 11 Publication Available Single copies of September 11: Perspectives from the Field of Philanthropy are available free of charge and may be ordered through the Foundation Center's Web site at www.foundationcenter.org. The publication is also available at the site as a downloadable PDF file. About the Foundation Center The Foundation Center's mission is to support and improve philanthropy by promoting public understanding of the field and helping grantseekers succeed. To achieve its mission, it collects, organizes, and communicates information on U.S. philanthropy; conducts and facilitates research on trends in the field; provides education and training on the grantseeking process; and ensures public access to information and services through its World Wide Web site, print and electronic publications, five library/learning centers, and a national network of cooperating collections. Founded in 1956, the Center is the nation's leading authority on philanthropy and is dedicated to serving grantseekers, grantmakers, researchers, policymakers, the media, and the general public. Return to Press Releases