For Nonprofits, 9/11 Lingers
Nonprofits Continue to Grapple With Effects of 9/11
Five years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, most of the $2.2 billion that poured into charities has been spent, but the nonprofit world continues to grapple with the after-effects of the disaster, the Chronicle of Philanthropy reports.
While several organizations — including the Salvation Army, Red Cross, and Survivors' Fund at the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region in Washington, D.C. — continue to support mental-health counseling for survivors and victims' families, other groups, such as Heroic Choices in Princeton, New Jersey, have expanded their original 9/11-related missions.
At the same time, some nonprofits have turned their attention to relief and recovery efforts related to major disasters that occurred after 2001, while others are looking for ways to prevent future catastrophes or to respond more effectively should one occur. In the course of their work, these charities may find that a "9/11 generation" of volunteers has emerged to help. A recent study by the Corporation for National and Community Service found that 65.4 million people said they donated time to a charity last year — 5.6 million more than in 2002.
Nevertheless, the public's diminished confidence in charities' ability to manage money is unlikely to change, said professor Paul C. Light of New York University. In a survey by NYU's Organizational Performance Initiative to be released next month, 69 percent of Americans said they had a great deal or a fair amount of confidence in charitable organizations — up from 60 percent in September 2002 but down from 90 percent before the attacks.
"That period before 9/11 was a period when Americans gave the benefit of the doubt to charities, when support for charities was generally soft and benign," said Light, who oversaw the survey. "I believe that has changed for the foreseeable future."
Perry, Suzanne.
“Learning From 9/11.”
Chronicle of Philanthropy
8/31/06.
Primary Subject: 9/11 Response
Location(s): National
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