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The September 11th Fund says it expects to begin making its biggest
payout yet of $75 million (around £52.4m) before the end of
the year:
The fund has been criticised as being slow to distribute money
to victims of the terrorist attacks.
The fund, created by the United Way and the New York Community
Trust, says it will distribute the sum to more than 20,000 people.
About two-thirds of the money will go to those who lost their jobs
or were driven from their homes by the attack on the World Trade
Centre.
The fund is the second-largest charity created in the aftermath
of the attacks.
Wednesday's announcement represents the first large distribution
of charitable aid to people whose jobs and homes were affected.
Talk show host Bill O'Reilly, who has criticised the United Way
as being slow to distribute the money, and George Clooney, the actor
who helped raise money for the fund, have been locked in a public
dispute in recent days over the fund's handling of the donations.
"I think there is a natural tension between the desire to
do it quickly and the need to do it well and responsibly, and we've
frankly been establishing that balance using our best judgment,"
said Franklin Thomas, chairman of the fund.
The September 11th Fund has collected $347 million (around £2442m)
so far. With Wednesday's announcement, it has either promised or
actually paid out $143 million (around £99.9m). Thomas says
plans for the remainder of the money have yet to be developed.
In addition, a new cash-assistance program will provide $10,000
(around £7,000) to families of people killed or injured in
the attacks, Thomas said. The fund estimates that 2,000 to 3,000
families will receive those payments.
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