WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The September 11 Survivors' Fund of The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region has had a measurable, positive impact on the lives of individuals and families directly affected by the 2001 Pentagon attack, concludes a newly released study.
The evaluation, commissioned by the Fund and conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, examines the Fund's effectiveness and highlights lessons learned. Some 83 percent of respondents said they are better able to cope today than they were three years ago, and the vast majority of survivors say their lives after 9/11 would have been much worse without the Fund's assistance.
Copies of the evaluation are available by contacting The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region via email at info@cfncr.org.
"The findings produced by this study are especially important given the unprecedented nature of the September 11 attacks," said Community Foundation President Terri Lee Freeman. "Furthermore," added Daniel K. Mayers, chair of the Survivors' Fund Governance Board, "The value of the evaluation extends beyond the Survivors' Fund, as it undoubtedly will inform the fields of emergency preparedness and social work in general."
Officially incorporated in December 2001, the Survivors' Fund was established to support the long-term recovery of individuals directly affected by the Pentagon attack. More than 12,000 individuals and organizations donated to the Fund, resulting in some $24 million in assets. The Fund partnered with Northern Virginia Family Service to provide case management services and financial support to 1,027 individuals in 532 families.
The Fund announced last year that it will cease operations on March 31, 2008. However, it will continue to support a small group of families for varying periods of time.
Founded in 1973, The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region is one of the largest community foundations in the United States in terms of assets, grants paid, and contributions from donors. In FY07, The Foundation and its donors awarded some $95 million in grants to nonprofit organizations in the Washington, D.C., region and beyond.
The Community Foundation for the National Capital Region logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3032