WASHINGTON – Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J. Principi today announced the donation of $265,000 to the United Way’s September 11 Fund and the Community Foundation for the National Capital Region’s Survivors’ Fund. This money was given by VA employees at VA facilities across the country, and will be used to help the families of the victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11.
In a ceremony on November 6 at VA’s Central Office in Washington, D.C., Secretary Principi presented a combined check to Mr. Anthony Buzzelli, 2001 United Way Campaign chairman, and Ms. Beth Brummel, program manager for the Community Foundation. While the United Way will use the funds to provide short-term emergency assistance in both Washington, D.C., and New York City, the Community Foundation will concentrate on supporting the long-term needs, such as education, health and rehabilitation, of the victims’ families in the Washington metropolitan area.
“Although this token of our solidarity does not lessen the suffering of the victims’ families, we hope it will remind them that they do not suffer alone and that the nation and VA’s employees stand united with them,” said Secretary Principi.
VA conducted “The VA Day of Giving” fund drive on October 3 at all of its facilities. Proceeds from the sale of patriotic T-shirts, baseball caps and pens at VA Canteens were added to the cash donations.
In addition to the monetary donation to the two relief organizations, the Department of Veterans Affairs deployed professionals from some of VA's more than 200 Vet Centers, skilled in treating post-traumatic stress disorder and other stress-related problems to help the victims and their families at the sites of the attacks, as part of the National Disaster Medical System. VA has also provided a wide range of benefits to eligible surviving dependents of deceased veterans and military victims of the attacks. To date, VA has made dependency and indemnity compensation payments to surviving spouses of 34 active duty personnel killed at the Pentagon, and has made servicemembers life insurance payments on behalf of 55 deceased veterans and servicemembers. The Department has also held one memorial service and 16 burials for veterans and spouses.
Information about VA benefits is available by calling 1-800-827-1000 and is provided in the VA pamphlet titled “Veterans Benefits for Survivors,” which can be downloaded from www.vba.va.gov.
