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Americans shower cash on NYC

"I believe in my heart that the music community will come together and rally to the aid of thousands of victims."

Michael Jackson

Americans have opened their hearts and wallets in response to the terrorist outrage in New York, unleashing an avalanche of generosity that has left the financial capital struggling to cope.

In the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attack on the World Trade Center (WTC), the city appealed for everything from basic necessities such as soap, blankets and towels to medical supplies.

What followed was an outpouring of compassion that has left warehouses bulging and seen hundreds of millions of dollars flow into the many funds set up for the families of the more than 6,000 people feared dead.

Some of the US' largest blue chip corporations made multi-million dollar donations, rock stars and Hollywood icons are planning a fundraising extravaganza, but most of the giving has come from a stunned general public.

"The city is overwhelmed with supplies, more than they could possibly use. No more supplies are needed this time," reads a message on the city government's Web site.

Much of the compassion has been directed at the firefighters of New York, who lost some 300 colleagues trapped inside the twin towers of the WTC when they collapsed after hijackers rammed two fuel-laden jets into the buildings.

Dave Ianone, one of the founders of Firehouse.com, the web site of the Firehouse Magazine which serves the country's US$1.5 million paid and volunteer firefighters, said his organization could not handle any more non-financial donations.

"We've had such an overall response that right now it's more than we can handle," he said.

Scores of funds have been set up to gather money for the victims, most notably the Twin Towers Fund being coordinated by the city government and the United Way September 11 Fund, which have each attracted more than US$70 million.

They have both been powered by large donations from some of the US' major blue-chip firms -- General Electric and Microsoft each handed over US$10 million , Walt Disney gave US$6 million and IBM US$5 million.

The Red Cross National Disaster Relief Fun has collected US$20 million while nearly US$75 million has been donated via the libertyunites.org Web site.

Many newspapers, such as the New York Times and Newsday, are raising money from readers and many firms hit directly by the attack, such as Cantor Fitzgerald and Carr Futures, have set up their own funds.

And with the entertainment industry joining the fundraising, the money is set to keep flowing in.

Michael Jackson hopes to raise US$50 million with a new charity single titled What More Can I Give, reprising his 1985 We Are the World for African famine victims which raised US$65 million.

"I believe in my heart that the music community will come together and rally to the aid of thousands of victims," said Jackson, who will be joined by a host of other artists including members of the Backstreet Boys, N'Sync and Destiny's Child.

Hollywood and the world of television unite on Friday for an unprecedented two-hour fundraising telethon which will be shown and paid for by all major US television and radio networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox.

Among the musicians confirmed to be taking part are rapper Wyclef Jean, Willie Nelson, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder. Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Robert De Niro, Clint Eastwood and Tom Cruise will be among many stars from the acting world.
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