Hurricane News, Safety & Checklists

Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund raised $2 million in online funds in hours

Sept 8, 2005

“The American people have immediately stepped in to help with this relief effort with an amazing show of generosity” – President Clinton

By Clinton Foundation, [RxPG] The Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund announced that it has raised over $2 million in online donations. This announcement comes less than 6 hours after the Fund announced that it had raised $1 million dollars online in approximately 24 hours.

The American people have immediately stepped in to help with this relief effort with an amazing showing of generosity, President Clinton said. I am so proud and encouraged by the tremendous support offered to these people in need. This truly is an example of the goodness and caring of the American people.

The Fund estimates that over 10,000 people have made their donations on their website www.BushClintonKatrinaFund.org.

Rebuilding the Gulf States is going to take every dollar we raise, President Bush said. I am pleased with this initial outpouring of support and hope that it continues in the days and weeks ahead.

The Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund will serve as an umbrella for the three special funds established by Governors Blanco, Barbour, and Riley to assist their states and will largely focus on collecting donations to assist in the recovery plan for the affected states.

The generosity of people never ceases to amaze us. Since President Bush asked us to co-chair this fund in September, the response has been remarkable. Nearly 60,000 people have donated to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, for a total of over $100 million in contributions, and more money continues to come in.Today, we are pleased to announce our first grants. Thirty million will be devoted to higher education institutions that were ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. These colleges and universities — the cornerstones of communities across the region — can now get back to the jobs they always have done: educating young people and adults, training new workers, employing large numbers of people, and providing much-needed recreational and entertainment services. The Fund has also formed a partnership with the United Negro College Fund on behalf of Historically Black Colleges and Universities affected by the hurricane. A disbursement of $40 million will be divided among funds established by the Governors of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The money will be used to fill gaps unmet by other local, state, and federal relief and rebuilding efforts. Another $20 million grant will support a ministerial partnership with local and regional faith-based organizations, which were instrumental in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina but now require our help to continue providing critical services to their communities. Through the generosity of our donors and with the help of former Labor Secretary Alexis Herman and former Commerce Secretary Don Evans, who are donating their time to serve as co-chairs of our board of trustees, we can accomplish so much. We will continue to update you on this website about the progress we make directing funds to the affected areas and about how your donation has helped restore lives and livelihoods to the people of the Gulf Coast. Many thanks to all of those who contributed to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund.