Charities and relief agencies raised over $657 million in the three weeks following the September 11, 2001 attacks, the vast bulk going to immediate survivors and victims' families.
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Government assistance
On September 21, 2001, the Congress approved a bill to aid the airline industry and establish a federal fund for victims. The cost of the mostly open-ended fund reached $7 billion (the average payout was $1.8 million per family). Victims of earlier terrorist attacks, including those linked to al-Qaida, were not included in the fund—nor were those who would not surrender the right to hold the airlines legally responsible.
American Red Cross
From the donations to the Emergency Relief Fund, as of 19 November 2001, the American Red Cross granted 3,165 checks to 2,776 families totaling $54.3 million.
172,612 cases were referred to mental health contacts. The 866-GET INFO number received 29,820 calls. As of 3:10 p.m. November 20, 2001, there had been 1,592,295 blood donations since September 11.
Fire Donations took charitable contributions on behalf of firefighters, EMS, and rescue workers.
Other charitable drives
Emergency supplies
On Thursday and Friday, September 14–15 September 2001, various relief supplies for the World Trade Center relief effort were collected from the New York City area, and dropped off at the Javits Convention Center or at a staging area at Union Square. By Saturday morning, enough supplies (and volunteers) were collected.
Memorial funds
Many families and friends of victims have set up memorial funds and projects to give back to their communities and change the world in honor of their loved ones' lives. Examples include: