For immediate release:

November 28, 2001

Contact: George Holmes

212) 598-4000

CHARITIES HURTING

IN AFTERMATH OF SEPTEMBER 11TH DISASTER

CONTRIBUTIONS  OFF BY MORE THAN 50%

George Holmes, Executive Director of the Congress of Racial Equality, said today that the September 11th terrorist attack on the World Trade Center has had a devastating effect on long established charities in the New York area. Holmes said that his organization, CORE, which is headquartered in lower Manhattan is having a tough time recovering from the City’s worst disaster in modern history. Holmes said that calls to its discrimination “Hotline” have doubled--primarily from Arab-Americans and Muslims complaining of ethnic and religious profiling—while contributions to the organization have fallen off by more than 50%. Holmes also said that the organization was seeing a substantial increase in the number of displaced workers seeking additional training and assistance in finding employment.    This phenomena, he said is likely to get worst before it gets better and has pushed the organizations already meager resources past the breaking point.

CORE officials said their concern goes far beyond being able to handle the increasing caseload. “The immediate question is how long the organization will be able to keep its doors open if contributions continue to shrink as they have since the World Trade Center catastraphy?” Holmes said.

Holmes said, several large contributors have decided to re-direct their charitable giving to the various World Trade Center disaster funds, which he called a legitimate and deserving cause. However, he added, CORE and organizations like CORE, while not directly involved in the relief effort, have been servicing victims of all sorts for many years and will play an important role in the City’s long-term recovery.

CORE was forced to cancel several activities and events planned through the end of this year in observance of its 60th anniversary and will instead focus on a single large ceremony scheduled to take place on the King Federal Holiday, January 21, 2002 in New York City. In addition to marking the historical milestone of 60 years of service to America, CORE officials decided to dedicate this event to the Heroes and Victims of the terrorists “Attacks on America” and will honor President Bush, Mayor Guiliani, the NYPD, NY City Firefighters and especially the brave passengers of United Airlines flight 93 that crashed in the woodlands of Pennsylvania.

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