In addition to the Silver Shield Foundation, organizations that have received contributions include the Sept. 11 Fund – Pentagon Relief ($50,000); American Red Cross – Pentagon Relief Program ($50,000); the North Jersey Media Group Disaster Relief Fund ($50,000); Ronald McDonald House Charities ($50,000 for relief efforts at Ground Zero); the Bergen County (N.J.) United Way – Community Response Fund ($100,000); the Port Authority Police World Trade Disaster Survivors' Fund ($100,000); the World Trade Center Port Authority Memorial Fund ($150,000); Salvation Army of Greater New York ($150,000); The New York Times 9/11 Neediest Fund ($150,000); the Disaster Relief Fund of Newsday/McCormick Tribune Foundation ($150,000); Diocese of Rockville Centre (N.Y.) Emergency Relief Fund – World Trade Center Disaster Fund ($300,000); the Garden City (N.Y.) Community Fund – Family Relief Fund ($300,000); the New York State World Trade Center Relief Fund ($500,000); the New York Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund ($500,000); and the Twin Towers Fund ($500,000).Formed in 1999, NTRA Charities is a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association, which provides public service announcements and other public awareness initiatives in support of its national affiliate, Ronald McDonald House Charities, as well as its horseracing affiliates.
The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has disbursed $250,000 to the Silver Shield Foundation from the NTRA Charities – New York Heroes Fund, bringing total allocations to Sept. 11-related programs to $4.1 million. NTRA vice chairman and Breeders' Cup president D.G. Van Clief, Jr. presented the industry's latest contribution Monday to Silver Shield president James E. Fuchs during a media luncheon at "21" in New York City. NTRA, Breeders' Cup Limited and the New York Racing Association formed the Heroes Fund to benefit the children and dependents of those lost in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and dedicated the Oct. 27, 2001 World Thoroughbred Championships at Belmont Park in their honor. Members of the horseracing community contributed or pledged nearly $5 million to the Heroes Fund.Since 1982, the Silver Shield Foundation has provided scholarship assistance to children of fallen New York City police, firefighters, EMS and Port Authority personnel, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut state troopers and members of other law enforcement agencies within a 50-mile radius of Manhattan. Prior to the World Trade Center attack, 85 children received aid from Silver Shield; now, more than 800 are eligible for assistance. Silver Shield previously has received $750,000 from the Heroes Fund, bringing total contributions to the scholarship organization to $1 million.