HAMILTON, Bermuda--Jan. 6, 2004--The ACE Group of Companies today announced that, as part of its five-year commitment to aid the families of victims of the September 11 tragedy in the United States, ACE will be donating $500,000 each to World Vision and The Coalition of Voluntary Mental Health Agencies Inc. (The Coalition).
In response to the World Trade Center tragedy, ACE established a fund to provide $1 million each year for five years to organisations aiding families affected by the tragedy in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. This is the third of five $1 million donations that ACE has made since 2001.
After reviewing proposals from a number of organisations, ACE decided to make donations to two charities this year. The donation to World Vision will support a project called 'The Storehouse', which involves the opening of a facility to provide practical assistance for families affected by the tragedy, including the provision of clothing, personal care items, school supplies, food and other essential items. The Coalition will use the funds to help continue mental health support for families of victims through its work with voluntary mental health agencies in the New York area. ACE funds will help The Coalition support a program in each borough of the city, except Manhattan where two agencies were chosen.
"There are still very real issues being faced by families of the victims of September 11," commented ACE Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brian Duperreault. "Our goal was to provide more than just immediate assistance to families, as a tragedy such as this brings in its wake economic and emotional challenges that last many years. I'd like to thank both World Vision and The Coalition for recognising that there is still a need for us to reach out and help and I'm pleased that ACE's donation will strengthen their ability to do so."
Previous recipients of the fund were the American Red Cross (2001) and the Greater New York and New Jersey Divisions of The Salvation Army (2002). The ACE Group of Companies has more than four thousand employees in offices throughout the United States, including New York.
The ACE Group is a global leader in insurance and reinsurance serving a diverse group of clients. A component of the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index, the ACE Group conducts its business on a worldwide basis with operating subsidiaries in nearly 50 countries. Additional information can be found at: http://www.acelimited.com.
The Coalition is the umbrella trade association and public policy advocacy organization of New York's mental health community representing over 100 non-profit mental health agencies. Taken together, these agencies serve more than 500,000 adults and children and deliver the entire continuum of behavioral health care in every neighborhood of New York City. Founded in 1972, the mission of the Coalition is to coordinate the efforts of government and the private sector toward efficient delivery of quality mental health services to children, adults and families; the development and provision of housing, mental health treatment, rehabilitation and support services to all people with mental illness, including the fragile elderly, those who are homeless and those who struggle with AIDS, violence and chemical abuse. In addition, The Coalition provides quality technical assistance and training to staff and leadership of its member agencies on important issues related to quality of care, technology and finance.
Founded in 1950, World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization serving the world's poorest children and families in nearly 100 countries. For more information, visit http://www.worldvision.org