El Paso Aids Disaster Relief

El Paso Corporate Foundation, the philanthropic unit of El Paso Corp. announced yesterday that it would contribute $1 million to help launch a fund to assist victims of the terrorist attacks on September 11.

El Paso, parent company of The Coastal Corp., owns and operates more than 350 Coastal-branded convenience stores.

The World Trade Center Port Authority Memorial Fund has been established in honor of the 74 Port Authority employees -- including staff, police officers, and rescue workers -- who are either confirmed dead or currently unaccounted for.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which had offices in the World Trade Center complex, is a government agency that has been instrumental in the development and maintenance of critical transportation, commerce, and communication infrastructure in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan region since its inception in 1921. During and after the terrorist attacks, Port Authority employees played a key role in the safe and orderly evacuation of the World Trade Center complex.

"El Paso is honored to support the Port Authority by helping to launch the World Trade Center Port Authority Memorial Fund," said William Wise, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of El Paso Corp. "Port Authority employees based at the World Trade Center were among the first to respond to the tragedy in New York City. These employees worked side-by-side with New York City emergency personnel, and many gave their lives in an effort to save others.

"We hope that the establishment of this fund will in some small way provide relief for the victims' families, and we encourage other companies to join us in building it. I would like to thank Governor Pataki of New York, Governor DiFrancesco of New Jersey, and New York City Mayor Giuliani for their guidance in helping us determine where our contributions would be most useful."

In addition to the company's formal establishment of the World Trade Center Port Authority Memorial Fund, El Paso is encouraging its employees to contribute personally to organizations involved in the relief effort. The company will match dollar-for-dollar employee donations to qualified funds specifically formed to assist the victims of the attack on our country on September 11.
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