Town offices, public service agencies, and even The Newtown Bee were flooded with phone calls this week from local residents asking about opportunities to help the victims of Tuesday’s terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, DC. The public outpouring came in the form of offers of volunteer action, monetary donations, and even blood. The following is a list of area initiatives to assist the victims of the attacks.

Blood Drives – For the location of blood drives, or to make an appointment, call 1-800-GIVE LIFE (1-800-448-3543).

The entire list of blood drives in western Connecticut is posted on local cable station bulletin boards. The list includes:

Friday, September 14, in Bridgeport, at People’s Bank, 850 Main Street, from 8 am to 12:45 pm. Other drives are in Hartford, New Haven, Seymour, Farmington, and Norwalk.

 Saturday, September 15, in East Windsor, Farmington, Norwalk, Hamden, and East Hartford.

 Monday, September 17, at the Bridgeport YMCA, 850 Park Avenue, from 1:30 to 5:45, and in Plainfield, Bristol, Higganum, Canaan, Plainville, Waterford, Wallingford, and Greenwich.

Tuesday, September 18 in Avon, Westport, Fairfield, Hartford, New Haven and Stafford Springs.

Wednesday, September 19, New Haven, Manchester, New Canaan, South Meriden, and Hartford.

Thursday, September 20, at St Mary’s Church, 183 High Ridge Avenue, Ridgefield, from 1:45 pm to 6:45 pm, and New Hartford, Hartford, North Haven, Milford, and Trumbull.

Friday, September 21, the Ramada Inn in Danbury from 11 am to 3:35 pm; at the Richmond Senior Center, 40- Main Street, New Milford, 1:45 pm to 6:45 pm; and in Hartford, New Haven, Ansonia, Tolland, Torrington, Windsor, and Greenwich.

The next regularly scheduled blood drive in Newtown will be on Monday, November 5, at Trinity Episcopal Church on Main Street.

People’s Bank & Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund – People’s Bank is helping the American Red Cross help families across the country who were impacted by Tuesday’s events. All 145 People’s branches, including the branch in Newtown in the Big Y shopping center, for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

The fund assists victims of these and other disasters by providing food, shelter and counseling to people impacted by them and to emergency workers. Checks made out to the American Red Cross will be collected and sent to the National Disaster Relief Fund. Contributions are tax deductible.

Emergency Services’ Children’s Fund – Newtown Emergency Services has created the New York Firefighters Children’s Fund to benefit the children of the firefighters lost in the World Trade Center tragedy. Send donations to NY Firefighters Children’s Fund, c/o Newtown Savings Bank, 36 Main Street, Newtown 06470. Arrangements are also underway to have fire trucks stationed outside the Big Y and Super Stop & Shop on Saturday morning to take up collections there.

Relief Fund For Victims & Families – Caroline Wyman of The Boulevard has started a street chain to collect money for victims and their families of Tuesday’s disasters. Collection envelopes and lists will be passed from street to street. Funds will be deposited at First Union, 7 Queen Street, in an account called Relief Fund For Victims & Families of 9-11-01.

USPS Support For Rescuers – Postal employees have launched a collection of items for those who are assisting at the scene in New York City. The following are needed: plastic bottles of water, from individual size to 21/2  gallon; 5-pound cans of coffee; packaged snack foods that require no refrigeration such as lunchbox-type ready-made Jell-O, fruit, applesauce, and pudding; plastic spoons; peanut butter crackers, granola bars; hand lotion, baby wipes, and similar products.

Donations should be dropped off at the Newtown Post Office, 5 Commerce Road, by Friday or Saturday. The items will be delivered to the Salvation Army in Danbury for transport to New York City. Anyone who has bulk quantities or needs more information should call Richard Frangione or Postmaster Paul Marciniak at the post office, 426-4271, or at home, 270-9951.

NHS Memorial Fund for Families – Newtown High School freshman Alyssa McIntyre has created a memorial fund to help the police officers and firefighters’ families who have been struck by Tuesday’s tragedy in New York and Washington, D.C.

The World Trade Center Police and Firemen Fund has been set up at People’s Bank at 6 Queen Street in Newtown. Anyone wishing to donate can bring the money to People’s Bank or mail it to the bank with the name of the memorial fund noted in the in the memo portion of the check or money order.

Middle School Food Drive – Newtown Middle School Cluster 8-C is doing a food drive to help support the Salvation Army and AmeriCare, who are both helping the victims of New York City. The Salvation Army is looking for donations of juices (no red juices), other drinks, Spam and canned goods. AmeriCare would like people to donate bottled water and power bars. Anyone wishing to donate can bring items to Newtown Middle School.