Christchurch mosque shootings: Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh raises almost $1m for victims

Flower tributes at Christchurch Botanic Gardens following the attacks on two mosques in Christchurch in March. Photo / Michael Craig

The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh will donate NZ$966,972 to the victims of Christchurch's mosque attacks in March.

The federation started fundraising for the Muslim community after the attacks which killed 51 people.

In a statement at the time of the attacks, the Jewish Federation of Great Pittsburgh posted on its Facebook page that the community was shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific Islamophobic attack in Christchurch.

"We stand in solidarity with the Muslim community in Christchurch, in Pittsburgh, and around the world."

Jewish Federation chief development officer Brian Eglash said it started the fund because of the Muslim community's support after the attack on worshippers at the Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill in Pittsburgh in the US, which killed 11 people last October.

Tri Live reported the NZ$966,972 raised from The New Zealand Islamophobic Attack Fund included $NZ89,259 donated by the Tree of Life congregation.

The money has been given to the Christchurch Foundation, which administers the Our People, Our City fund and is responsible for managing and distributing the funds. The money is to be used on counselling, education and vocational training, medical treatment and financial planning for the victims and their families.

Last week, the Christchurch Foundation, which has been receiving money since the day after the March 15 attack, began funding activities to support the victims and the Muslim communities of Christchurch now Victim Support has finished distributing its donations.

Christchurch Foundation chief executive Amy Carter told the Herald at the time she expected there to be more than $6m in the fund once all the money had been collected.

The Christchurch Foundation is focusing on providing medium- to long-term support to the families and the wider Muslim community of Christchurch.

Meanwhile, two people have received written warnings from police after falsely claiming to be victims of the Christchurch mosque shootings in order to receive a Victims Support payment of $17,000.