Levittown and Island Trees organizations gathered last week to work out details of a unified emergency relief fund for residents of their communities who have been affected by the tragedies surrounding the attack on America on Sept. 11.

The Levittown-Island Trees Emergency Relief Fund (LITE) is urging residents and community organizations to contribute to this fund that will review, through an application process, cases of individuals or families who are having difficulty in meeting their current financial obligations as a result of the loss of a household wage earner or other circumstances related to the Sept. 11 tragedy.

The ad hoc committee, in its first meeting, established a mission for the fund and several immediate goals to be implemented within the next two weeks.

The mission statement reads "All money donated to the Levittown-Island Trees Emergency Relief Fund (LITE) will be used to provide emergency, short-term financial assistance to residents of the Levittown and Island Trees communities, defined as those communities within the Levittown and Island Trees School Districts, who have been affected as a result of the tragedies related to Sept. 11 and their aftermath."

Over the next two weeks, committee members will be compiling lists of names of families who have suffered the loss of a family member. Information will be compiled from police, fire, emergency rescue workers, funeral homes, school and religious organizations and other agencies that have been contacted by people seeking assistance. Currently, there is no official list of people, but combined school records show approximately 36 families affected by the tragedies. The numbers reported elsewhere have not been compared to those lists and there has been no official combined tally.

In addition, committee members will be distributing information to areas businesses, organizations, churches, emergency and human services agencies, residents and the media about the fund urging them to distribute information to their constituencies and asking for financial contributions to the fund. An application for consideration for assistance is being developed and will be distributed through the channels mentioned.

Posters will be placed around town identifying the fund by its logo which shows a black and white candle light on a field of red and black. The fund tag line "Giving Light When It's Needed" appears at the bottom.

LITE will act as a coordinating agency for funds and will not conduct its own fund-raising activities. Community businesses are encouraged to set up percent-of-sales marketing initiatives and matching fund programs dedicated to the Levittown Island Trees Emergency Relief Fund. They will also be asked to put a donations container with the LITE logo in their places of business.

Schools and organizations are being asked to create fund-raising programs that will benefit the mission of the fund, and residents, their families and neighbors are being asked to contribute as their means allow.

The ad hoc committee is comprised of representatives of the Island Trees School District, Kiwanis Club of Levittown, Levittown Chamber of Commerce, Levittown Community Council, Levittown-Island Trees Youth Council, Levittown Fire Department, Levittown Property Owners Association, Levittown School District, Nassau County Police Department Eighth Precinct, Wantagh-Levittown Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Yours, Ours, Mine Community Center.

For more information, call 735-5901.

A checking account has been established with the Astoria Federal Savings Bank. Contributors may send their donations, payable to Levittown-Island Trees Emergency Relief Fund to: LITE Relief Fund, PO Box 976, Levittown NY 11756.