The Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. today announced that it has created the Nasdaq Disaster Relief Fund, Inc., and will match contributions made to the fund, dollar-for-dollar, up to the first US$1 million.

The fund invites donations from Nasdaq employees, its vendors, listed-companies, market participants, and the employees of these organizations. The Fund will make contributions to private and public charities to assist those who were affected by the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C.

“Now that the equity markets are back up and running as they should be, we’re turning our focus to assisting those who have been hurt by the terrible events that occurred on September 11,” said Hardwick Simmons, chief executive officer, Nasdaq. “That’s why we’ve created the Nasdaq Disaster Relief Fund to which we’ve pledged up to one million dollars. We believe that our employees will want to contribute, as will the great companies listed on our market from throughout the world, along with our vendors and our market participants.”

Grants will be dispersed by the Fund to federally chartered nonprofit private and public charities designated as tax-exempt by the Internal Revenue Service code.