NEW YORK -- The following is a press release from WNBC-TV

WNBC’s locally produced “Hurricane Relief” fund drive raised $8,292,547 for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Held in conjunction with the American Red Cross, the one-hour special aired commercial free from 7-8 p.m. ET on Wed. Aug. 31.

HOW TO DONATE Online: Click here to donate by credit card Telephone: (800) 258-5534 or (800) HELP-NOW Mail: American Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund 150 Amsterdam Ave. New York, NY 10023 Make checks payable to: American Red Cross Hurricane Relief Telethon

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An impressive $2,292,547 is the estimated amount of donations received from viewers who called the American Red Cross hotline to show their support of those most in need. Additionally, corporate donors Amerada Hess ($1 million) CitiGroup ($3 million), JP Morgan Chase ($1 million) and Merrill Lynch ($1 million) contributed a combined $6 million.

The Fund Drive was broadcast live from WNBC’s Studio 6B in New York City, and was hosted by the station’s lead anchors Chuck Scarborough and Sue Simmons. Anchor Perri Peltz reported live from the RED CROSS phone bank in the Upper West Side, and was joined by a host of celebrities including Aida Turturro, Wynton Marsalis and Bebe Neuwirth who volunteered to answer the phones throughout the show, with additional messages from Ellen DeGeneres, Peter Boyle and Donald Trump. WNBC’s Janice Huff and Len Berman were also on hand to answer hundreds of calls from generous people in the tri-state area, as well as viewers from NBC's Owned and Operated stations in Washington D.C. and Providence, R.I.

Telemundo 47 also joined forces with sister station WNBC to help the victims of hurricane Katrina. Jorge Ramos, anchor for “Noticiero 47 at 6 & 11 p.m.,” did live cut-ins from the RED CROSS phone bank urging the Hispanic community within the tri-state area to donate funds and support those affected by this unprecedented natural disaster.

The Fund Drive included live updates from NBC reporters - led by Brian Williams - in the Gulf Coast region, the relief efforts of the Red Cross and stories of survival and rescue from those hardest hit by hurricane Katrina.

WNBC’s “Hurricane Relief” is the station’s second fund drive. The first, “NBC 4 Tsunami Relief” which aired on Jan. 5, and was carried by NBC’s Owned and Operated Television Stations and more than 30 NBC affiliates, helped raise more than $10 million money for UNICEF to relieve the suffering in Southeast Asia.