Fund to distribute nearly $61 million to victims of Boston Marathon bombings

Brian Snyder / Reuters file

Ken Feinberg, administrator for "The One Fund, Boston", waits to begin a town hall style meeting about the fund in Boston, Massachusetts May 7, 2013.

By Tracy Jarrett, NBC News

The One Fund Boston announced that it has begun distributing the nearly $61 million raised to help victims and families of the Boston Marathon bombings that killed three people and injured hundreds more earlier this year.

Kenneth Feinberg, administrator for the nonprofit established by Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Governor Deval Patrick, announced that his team has completed a review of all claims submitted to the fund and determined allocation of payments to affected families.?

"No amount of money can replace what has been lost," Feinberg said in a statement.

"It was a solemn responsibility to allocate these finite contributions across tremendous pain and suffering, but it was made lighter by the unprecedented generosity of Bostonians, of Americans, and of people around the world."

The announcement comes just over two months after the tragic bombings.

Payments will prioritize families and individuals who suffered loss of life, sustained double amputations, or incurred permanent brain damage as a result of the bombings.

According to a press release from the One Fund, six families are eligible for the maximum compensation of close to $2.2 million.

The majority of people will receive a minimum payout of $8,000. These are people who were physically injured during the bombings and who were treated on an emergency outpatient basis without an overnight stay in the hospital.

Applicants were asked to fill out a three-page form specifying the nature of their injuries, the length of time spent in the hospital, and to provide a statement from their physicians. Over 250 families sent in applications by the June 15 deadline.

The One Fund will continue to raise money for victims of the April 15 bombing.

?In consultation with survivors, families and the community, the One Fund will use donations received after June 26 to continue to support the survivors and victims' families who have been most affected by this tragedy. No deadline has been established for donations,? the fund said in a statement.

Any families who missed the application deadline will have their case reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

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