Hillary Clinton urges Americans to help the Kosovo refugees in a public service announcement released by the White House To find out where you can send donations for Kosovar refugees call: 1-800-USAID-RELIEF or visit their web site by clicking here RELATED VIDEO CNN's Gary Tuchman reports on Americans' efforts to help the Kosovo refugees (April 16) Real 28K 80K Windows Media 28K 80K RELATED AUDIO Why did these people get involved in the Kosovo crisis? Click here to find out!

Americans pitch in

April 16, 1999
Web posted at: 4:00 p.m. EDT (2000 GMT)

In this story: Why are Americans getting involved? RELATED STORIES, SITES

ROSEVILLE, Michigan (CNN) -- In separate appeals on Friday, both President and Mrs. Clinton praised Americans who've given their time and money to help Kosovo refugees and urged others to join them.

Meanwhile, the government's top international aid official prepared to leave for the region to assess the humanitarian relief effort.

Brian Atwood, the head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, is set to travel to the Balkans on Sunday.

Clinton, Atwood and other administration officials involved with coordinating the U.S. response to the humanitarian crisis briefed Detroit area community leaders on plans to build temporary shelter for refugees in Albania.

The president arrived in Roseville, Michigan, after attending a fund-raising luncheon for congressional Democrats in nearby Dearborn.

Opponents of NATO airstrikes on Yugoslavia, many of them Serb-Americans, protested outside. A rally in support of the attacks was planned for Roseville.

In Washington, the White House released a television public service announcement in which First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton urges Americans to contribute to the relief effort for displaced Kosovars.

Haunting pictures of refugees fleeing from Kosovo move many Americans to take up the cause

"The best way to help is through financial contributions," Mrs. Clinton says in the announcement. She gives the government's toll-free number for offering assistance: 1-800-USAID-RELIEF.

The spot also includes video images of the refugees.

Such pictures have shocked and saddened people throughout the world -- no matter what their political position on the war -- and prompted many Americans to take action.

While the Clinton administration has asked Congress to authorize millions of dollars in refugee aid, organizations and individuals are also acting on their own, donating their money and time.

In some cases, companies are matching donations from their employees.

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.