BATON ROUGE - The Baton Rouge Area Foundation’s First Responder Fund has gathered more than $200,000 as of Tuesday night.

Director of Donor Services John K. Carpenter says the fund was originally created by BRAF in 1988 to help provide financial assistance to first responders who have been injured or killed while in the line of duty.

The fund is overseen by a committee of the Sheriff, Chief of Police, Fire Chief and a representative from Louisiana State Police, according to BRAF.

Donors from across the state and nation have already contribute to the fund in the wake of July 17’s tragic ambush shooting on Airline Highway.

You can join in by contributing online at www.BRAF.org or via mail to 100 North Street, Suite 900, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. Funds generated by News 2’s Unite for Our Heroes Telethon will also go to the First Responders Fund. The telethon will air on WBRZ from 7 to 8 p.m. on Thursday. More details are available here. Area restaurants and businesses also got into the action with donations events on the Monday and Tuesday.

The Baton Rouge Area Foundation was founded in 1964 with assets of over $525 million.