Americans Pay Tribute to 9/11 Victims, Heroes with Volunteer Service

This year, thousands of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds joined their neighbors in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to build affordable housing for veterans and military families, prepare care packages for military service members, revitalize schools, educate citizens on disaster preparedness, organize food drives, and more. 

The September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance is the culmination of efforts started by 9/11 family members and support groups to establish the service day as a way to honor victims and heroes of 9/11. The agency has made additional 9/11 Day resources available including select photos, b-roll, and a blog post from CEO Barbara Stewart.

“In the days, weeks, and months following September 11th, Americans came together to help neighbor and stranger alike. On its worst day, America showed its best,” said Barbara Stewart, CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “9/11 Day is a reminder of the healing power that comes from simple acts of service and provides a chance to rekindle the same spirit of unity that swept the nation 17 years ago. I hope all Americans will pay tribute to the victims and heroes of 9/11 by pledging their own act of patriotic service today and throughout the year.”

CNCS partners with MyGoodDeed, the nonprofit that, along with family members of those who lost their lives, began the 9/11 Day observance more than 10 years ago, and hundreds of other nonprofit groups, faith-based organizations, schools, and businesses nationwide. This year, volunteers at MyGoodDeed-sponsored events in Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix, and San Francisco, along with the AARP Foundation-led Meal Pack Challenge on the National Mall in Washington D.C., will have created more than 1.7 million nonperishable meals for those in need. CNCS also provided funding to Youth Service America to lead dozens more projects for young people in communities across the country.

Below are a few highlights of the projects that took place in honor of the September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance:

• In Birmingham, Ala., YWCA volunteers and AmeriCorps members stuffed backpacks with food for local school children.
• In Fort Myers, Fl., volunteers with Keep Lee County Beautiful, Inc. restored a local cemetery and final resting place of more than 40 veterans from World War I and the Civil War.
• In Baton Rouge, La., AmeriCorps members with the Louisiana Conservation Corps, Mid City Redevelopment Alliance, and SBP joined forces to construct a wheelchair ramp for a retired firefighter.
• In Boston, Mass., students from Harvard University united with Senior Corps volunteers to assemble welcome kits and sensory boards for special needs students.
• In Butte, Mont., AmeriCorps members serving with Food Corps organized a fresh produce food drive, collecting produce from local farmers at farmers markets for the Butte Emergency Farmers Market.
• In Santa Fe, N.M., Senior Corps led a highway clean-up effort in collaboration with the City of Santa Fe.
• In Winston-Salem, N.C., CNCS CEO Barbara Stewart joined AmeriCorps members and a group of community volunteers at Habitat for Humanity of Forsyth County build site. 
• In Oklahoma City, young people supported by Youth Service America, delivered baskets of food and produce from the school’s community garden to local veterans.
• In Shanksville, Pa., the Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps, an AmeriCorps program, was on hand to greet guests, share event information, direct visitors to the historic areas.
• In Houston, Texas volunteers from the City of Houston prepared care packages for local veterans.
• In Washington, D.C., the George Washington University engaged their incoming class of freshmen in community service projects across the city, including school beautification, community gardening, and veterans-focused projects.

For information on how to get engaged with service throughout the year, visit nationalservice.gov.