Leading National Service and 9/11 Organizations Announce Joint Plans to Organize Largest Day of Service in U.S. History to Observe 10th Anniversary of 9/11 Attacks

NEW YORK, June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Following the passage of federal legislation that formally established 9/11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance, a consortium of influential private and government entities today unveiled plans to organize the largest day of service in U.S. history in 2011 in observance of the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.  The plans were announced by the 9/11 nonprofit MyGoodDeed during the National Conference on Volunteering and Service (NCVS), convening this week in New York.  

MyGoodDeed led the successful eight-year effort to secure federal establishment of 9/11 as an annually recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance, signed into law by President Obama in April 2009.  Also supporting these activities as members of this alliance are the federal Corporation for National and Community Service, HandsOn Network, and the National September 11 Memorial & Museum.  

"No other day has the power of 9/11 to transform our collective understanding and commitment to service, and to engage people to step forward to help others," said David Paine, president and co-founder of MyGoodDeed. "We are confident the entire nation will rally around the idea of engaging in service, not only to pay tribute to those lost and injured but also to demonstrate our resilience against continued attempts by terrorists to do us harm. September 11 is our day, not theirs."  

Added Jay S. Winuk, a 9/11 family member and co-founder of MyGoodDeed, "Without question the 10th anniversary of 9/11 will be a seminal event in our nation's history.  For millions of Americans to honor those lost and injured through service to others is appropriate and productive, and sends a signal to the world that we can move forward as we remember and pay respect."

Organizers announced the following:

• Nearly $1 million has already been raised or committed to support the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance through a combination of private grants and some federal support, with GlaxoSmithKline announcing that it is making a $500,000 contribution to MyGoodDeed this year.  "We're supporting the 9/11 Day of Service because we all need to remember the sacrifices that were made on that day, the heroism and bravery of so many people, and the remarkable way the entire nation came together in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks," said Bill Shore, director of Community Partnerships for GlaxoSmithKline.
• Educational lesson plans about 9/11 and engaging in service will be made available nationwide to teachers online and as activity posters, developed by MyGoodDeed in partnership with Scholastic, the 4Action Initiative, the 9/11 Memorial, the Corporation for National and Community Service and HandsOn Network.  More than 2,500 educators throughout the U.S. have already signed up to receive these materials for this school year.
• A special webpage will be launched to sign up nonprofits, faith-based organizations and employers.  The goal of the group is to enroll as many as 100,000 organizations between now and the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
• Volunteer service projects, open to the public, will be organized for September 10-11, 2010, in several markets, including New York; Washington, DC; Boston and Philadelphia.  In 2010, regional affiliates of HandsOn Network, the largest volunteer network in the nation, will once again mobilize thousands of volunteers through organized service projects in honor and remembrance of 9/11 victims.  Projects will occur in cities and towns across the country and will be featured on HandsOnNetwork.org and service opportunities will be posted through 911dayofservice.org.  For the 10th anniversary of 9/11, organizers intend to stage up to 50 major service projects, and to inspire hundreds of thousands of others across the country in remembrance of the 9/11 victims and heroes, in partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service, the 250 Action Centers of HandsOn Network, and many other national and regional nonprofit organizations.
• At the NCVS conference in New York, MyGoodDeed previewed a brand new technology that will power its 911dayofservice.org website and enable individuals to easily explore, adopt and support almost any nonprofit cause registered in the U.S.  "This will be the first online resource where individuals can in one place adopt a cause that matters to them, then donate, volunteer, support the cause through social media, and even sign up for more information," said David Paine.  "We want to make it easy to get involved."
• Landor Associates, a global brand consulting and design firm, is working with MyGoodDeed to develop an identity for the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. The theme behind it, "9/11: Inspiring Service," has a dual role: it encourages people to remember the remarkable and inspiring acts of service and compassion evident in the wake of the events of that day, while also inspiring individuals, businesses and organizations to engage in service as a way to actively remember and pay tribute.  Landor also developed the award-winning identity for the 9/11 Memorial.
• The Corporation for National and Community Service announced that it will help support the development and placement of online, radio and television public service announcements (PSAs) encouraging Americans to participate in the 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.  The broadcast PSAs, featuring the voice of award-winning actor Gary Sinise, will be produced by MyGoodDeed and distributed with the assistance of CNCS to thousands of television and radio stations nationwide.  The online PSAs will be placed by CNCS through a partnership with AOL.

"The September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance is a wonderful example of the kind of dynamic and collaborative private-public partnerships that are possible in promoting national service in America," said Patrick Corvington, CEO of the federal agency, the Corporation for National and Community Service.  "We and MyGoodDeed, along with the HandsOn Network and the 9/11 Memorial, each bring special skills and resources that, when combined, will create tremendous synergy, momentum and impact leading up to the 10th anniversary of 9/11."  

"The Points of Light Institute and HandsOn Network have both been longstanding advocates for making 9/11 a National Day of Service, and we share MyGoodDeed's belief that the 10th anniversary of 9/11 represents a truly historic opportunity to inspire millions to voluntarily engage in service in honor to those lost and injured in the September 11 attacks, and in tribute to the many who have risen in service since 9/11," said Michelle Nunn, CEO of the Points of Light Institute and Founder of HandsOn Network, based in Atlanta. "We are proud to partner with MyGoodDeed and many other amazing organizations to help support this remarkable observance."

9/11 Memorial Expects to Open for 10th Anniversary Observance

The National September 11 Memorial is expected to open at the site of the World Trade Center on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and the Museum is set to open one year later, with service as an important element of its exhibits.  "As part of telling the story of 9/11, the museum will document the remarkable spirit of unity and service that emerged in response to the 9/11 attacks," said Joseph Daniels, president and CEO of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. "The 9/11 Memorial hopes to inspire a continuation of this spirit for generations to come."

Organizers also indicated that they are exploring options to stage a nationally-televised and online call to action fundraising event timed to coincide with the 10th anniversary and to help inspire Americans to take action.   "The programs we announced today are really just the start, with more to be announced as we get closer to the 10th anniversary of 9/11," said Paine.

SOURCE MyGoodDeed