10 Years Later, an Early Vision of Making 9/11 a Day of Charitable Service Becomes a National Reality

NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Shortly after the 9/11 attacks, two friends, David Paine and Jay Winuk, who lost his brother in the collapse of the World Trade Center, joined together to pursue a simple yet forward-looking vision for 9/11. They hoped to inspire Americans to pay tribute and remember by performing good deeds and engaging in charitable service. Nearly a decade later, as the nation prepares to observe the 10-year anniversary, this simple idea has become a national movement -- one that may significantly reshape how we view 9/11 and pay tribute to its victims for generations to come.

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Over the past 10 years, through the nonprofit group MyGoodDeed they created, Paine and Winuk have dedicated much of their lives, about 20,000 volunteer hours each, to "ensuring that something positive arises from the ashes of the 9/11 tragedy." Building on that vision, they hope to inspire one million people to participate in the observance they helped establish – the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance  -- and inspire the single-largest day of charitable service in U.S. history.  

A few important developments announced this week include:

• President Barack Obama dedicated his Aug. 28 national radio and Internet address to promoting the Sept. 11 Day of Service and Remembrance. On Aug. 30, First Lady Michelle Obama released her own video public service message supporting the observance. 
• HandsOn Network, the volunteer activation division of Points of Light Institute and the co-leader of the observance in partnership with MyGoodDeed, estimates more than 600,000 volunteers will be engaged on the weekend of 9/11 directly through large-scale projects planned in more than 24 cities and organized by HandsOn affiliates. Large-scale projects will occur in New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Philadelphia and Chicago.
• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce – Business Civic Leadership Center estimates that the U.S. business community will perform as many as 1,000 community service projects in support of 9/11 Day.
• More than one million teachers will be notified of the availability of free lesson plans for 9/11 featuring Day of Service and Remembrance elements.  
• Backed by Viacom, Clear Channel, FOX, ABC, CBS, National Association of Broadcasters and other media organizations, the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance will reach millions with its inspirational "I Will" public service campaign. More than 30 celebrities have joined with 9/11 family members and others urging Americans to pay tribute through charitable service. A new PSA will be released on Sept. 6 featuring Julianne Moore, Tim McGraw, NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Spacey. The NASCAR Foundation and Viacom (to be released Sept. 6) both created PSAs featuring their respective talent.
• "I Will" PSAs will also appear nationwide on billboards, bus shelters and in Times Square beginning Sept. 6.
• More than $3 million in cash and $20 million in donated media support the observance. Major funders include American Express, along with GlaxoSmithKline, JPMorgan Chase and Best Buy.
• Since June, more than 100,000 individuals and groups have visited the 911day.org website. In the past six weeks, more than 180,000 people have joined the 9/11 Day Facebook fan page and 40,000 have posted their charitable service tributes from all 50 states and 165 nations.
• On Sept. 9, Broadway performers will sing Kander & Ebb's "New York, New York" in Duffy Square to inspire the city of New York and nation to pay tribute to the 9/11 victims through charitable service.
• The New York Mets and Citi will honor Paine and Winuk at a ceremony prior to their Sept. 9 home game to promote the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance.

INTERVIEWS: Four leaders driving this year's efforts are available to discuss the above, as well as why observing 9/11 through charitable service is so vitally important to the 9/11 community and the well-being of the nation:

David Paine, President and Co-Founder, MyGoodDeed Inc., conceived the idea of observing 9/11 as a day of good deeds and charitable service in tribute to the victims and others impacted by the tragedy. Paine oversees the operations of MyGoodDeed and has been a principal architect of the growth of the 9/11 Day Observance over the past decade. Email: [email protected]

Jay Winuk, Vice President and Co-Founder, MyGoodDeed Inc., co-led efforts to establish Sept. 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance under federal law. Winuk's younger brother, Glenn, a partner at the law firm Holland & Knight as well as a volunteer firefighter and EMT, perished in the line of duty during rescue efforts at the World Trade Center. Email: [email protected].

Michelle Nunn, CEO, Points of Light Institute, leads an international organization dedicated to engaging millions of volunteers to use their time, talents, voices and money to solve the pressing issues of our time. She joined MyGoodDeed in advocating for the creation of the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance as part of the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act in 2009.

Amy Smith, President, HandsOn Network, leads a network of more than 250 volunteer action centers around the world, enabling individuals to create change in their communities. In addition to HandsOn Network she provides training to volunteer leaders, corporate volunteers and other organizations via HandsOn University.

For more information, go to: http://www.911day.org or www.Facebook.com/911day.

Download TV & radio PSAs at: www.magicbulletmedia.com/MNR/911day

View & share TV spots at: http://www.youtube.com/911DayofService

For interviews contact: Karin McPherson at [email protected] or 949.246.8636 or

Anne O'Neill at [email protected] or o: 404.844.5360 m: 404.354.2836

SOURCE MyGoodDeed