At National Conference On Volunteering And Service In Chicago, Leading 9/11 Nonprofit MyGoodDeed Announces One Million Dollar Campaign To Expand 9/11 Day Of Charitable Service In 2012

33 Million People Participated in 2011, Making 9/11 the Nation's Largest Annual Day of Charitable Activity

CHICAGO, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National Conference on Volunteering and Service -- The 9/11 nonprofit MyGoodDeed, which annually organizes the international day of charitable service and remembrance in observance of the anniversary of 9/11, (9/11 Day, http://911day.org) today announced the details of a new, one million dollar campaign to expand awareness and participation in the observance in 2012.

The 9/11 Day Observance, in which people dedicate the day to performing good deeds, volunteering and supporting charities, drew a record 33 million participants in 2011, making 9/11 the nation's largest annual day of charitable engagement. In 2009, MyGoodDeed, in collaboration with other leading 9/11 and volunteer service groups, successfully secured official designation of September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance under U.S. federal law and presidential proclamation. MyGoodDeed originally launched the 9/11 Day observance in 2002 as a permanent tribute to the victims of 9/11 and the countless others who rose in service in response to the 9/11 attacks. 

Major Funding Secured

MyGoodDeed has again secured significant funding to support the growth of the 9/11 Day Observance.  Major funders announced for 2012 include American Express Company, Target Corporation, NFL Charities, GlaxoSmithKline and the Corporation for National and Community Service.  Also contributing important funding are Holland & Knight, a national law firm that lost one of its partners, volunteer firefighter/EMT Glenn Winuk, on 9/11, and Cantor Fitzgerald, the investment firm that lost 658 employees, the most of any single company.  AOL, Clear Channel and NASCAR, among others, plan to support the campaign through in-kind media contributions.  MyGoodDeed said that it expects to receive substantial in-kind support from these companies, from a number of major broadcast networks and other media partners, totaling as much as $10 million in value.  

"Building on the historic success of 2011, our goal this year is to continue expanding participation in the observance in the United States, and to also cultivate greater support internationally, where we gained considerable traction on the 10 year anniversary of 9/11," said Jay S. Winuk, a 9/11 family member and co-founder of MyGoodDeed. "We are fortunate to be building on a very strong foundation of public awareness and interest, with an outstanding roster of influential supporters prepared and ready to  spread the word and activate more people than ever in honor of those lost in the tragedy."

Major programs planned for the 2012 observance include:

• Release of new television, radio and print public service ads that ask Americans, "What will you do on 9/11?" and again featuring prominent celebrities and athletes, including NASCAR driver Jimmy Johnson; country music performer Alan Jackson; actors Samuel L. Jackson and  Kevin Spacey; and others;
• A new website, at 911day.org, that will collect and display the "I Will" pledges of individuals, organizations, businesses and other groups, and which will allow participants to dedicate their charitable activity this year to 9/11 victims by name;
• Large scale volunteer service projects in major cities around the U.S., led by military veterans in partnership with 9/11 Day partners The Mission Continues and regional affiliates of Volunteers of America; and,
• Distribution of free lesson plans to more than one million teachers nationwide to help schools organize good deed projects with their students in observance of 9/11 this year.

9/11: A Powerful Catalyst for Service
A 2011 independent research study conducted by Horizon Consumer Science and commissioned by MyGoodDeed indicates that 9/11 remains an extraordinarily powerful catalyst for charitable engagement and volunteerism. 

For more information about the 9/11 Day Observance, visit 911day.org, connect with 9/11 Day at facebook.com/911day and twitter.com/911day, or contact the 9/11 Day Observance organizers at MyGoodDeed at [email protected] or 949-675-7800.  

SOURCE MyGoodDeed