September 11, 2021 marks the 20th Anniversary of the terrorist attacks on our country. Since that time, I have had the honor of being involved with the Jim Fassel Foundation which was formed to support the families of First Responders and victims of 9/11. Through my involvement with the Jim Fassel Foundation I was introduced to Jay Winuk and David Paine who formed another 9/11 related charity called MyGoodDeed.org. Jay Winuk’s brother Glen, who was working in NY City as an attorney for the law firm Holland and Knight, was also a volunteer firefighter and heroically went to the World Trade Center to help the FDNY with their rescue efforts. Unfortunately Glen perished when the Twin Towers collapsed which is why Jay has made it his and David’s mission to never forget and to turn such a tragic day into a positive day of service and remembrance. Jay and David approached Jim Fassel to seek funding to keep their mission alive and in 2009 the Jim Fassel Foundation made a grant of $125,000 to fund MyGoodDeed.org which was critical to making 9/11 Day the organization it is today.
In observance of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, I along with many of the US Financial Services employees volunteered to do a good deed and help pack meals for World Central Kitchen at the Intrepid Air, Sea and Space Museum in NY City. Our US Financial Services Team had the 2pm – 4pm time slot and packed over 480 meals which when combined with the other companies and organizations packed over 340,000 meals. The Meal Pack program which is held in over 15 cities across the country packed over 5 million meals this September 11th.
In addition to being a Board Member and Treasurer of 9/11 Day National Day of Service and Remembrance, I am also part of the distinguished “Host Committee” which help plan the significant activities held around this year’s historic anniversary.
Working with the City of New York, 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Pentagon Memorial, Flight 93 National Memorial, and the nonprofit 9/11 Day, our mission was to transform the 20th anniversary of 9/11 into the largest day of charitable service in US history, in tribute to the 9/11 victims, the rescue and recovery personnel, and others who rose in service in response to the attacks.
It is our way of keeping the promise to “Never Forget.”
This year 9/11 Day created the opportunity to participate in many important activities:
- CNN-televised program, broadcast and livestream worldwide, on the evening of September 11 from the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, featured prominent celebrities, musicals, and dignitaries, calling upon Americans to join together in unity and perform good deeds and other expressions of charitable service in tribute to killed and injured on 9/11, first responders and others who rose in service in response to the attacks 20 years ago.
- Nationwide celebrity public service advertising and social media campaign to inspire tens of millions of Americans to perform good deeds in tribute for the 20h anniversary of 9/11.
- Delivery of up to 100,000 freshly prepared meals to people in need, as well as first responders (to say “thank you”), purchased by us from local restaurants across the nation to help these restaurants get back on their feet.
- Signature volunteer projects in New York City (aboard the Intrepid) and in other cities across the nation, where thousands of volunteers will pack five million nonperishable meals on 9/11 to support local Feeding America affiliated food banks.
- Discovery Education curricula to inspire millions of elementary, middle and high school students -- those with no memories of the 9/11 attacks -- to plan good deed projects in observance of the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
- Establishing a long-term endowment that will ensure that the efforts of the nonprofit 9/11 Day, which is leading this initiative, will continue for years to come.
Other prominent organizations that participated in the 20th Anniversary effort include the 9/11 Tribute Museum, Cantor Fitzgerald Relief Fund, Tuesday’s Children, Voices Center for Resilience, New York Police and Fire Widows and Childrens’ Benefit Fund, First Responder Children’s Foundation, FealGood Foundation, Jim Fassel Foundation, New York Says Thank You, and Heart 9/11.
For more information, visit their website, https://911day.org/
