For millions of New Yorkers, Sept 11, 2001, will always be remembered as a day of great tragedy and immense heroism. The founders of 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance wanted to invert the sadness for service, choosing to honor the memories of fallen heroes by performing good deeds.
Now, 22 years after the terrorist attacks, millions in the city and nationwide also choose to volunteer or donate to charities every year.
The nonprofit 9/11 Day was founded by David Paine and Jay Winuk six months after the buildings collapsed. Winuk lost his brother, Glenn J. Winuk, an attorney and volunteer firefighter/EMT on Long Island who helped evacuate his law offices. His brother died going back to help others inside the World Trade Center South Tower.
Winuk marveled at the way his brother and other people responded to the tragedy. He and Paine were inspired to put out a call of service. “We focused on common humanity, [and] put aside our differences. It didn’t matter what your background was or how much money you had or where you lived, what your race was or your religion,” said Winuk. “That, of course, dissipated over time, and it seemed like everybody went back to the way things were.”
They began the grassroots campaign for a day of service on 9/11 in 2002, initially calling it ‘One Day’s Pay,’ said Winuk. After a few years, they changed the name of the event to ‘My Good Deeds’ but it didn’t stick. In 2009, former President Barack Obama proclaimed 9/11 Day as an annually-observed National Day of Service and Remembrance under federal law. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday is the only other federally designated day of service.
“In the hours, days and weeks immediately following the 9/11 attacks, Americans were able to see that whatever differences we think we have pale in comparison to what we all share as human beings – our innate kindness, compassion and concern for the well-being of others,” said Paine in a statement. “9/11 Day is about rekindling that spirit of compassion, and bringing it forward in our lives as a reminder of who we really are as people.”
Winuk and Paine rebranded the organization to 9/11 Day, focusing on volunteering, making donations, and doing other “good deeds” using the hashtag #IWillFor911Day. By their count, at least 30 million people nationwide have participated.
“It’s more relevant than ever; people want to find something meaningful,” continued Winuk.
The act of service is usually up to an individual, but Paine and Winuk have held a New York City Meal Pack for 9/11 Day for the past seven years. They kept adding cities. “It is a mix of employees of generous corporations that help us execute this. It is also faith-based organizations, first responders, military veterans, students, and so many others. It’s an extraordinarily diverse population,” said Winuk, “and just an army of people doing goodwill on 9/11 and that’s the case in all of the cities.”
This coming September 11, 2023, they estimate more than 4,500 volunteers will spend the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy supporting the community by packing 1.5 million healthy, non-perishable meals aboard the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in Manhattan. The meals will be donated to support food banks, like City Harvest and Food Bank For New York City, that work to combat food insecurity in the city daily.
More than 120 companies from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut plan to send employee volunteers to the event. Nationally, the 9/11 Day Meal Pack program is being supported by AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, Citi, United Airlines, JPMorgan Chase, Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co., and KPMG.
Winuk said that he’s attended the memorial services honoring people like his brother many times. “Each time is just as moving as the first,” said Winuk.
For more information on how to volunteer, please visit 911day.org or email info@911day.org.
Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about politics for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1
