9/11 Families, Survivors, Rescue and Recovery Workers, and Military Veterans, Urge Americans to Learn From 9/11 and “Remember What We Have In Common”
9/11 Day Calls on Major Political Parties and Their Candidates to Suspend Campaign Activities on September 11
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As the nation prepares once again to observe the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the nonprofit 9/11 Day, which founded and annually organizes the federally-recognized September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance (“9/11 Day”), announced that it has launched a nationwide television, radio and social media public service campaign, entitled “State of Unitedness,” which urges Americans to work together to resolve differences and rekindle the spirit of unity that arose in the nation, and in many parts of the world, following the 9/11 attacks.
The campaign, developed for 9/11 Day by the advertising agency Wunderman Thompson, features 9/11 families, survivors, first responders, Gold Star parents, and others impacted by 9/11 and its aftermath, reminding fellow Americans to refocus on their common humanity.
“We can have our differences, but that doesn’t mean that we have to discount or disparage others who may have differing views or beliefs,” said David Paine, co-founder of 9/11 Day. “Our nation’s response to 9/11 proved that unity is possible if we simply remember that we are all human beings, and realize that our so-called differences pale in comparison to what we have in common.”
The PSA spots can be viewed on 9/11 Day’s YouTube Channel, and through these links:
- Will Jimeno, former NY-NJ Port Authority police officer who was buried for 13 hours beneath the rubble of the World Trade Center towers.
- Chief Terri Tobin, NYPD officer who was injured in the 9/11 attacks in NYC.
- John Feal, demolition supervisor who was seriously injured during the rescue effort, and later worked to secure health benefits for those who became ill from Ground Zero exposure.
- David Lim, was trapped in the collapse of the World Trade Center. He miraculously survived, but lost his K-9 partner, Sirius.
- State of Unitedness PSA – Multiple 9/11 community members.
The PSAs are set to the lyrics of Bruce Springsteen’s 9/11-themed song ‘The Rising’ and are directed by filmmaker Amber Grace Johnson.
The television and social media PSAs will begin immediately and appear on many national and regional television outlets, as well as through social media, through the 9/11 anniversary, and continue up to the November 8 national midterm elections. The radio PSAs will air through the 9/11 anniversary.
Assisting in distributing the campaign to media outlets nationwide are Extreme Reach, iHeartRadio, and the National Association of Broadcasters. Media may access the full offering of broadcast-ready 9/11 Day PSAs at the NAB Spot Center.
To help promote national unity, 9/11 Day announced that it has also sent letters to the chairpersons of the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, asking them and candidates to support the traditional 9/11 moratorium on political campaigning and advertising this election year.
Millions of Good Deeds Planned in the Spirit of Unity
Paine and his good friend Jay Winuk founded 9/11 Day in 2002, with the support of other 9/11 leaders. Winuk, a 9/11 family member, lost his younger brother Glenn J. Winuk, an attorney and volunteer firefighter and EMT, who died in the line of duty in the collapse of the World Trade Center.
Over the past 21 years, Paine and Winuk have successfully turned the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks into the nation’s largest annual day of charitable service, when millions of Americans now take time out to remember by being kind to others, volunteering, donating to charities, and helping those in need.
“What I certainly remember about 9/11, in addition to the loss of my brave brother Glenn and the horror of it all, was how for a brief period of time afterward, people looked at each other simply as fellow human beings,” Winuk said. “We were suddenly and meaningfully far less concerned about a person’s politics, religion, color of their skin, or anything else which tends to separate us. 9/11 awakened us to the fundamental and remarkable human connection that we all share when it all comes right down to it. We need more of that now.”
Americans can participate in 9/11 Day simply by visiting 911day.org, where they’ll find lists of “good deeds” they can choose to do in observance of the 9/11 anniversary.
“These all are simple and impactful ideas that people can do themselves, or with friends, family or children, to help others,” Paine said.
The 9/11 Day website also includes free lesson plans for parents and teachers, video interviews with 9/11 family members, survivors, first responders, recovery workers, Gold Star parents, and military veterans. The site also includes a significant gallery of historical photos, some that have never been published, taken by the team of FEMA photographers who documented the rescue and recovery process at Ground Zero in NYC.
“9/11 Day is meant to be a nationwide day of doing good deeds, recreating the extraordinary spirit of togetherness and compassion that existed in our nation for a period of time after the 9/11 attacks,” said Paine.
“We simply are asking Americans, if they are able, to do something good for someone else in tribute, whatever that might be.”
Nationwide Volunteer Projects Planned
9/11 Day’s programs this year also include the return of large-scale, in-person hunger relief volunteer events in 11 cities across the nation, in collaboration with AmeriCorps, the federal agency which provides year-round investment in and support of service and volunteerism, and engages millions of its AmeriCorps members, volunteers, alumni, organizations, and communities to serve in honor of both MLK Day and 9/11 Day.
This year, large 9/11 Day meal pack projects are planned in New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington D.C., Minneapolis, St. Louis, Phoenix, Dallas, and Los Angeles. More than 8,000 volunteers will pack an estimated 2.5 million meals that will be donated to local Feeding America-affiliated food banks to aid people at risk of hunger in those cities. Principal funding for the 9/11 Day Meal Pack program has been provided by Citi Foundation, AmeriCorps, MUFG Union Bank, Marsh, Holland & Knight, JPMorgan Chase, Philadelphia Eagles, Morgan Lewis, ICE NYSE Foundation, RBC & City National Bank, Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co., Keefe, Bruyette & Woods and Stifel, Target, and United Airlines.
“The September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance is a reminder of strength in unity in the wake of tragedy,” said Michael D. Smith, AmeriCorps CEO. “This September 11, AmeriCorps urges all Americans to come together across divides, differences and ideologies in service to our nation. Community and national service can unite us and overcome anything that tries to divide us.”
A limited number of opportunities to volunteer at these projects have been listed on VolunteerMatch. Other volunteer opportunities for 9/11 Day may also be found on JustServe, VolunteerMatch, and Points of Light Engage.
For more information, contact 9/11 Day at info@911day.org, or visit 911day.org.
Contacts
Jake Glickman, SunshineSachs, glickman@sunshinesachs.com, 347-831-0100
9/11 Day, media@911day.org
