The images of 9/11, 20 years ago, are still seared in so many of our minds. On Sept. 11, 2001, we faced a heart-aching tragedy together as a nation and mourned for those who lost their lives, those who put their lives on the line to save others and all their families and communities they left behind.
The men and women in uniform who responded on 9/11 and in the days that followed were police officers, paramedics, firefighters and more. "They were public service workers who never quit – when things were at their worst, they gave us their best," wrote our national union, AFSCME. Members from both AFSCME’s DC 37 and CSEA/AFSCME Local 1000 were lost on that fateful day. AFSCME members also worked tirelessly in the days, weeks and months after 9/11 to clear the rubble and search for survivors. As public workers always do, they put service and their communities first.
The September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance (9/11 Day) allows us to take that tragedy, turn the pain into service and put our communities first. 9/11 Day, a national day of service, helps honor the heroes we lost by uniting to serve those in need. It is also the perfect tribute to those killed and injured on September 11, 2001 and to our first responders from coast to coast and national defenders across the globe.
Find a volunteer opportunity near you today at americorps.gov/911-day or find self-starter project ideas HERE.