HOUSTON (September 3, 2020) – On the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, as a way to pay tribute to and remember the victims, people across the United States put aside their differences and work together to help others in need through volunteer service.
“This has become an annual ritual, a fitting and appropriate gift to the many who lost their lives and the countless others who were injured and the first responders who came to the aid of those in need,” explained Brooke Parkinson, director of Volunteer Houston, a program of Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston.
This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has made volunteering more challenging, though nonprofits need help more than ever. As a result, 9/11 Day will be a nationwide day of virtual volunteering. The goal of the project is to inspire one million good deeds done at home, in support of local causes, many of which relate to COVID-19 relief. This nationwide effort is being led by Points of Light, World Central Kitchen, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. As the local Points of Light affiliate in Greater Houston, Volunteer Houston will be leading the effort in our city.
During the local 9/11 Days of Service – Thursday, September 10 through Monday, September 14 – volunteers, families, neighbors and coworkers can browse volunteer opportunities posted by local nonprofits that can be done remotely, virtually and in-person at www.volunteerhou.org/911day. On the first day of September, the 9/11 Day Foundation will unveil a well-curated list of more than 50 “good deeds” one can do for 9/11 Day that benefit nonprofits. Volunteer Houston will repost these in its local web portal for volunteers to browse. Once an individual or family completes their good deed, they are encouraged to post something about it on social media with the hashtag #911day to spread a message of hope and service.
Individuals who volunteer one hour or more hour during the 9/11 Days of Service and report their service on the Volunteer Houston web portal can earn a 9/11 Day Volunteer 2020 digital badge. Virtual projects may be done with friends, families and coworkers, and companies can encourage their employees to participate.
EnCap Investments L.P. through their EnGage program is partnering with Volunteer Houston and 9/11 Days of Service to assemble Back to School and COVID-19 Sanitation Service Projects 2 Go kits which, along with a donation of books from Books Between Kids, will be donated to Emancipation Park Conservancy and Momentum Education for distribution to schools in the Third Ward and Sunnyside areas of Houston. Launched in 2019, EnCap’s EnGage program is focused on organizing volunteer events that allow their employees to have a more hands-on impact in the communities where they live and conduct business.
Participants are asked to pause for a moment of silence during their project to remember the victims of the 9/11 attack. For more information, visit www.volunteerhou.org/911day or contact Brooke Parkinson at [email protected].