In observance of the federally-recognized Sept. 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, the seventh annual NYC Meal Pack for 9/11 Day is returning to bring help to people in need.
On Sept. 12, volunteers are expected to pack close to 1,000,000 dry nonperishable meals to benefit City Harvest and the Food Bank of New York City. Organized by the nonprofit 9/11 Day, the event is expected to draw out more than 2,600 volunteers throughout the area.
The NYC Meal Pack for 9/11 Day is being co-hosted by NYC Service, 9/11 Memorial and Museum, New York Cares, and AmeriCorps.
“We are so glad to be able to welcome back so many wonderful organizations from the New York metropolitan area, and people who until this year simply were not able to volunteer in-person,” said David Paine, president and co-founder of 9/11 Day.
“The Sept. 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.”
Throughout the day, volunteers will pack meals and there is a variety of musical performances are planned, including Daniel Rodriguez, known as “The Singing Policeman,” Grammy-nominated artist Ryan Shaw and the cast from Broadway’s “Come From Away.”
Many of this year’s volunteers are from area corporations that only recently began allowing employees to volunteer in person. Participating in, and providing important funding for the NYC 9/11 Day for 9/11 Day include Citi Foundation, AmeriCorps, JPMorgan Chase, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods and Stifel, MUFG Union Bank, Marsh, Holland & Knight, Morgan Lewis, ICE NYSE Foundation, RBC & City National Bank, MLB, MLS, NFL, Merrill Lynch, Pfizer, Signature Bank, and MetLife Foundation.
In addition to NYC, 9/11 Day and AmeriCorps are organizing large meal packing events across Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Phoenix, St. Louis, and Washington, DC.
“On 9/11 each year we have an opportunity to pause and remember those lost and injured, and those who rose in service, as well as the remarkable spirit of unity that arose throughout the city and the nation in response to the attacks,” said Jay S. Winuk, co-founder of 9/11 Day whose brother Glenn J. Winuk, an attorney and volunteer firefighter and EMT, died in the line of duty on 9/11. “With each passing year, it becomes even more important to take that moment, and ensure we make the most of the opportunity each of us has to make a difference in honor of those lost and injured.”
“Our ultimate goal,” said Paine, “is to transform the anniversary into a day of doing good. In that way, we hope to keep the promise we all made 21 years ago to never forget.”
NYC Meal Pack for 9/11 will take place at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit 911day.org.
