Sweeping initiative seeks to reclaim September 11 as a national day of unity and good, anchored by large volunteer projects in all 50 states, a $3 million grant program, lesson plans, and partnerships with 50+ prominent organizations.
NEW YORK, June 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — In observance of the upcoming 25th anniversary of 9/11, the nonprofit 9/11 Day today unveiled sweeping plans to unite tens of millions of Americans across political, geographic, generational, and cultural lines in the single largest day of doing good in American history.
“Our goal is to transform the 9/11 anniversary, for all time, into an annual moment of national reflection, unity and doing good in tribute to the 9/11 victims, their families, and the many first responders, recovery workers, volunteers, and military personnel who rose in service in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks,” said David Paine, president and co-founder of 9/11 Day. “We want to reclaim the day.”
9/11 Day played the leading role in successfully advocating for the establishment of September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance under the bipartisan Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, signed into law in 2009 by President Barack Obama. Today, 9/11 Day oversees the National Day of Service and Remembrance on behalf of the 9/11 families and others affected by the attacks.
For Jay Winuk, 9/11 Day’s executive vice president and co-founder, the organization’s mission remains deeply personal. Jay’s younger brother, Glenn Winuk, an attorney and volunteer firefighter/EMT, died in the line of duty on 9/11 at the World Trade Center. “My brother Glenn, like so many courageous first responders, sprang into action to save people he didn’t know on 9/11,” Winuk said. “But you don’t have to run into a burning building to be heroic in your community or in the lives of others. For millions of Americans, this annual observance reflects and inspires that spirit of service in meaningful, lasting ways.”
20 Million Meals. 50 Cities. 50,000 Volunteers. 800+ Companies.
In 50 of the nation’s largest cities, 9/11 Day will join with its partners — companies, major league sports teams, nonprofits, colleges, and food banks — to host large-scale volunteer projects focused on hunger relief. In what organizers believe will be the single largest day of corporate volunteerism in U.S. history, more than 50,000 volunteers from more than 800 corporations are expected to join together to pack more than 20 million shelf-stable meals – all of which will be donated to Feeding America–affiliated food banks and other hunger relief organizations that serve these local communities. 9/11 Day is partnering with U.S. Hunger, Kids Around The World, and Meals of Hope to source food supplies and manage logistics for this year’s 9/11 Day Meal Pack projects.
A list of U.S. cities hosting 9/11 Day Meal Packs is available on the 911day.org website, as is a short video about the annual 9/11 Day Meal Pack program.
Widespread Professional Sports Industry Participation
Many teams and league representatives from the National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Hockey League, National Basketball Association, and Major League Soccer will host or join meal-packing events to commemorate the anniversary.
These include the New York Giants, New York Jets, New York Mets, Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia Union, Washington Commanders, Baltimore Orioles, Memphis Grizzlies, New York Red Bulls, New York City FC, D.C. United, FC Cincinnati, Real Salt Lake, Columbus Crew, Houston Dynamo FC, Colorado Rapids, St. Louis City SC, Minnesota United FC, Sporting Kansas City, LA Galaxy, Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Cardinals, Tennessee Titans, New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Pelicans, Tampa Bay Lightning, Arizona Cardinals, Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Seattle Seahawks.
MLB and the New York Mets plan to co-host a flagship meal-packing event on September 11 at Citi Field ahead of that evening’s Mets-Yankees Subway Series game at Yankee Stadium.
Prominent National Partner Organizations Lean In
9/11 Day’s program for the 25th anniversary is being widely supported across the sports, government, business, and nonprofit sectors. Many of the nation’s most prominent organizations – now more than 50 in total – have joined together as founding members of 9/11 Day’s National Commemoration Committee for the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
These include AmeriCorps, NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, MLS, Feeding America, America250, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Points of Light, New York Cares, National Governors Association, U.S. Conference of Mayors, United Way Worldwide, and other influential organizations. (Founding Members of the National Commemoration Committee are listed below.)
Beyond 9/11 Day’s own flagship meal packing projects, many other service opportunities are being organized by members of 9/11 Day’s 25th Anniversary National Commemoration Committee, along with schools and universities, nonprofits, businesses, faith-based organizations, civic groups, and municipalities across the nation.
“250 years ago, our founders pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to one another — an act of service that gave birth to this nation,” said Jen Condon, executive vice president of America250, the national nonpartisan organization leading the commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. “On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, this initiative invites every American to renew that founding promise through service to our neighbors and our communities.”
New Registration Platform Drives Volunteerism
Starting in mid-July, Americans interested in volunteering will be able to quickly find and sign up for local projects at 911day.org, using a new volunteer project registration and sign-up platform 9/11 Day has developed in collaboration with Eventbrite, one of the nation’s leading event management and ticketing platforms. Besides signing up for projects, individuals can also use the new platform to create and promote their own personal 9/11 Day service projects for family, friends, and colleagues.
Reaching and Educating the Next Generation
More than 100 million Americans alive today are too young to remember the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 – or have a personal understanding of the impact of the rare period of unity and service in America that immediately followed the attacks.
To help bridge the generation gap, 9/11 Day has launched a comprehensive youth engagement and education initiative for the 25th anniversary of 9/11. 9/11 Day is offering an expanded library of free lesson plans, teachers’ guides, and other classroom resources. 9/11 Day has also launched a $3 million grant program to help fund service projects by and for students, the funding of which is being provided by AmeriCorps and the Popeyes Foundation. Information about these programs and resources is available at 911day.org.
“As the government agency leading the federal engagement for September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, AmeriCorps is proud to invest in innovative approaches that foster the next generation of civic‑minded leaders,” said Emily Stock, project manager for Volunteer Initiatives, AmeriCorps. “For many young Americans, 9/11 is simply a chapter in a history book. We must teach them that 9/11 wasn’t just about the horror, but also a moment when people across the country showed up to support those affected by the attacks and each other. Despite our differences and disagreements, Americans are united by a shared commitment to give back to one another.”
National Ad Campaign Calls on Americans to Unite for Good; Independent Documentary Film Tells the 9/11 Day Story
9/11 Day’s 25th anniversary initiative is being supported by a national digital and social advertising campaign created by the award-winning agency David&Goliath, in partnership with Left Field Labs and Enso Collaborative. The “Unite for Good” campaign, launching in August, aims to inspire Americans of all ages to pledge good deeds in service of others.
Additionally, later this summer, award–winning filmmakers Greg Jacobs and Jon Siskel of Chicago-based Siskel/Jacobs Productions will release an independent documentary tracing 9/11 Day’s 25-year successful effort to transform the anniversary into a national day of doing good. Siskel/Jacobs produced one of the definitive documentary films about the 9/11 tragedy, 102 Minutes That Changed America, which received three Primetime Emmy Awards.
Principal funding for 9/11 Day’s 25th anniversary program has been provided by AmeriCorps, Delta Air Lines and Reliance, Inc. Additional national sponsors include Citi, JPMorganChase, Blackstone Charitable Foundation, Popeyes Foundation, Holland & Knight LLP, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), SRS Raise the Roof Foundation, Nestlé, MUFG, Target, Munich Re, RBC, The Pfizer Foundation, Western Alliance Community Foundation, MetLife Foundation, National Football League, Major League Baseball, Lockheed Martin, Starbucks Coffee Company, Comcast NBCUniversal, Stifel Financial Corp., and Keefe, Bruyette and Woods, which lost 67 employees in the 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center.
“Delta is honored to serve as a National Presenting Sponsor of 9/11 Day as we mark the 25th anniversary of September 11, a moment that deeply shaped our industry and our people,” said Allison Marques, General Manager of Community Engagement at Delta Air Lines. “This year, more than 1,500 Delta people will volunteer at meal-packing events across the country, representing the largest single day of service in our 100-year history. That commitment speaks to the heart of our people and our belief that the most meaningful way to honor this day is by showing up for others and strengthening the communities we call home.”
“Twenty-five years after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, we continue to honor the lives lost, the courage of the first responders, and the resilience of the survivors through service to others,” said Karla Lewis, President and Chief Executive Officer of Reliance. “We believe one of the most meaningful ways to preserve the spirit of that day is by coming together to strengthen our communities through acts of compassion and unity. This year marks our eighth year partnering with 9/11 Day, and we are honored to once again serve as a National Presenting Sponsor. As we commemorate this important milestone, we are proud to expand our impact by supporting Meal Pack events in more than 30 cities across the country. Together with our Reliance Family of Companies, we are helping provide nourishment, hope, and support to individuals and families in need – demonstrating that even 25 years later, the legacy of service inspired by 9/11 continues to bring people together and make a meaningful difference.”
About 9/11 Day
Founded in 2002, the nonprofit 9/11 Day led the successful effort to establish September 11 as a federally recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance. Each year, tens of millions of Americans observe the day by performing good deeds in honor of those who perished, were injured or sickened; the survivors; the first responders; and all who rose to serve in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Learn more at 911day.org.
Founding Members, 9/11 Day National Commemoration Committee
9/11 Day
9/11 Memorial & Museum
AARP Foundation
America’s Service Commissions
America’s VetDogs
America250
American Corporate Partners
American Heart Association
American Red Cross
AmeriCorps
Arbor Day Foundation
Arizona Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family
Blue Star Families
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Campus Compact
CityServe
Creative Artists Agency
Daughters of the American Revolution
Delta Air Lines
Disabled American Veterans
Feeding America
Girl Scouts of the USA
Holland & Knight LLP
International Association of Chiefs of Police
JustServe
JPMorganChase
Keep America Beautiful
Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages
Live Nation
Love Has No Limits
Major League Baseball
Major League Soccer
Nat. Assoc. of Elementary School Principals
National Basketball Association
National Football League
National Governors Association
National Hockey League
New York Cares
NYC Service | Office of the Mayor
OneStar Foundation
One Tree Planted
Points of Light
School Administrators Association of New York State (SAANYS)
ServMO
Starbucks Coffee Company
Stifel/KBW
Swire Coca-Cola, USA
Team Rubicon
The Arc of the United States
The Conference Board
Travis Manion Foundation
Reliance, Inc.
U.S. Conference of Mayors
UJA-Federation of NY
United Way Worldwide
UServeUtah
USO
Voices Center for Resilience
Voices for National Service
We the Veterans & Military Families
With Honor Action
Young Men’s Service League (YMSL)
Youth Service America
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SOURCE 9/11 Day
