Every year, National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11 is an opportunity to turn a dark day in the nation’s history into a day of doing good. Now federally recognized, it has become the largest American day of service, honoring all those who demonstrated extraordinary compassion and courage in the aftermath of the attacks.
Unfortunately, formal volunteering is on the decline. According to the U.S. Census and AmeriCorps’ “Volunteering in America” report, volunteering in the United States has dropped seven percentage points from 2019 to 2023, the largest change since agencies began collecting data in 2002.
“Volunteers are essential to helping communities thrive, just as they were after 9/11, making this a great day to get involved and start a volunteering habit,” says Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO of Points of Light, a global nonprofit dedicated to inspiring, equipping, and mobilizing people to take actions that change the world.
Boosting Volunteering
The events of 9/11 brought people and communities together, and in the days, weeks, and months following the attacks, volunteering surged as people discovered what they were capable of achieving when working together. Points of Light, which is committed to increasing the volunteering rate, believes that a service day like 9/11 Day can serve as a springboard for a lifetime of civic engagement.
Take Action
Plan your service day now by visiting the Points of Light Engage platform at pointsoflight.org/volunteer to search a database of hundreds of thousands of in-person and virtual volunteering opportunities. And remember, in addition to volunteering, there are many ways to engage your community on 9/11 Day, from shopping at businesses that support first responders to thanking those who work in service roles.
“On this day of remembrance, we pay tribute to those touched by the tragedies of this day, and by coming together as a community, we keep alive the hope for a better future,” says Sirangelo.
Source: StatePoint