9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance 2012

September 11, 2012

Each year, millions of Americans come together on the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance to honor those lost and those who rose in service after the 2001 attacks.

Points of Light and HandsOn Network believes that bringing people together in service builds a permanent and positive legacy that rekindles the spirit of unity that existed immediately after Sept. 11, 2001. It brings together cultures, bridges differences and unites citizens of goodwill around the world.

Points of Light has awarded 9/11 Day grants to six HandsOn Network affiliates who will collectively mobilize 15,000 people in disaster preparedness training and building the capacity of nonprofit organizations to equip and mobilize volunteers in times of disaster. Grant funding was made available by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

HandsOn South Alabama will mobilize more than 3,500 individuals – including first responders, veterans and the business community – will join together in Mobile, Ala., to support those who protect us in times of emergency and learn the best ways to help the community prepare for a disaster.
Hands On Atlanta and its corporate volunteers will work in Atlanta Public Schools to train more than 1,250 students to prepare their homes and families for disasters. Students will also write and decorate appreciation cards and flower pots for local fire and police officers.
HandsOn River Region is organizing a corporate day of service to engage and inspire the community to start a long-term commitment to service. On 9/11 Day, volunteers will blanket the city to provide service to the city’s most vulnerable populations.
HandsOn Mid-Willamette Valley is creating community preparedness training for local nonprofits to learn best practices for disaster response, and for individuals and families to learn how to prepare and create an emergency preparedness kit. Local youth will also build 72-Hour Kits and distribute them to local veterans.
Volunteer Macon will host a Veterans Stand Down event to focus on the needs of returning service men and women and provide important information on disaster preparedness and community readiness. The organization will also host several training workshops for nonprofits, individuals and families to help them create sound plans of action for disaster.
Volunteer Arlington plans to canvass door-to-door to engage community members on emergency preparedness topics. Volunteers will discuss how to download the Office of Emergency Management’s “Arlington Prepares” mobile app, register citizens for Arlington’s Alert and have them sign up for ongoing volunteer opportunities.
HandsOn New Orleans is partnering with the American Red Cross to stage a Community Preparedness Engagement Day, where teams of volunteers trained to discuss hurricane preparedness and fire prevention educate the public. In addition, volunteers will visit low-income areas of the city to help residents prepare for disaster.