Where to volunteer in NYC for 9/11’s 25th anniversary

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published by Epicenter NYC and is being republished by The Haitian Times as a community resource. Readers should check the registration links for availability and any updated event details before attending.

The 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 is here, as is the nation’s largest day of service. Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared it a citywide Day of Remembrance and Service on Sept. 4.

The tradition dates back a decade, when then-President Barack Obama declared it the National Day of Service and Remembrance, honoring the first responders, passengers and everyday Americans who acted with courage following the attacks.“By devoting ourselves to each other and recognizing that we are a part of something bigger than ourselves, just as heroic patriots did on September 11, we are paying tribute to their sacrifices,” Obama said during the declaration on Sept. 11, 2016.

Regardless of your faith in a united set of American values, here are some ways to honor the Day of Service in the city that survived and remembers the tragedy.

Queens

Put together hydration kits for firefighters

When: Friday, Sept. 11 from 3 to 6 p.m.
Where: Queens Community House’s Forest Hills Community Center at 108-25 62nd Drive.

Help honor the 343 firefighters who died on 9/11 by assembling and delivering hydration kits to local fire stations. The Breathe For The 343 service project, organized by the public health nonprofit Project Pulmonary, is also intended to promote firefighter wellness and respiratory health. 

Learn more and register. 

Assemble grocery bags for a Jackson Heights food pantry

When: Friday, Sept. 11 from 6 to 9:30 p.m. or Saturday, Sept. 12 from 7:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 
Where: St. Mark’s Church at 33-50 82nd St.

Prep more than 300 bags of pantry staples and fresh produce to community members in Jackson Heights. Volunteers with Lion’s Share Food Pantry will sort and pack canned goods, rice and produce, organize the pantry and help with distribution. Some heavy lifting may be required.

More information here. 

Manhattan

Pack meals for people facing hunger at the Intrepid

When: Thursday, Sept. 10 from 8 to 10 a.m.
Where: Hangar 3 at Pier 86, W. 46th St. 

Assemble shelf-stable meals at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum as part of the 9/11 Day meal-packing effort.

Learn more and register. 

Give an afternoon to an Upper Manhattan youth program

When: Friday, Sept. 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: Located in the 10040 zip code; exact address will be provided after signing up.

Help Uptown Stories prepare for its free after-school programming in Upper Manhattan

Title I public schools. Volunteers sort and organize supplies, write affirmations for student writers and help tidy the community space. 

Learn more and register. 

Paint a picture for a senior 

When: Saturday, Sept. 12 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Where: Studio 1418 at 307 West 38th St.

The Colors of Restoration community painting and giveaway project, hosted by Brunch with the Word, centers creativity as a way of processing past pain. Volunteer to create a painting for a senior that will then be delivered along with care packages. 

Learn more and register. 

Virtual

Update online food-access resources

When: Zoom volunteer session Friday, Sept. 11 from noon to 1:30 p.m. 

You don’t have to leave your apartment to volunteer — all you’ll need is access to a computer and a phone. During the virtual Data Detectives project, volunteers will make phone calls and conduct research to help verify and update listings for food pantries, soup kitchens and SNAP and WIC offices around the country. Volunteers receive training and support. 

Learn more and register. 

Make friendship bracelets for children facing serious illness

When: The project is open Friday, Sept. 11, anytime from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Put together a handmade bracelet with an encouraging message for a child facing serious illness. The virtual project lets volunteers make bracelets featuring words such as “brave,” “joy, “hope,” “shine” or “courage.” You can participate on your own or with friends, family, coworkers or a community group.

You’ll provide your own bracelet supplies and pay for postage to mail the finished bracelets. All ages and skill levels are welcome, but organizers ask volunteers not to include political or religious messages, personal contact information or medical advice in the bracelets.

Learn more and register 

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