(Washington D.C.) – On September 11, more than a dozen Cabinet secretaries and senior administration officials will commemorate the heroism of those who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001, and remember their spirit of sacrifice by engaging in service and volunteerism as part of the first officially recognized September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.
Administration officials will prepare meals at food banks and shelters, paint homes, support vaccination efforts, read to students, and carry out other projects, joining volunteers across the nation in marking the eighth anniversary of the terror attacks by serving their neighbors and communities.
The September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance is the culmination of a seven-year effort started by 9/11 family members and support groups to establish the service day as a way to honor the victims and heroes of 9/11 and to rekindle the spirit of unity and compassion that followed the attacks. September 11 was officially recognized as a National Day of Service and Remembrance by the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, passed with strong bipartisan support and signed into law by President Obama in April.
September 11 also marks the end of the summer phase of President Obama’s United We Serve initiative and its transition to a long-term, sustained effort. Since the launch of United We Serve in June, Americans have responded enthusiastically to the President’s call to service by replenishing food banks, preventing summer reading loss, supporting veterans and military families, and meeting other needs.
“The high level of involvement by members of the President’s Cabinet underscores the importance the Administration places on engaging Americans in service to tackle tough national challenges,” said Nicola Goren, Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which was charged by Congress to promote the 9/11 day of service in conjunction with community groups nationwide. “We urge Americans to visit Serve.gov to find a local volunteer opportunity on 9/11 or the rest of the year.”
The details of the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance projects are below. Events are taking place on Friday, September 11 and are open to the press unless otherwise noted.
Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden
On Friday, September 11th, the Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden will travel to New York City to attend the city’s September 11th Commemoration Ceremony at Zuccotti Park. In honor of the new federal designation of September 11th as a National Day of Service and Remembrance, family members will be paired with volunteers from throughout the five boroughs to read the names of those who died at the World Trade Center site on September 11, 2001. For guidance on media credentialing and logistics, please go to www.nyc.gov/mediaadvisory.
Department of State
Secretary Hilary Rodham Clinton will keynote the Commemoration of the First Annual 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. The night will pay tribute to victims and families of the victims of 9/11 and feature remarks by New York Governor David Paterson, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, actor Gary Sinise, and talk-show host Jimmy Fallon, and performances by Gavin DeGraw, the Harlem Boys and Girls Club Choir, Anjulie, and The Roots. Sponsoring organizations are MyGoodDeed, ServiceNation, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. In addition, the State Department has encouraged U.S. embassies around the world to foster new partnerships around service on 9/11, including among diverse faith groups.
5:30pm EST
Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway, New York, NY
Contact: Jennifer Burke, MyGoodDeed, 203-405-1479, jennifer.burke@911day.org
Corporation for National and Community Service
Acting CEO Nicola Goren will participate in two service projects in New York City and speak at the Commemoration of the First Annual 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.
·11:00 — 11:30: Goren and Corporation Board member Julie Fisher Cummings will join volunteers at P.S. 76, the A. Philip Randolph School in Harlem, to work with 3rd and 4th graders on a reading and essay project connected with the school’s Young Authors Club, 220 West 121st Street.
·2:00pm – 3:30 pm Goren, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and USTR Paul Kirk Donovan will paint houses and visit with residents of the Supportive Housing Apartments for the Formerly Homeless in New York City. (Details above)
.5:30: Goren will speak at the the First Annual 9/11 National Day of Service and Remembrance at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. (Details above)
In addition, Corporation Board member Stan Soloway will join volunteers in helping construct affordable homes with DC Habitat for Humanity nonprofit’s Northeast Parcel at 55th and Clay Streets, NE.
Contact: Sandy Scott, Corporation for National and Community Service, 202-606-6724, sscott@cns.gov,
Department of Interior
Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Hayes, Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks Tom Strickland, Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget Rhea Suh, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Anne Castle, and Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Larry Echohawk will participate in a tree planting event at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV.
9am-12 noon.
National Conservation Training Center, 698 Conservation Way, Shepherdstown, WV 25443-9713
Contact: Sarah Peterson, Department of the Interior, (202) 208-6617, Sarah_E_Peterson@ios.doi.gov
Department of Agriculture
Secretary Tom Vilsack will prepare meals that will go to homeless shelters, soup kitchens, and feeding programs with participants of DC Central Kitchen’s culinary job training program.
11am-12pm EST
DC Central Kitchen, 425 2nd St. NW, Washington, DC
Contact: Robert Egger, DC Central Kitchen, Phone (202) 234-0707 x101, info@dccentralkitchen.org
Department of Labor
Secretary Hilda L. Solis will tour a U.S. VETS shelter and serve food to homeless veterans with Rep. Dina Titus and Rep. Shelley Berkley to commemorate the first Sept. 11 National Day of Service & Remembrance.
11 a.m. to 12:30p.m. PDT
U.S. VETS Initiative, 525 E. Bonanza Road, Las Vegas, Nev.
Press availability at noon
Contact: Contact: Jesse Lawder, 202-693-4659
Department of Health and Human Services
Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard Koh, and Virginia Health Commissioner Dr. Karen Remley will participate in a mass vaccination exercise at TC Williams High School in Alexandria, Va.. The Secretary will speak with volunteers and students and school employees receiving vaccinations. Information will be provided about the H1N1 virus, seasonal flu, and other topics. Secretary Sebelius and Assistant Secretary Koh will receive their seasonal flu shots during the exercise.
9:30am -10:30am EST
TC Williams High School Gymnasium
3300 King Street,
Alexandria, VA
Contact: Robert Tossatto, Dept. of Health and Human Services, (301) 443-2528, robert.tosatto@hhs.gov
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Secretary Shaun Donovan will paint houses and visit with residents of the Supportive Housing Apartments for the Formerly Homeless in New York City along with United States Trade Representative Paul Kirk, Corporation for National and Community Service Acting CEO Nicola Goren, and volunteers with Common Ground and New York Cares.
2pm – 4pm (press called for 3pm) EST
Supportive Housing Apartments for the Formerly Homeless
The Times Square 255 West 43 (at 8th Avenue), New York, NY
Contact: Lyle Churchill, Common Ground, 212-389-9323
Department of Transportation
Secretary Ray LaHood and Governor Edward Rendell will participate in an event and thank volunteers serving with the Get Help Now and Wills for Heroes program in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Wills for Heroes Foundation is non-profit organization that operates nationwide, organizing volunteer lawyers who provide free wills and other estate planning documents to emergency first responders.
1:15 Walk Through and 1:30 Press Conference EST
City County Building, 414 Grant St, Pittsburgh, PA
Contact: John Paul Jones -412-565-5700, Hal Coffey PBA-(412) 553-6315
Department of Education
Secretary Arne Duncan will serve with City Year AmeriCorps members and help beautify an elementary school in Washington DC.
1:30 – 2:30 EST
Turner at Green Elementary School, 1500 Mississippi Avenue SE Washington DC.
Contact: Jennifer Ney, City Year, JNey@cityyear.org, 202.742.7380
Department of Veteran Affairs
* Note: This event is closed press.*
Secretary Eric K. Shinseki and Assistant Secretary Joe Riojas will serve hot breakfasts to people in need at So Others Might Eat building in Washington D.C. Assistant Secretary Joe Riojas has been volunteering at SOME every other week since June 22nd.
DHS: Department of US Citizenship and Immigration Services
Director Alejandro Mayorkas will be attending the Catholic Charities DC Job Club and talk to refugees about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and visit with staff of the Catholic Charities Immigration Services Department.
12:00 – 1:00 pm EST
Catholic Charities DC Administrative Headquarters, 924 G St. NW, Washington DC 20001
Contact: Erik Salmi, 202.272.4390 (office), 202.409.6147 (cell)
United States Mission to the United Nations
Ambassador Susan Rice will give remarks and help educate students about preventing malaria at an event sponsored by Nothing But Nets and the United Nations Foundation.
11:00 -12:30pm EST
School Without Walls High School, 2130 G St. NW, Washington DC
Contact: Adrianna Logalbo, United Nations Foundation, 202-460-5971, alogalbo@unfoundation.org
Environmental Protection Agency
Administrator Lisa P. Jackson will join volunteers from Chicago Cares to prepare Kilbourne Park’s community gardens for this Saturday’s Harvest Festival.
9:45 a.m. CDT
Kilbourne Park, 3501 N. Kilbourne Ave, Chicago Ill.
Contact Information: EPA Press Office, press@epa.gov , 202-564-6794
Peace Corps
Director Aaron S. Williams and Peace Corps staff will support the Whitman Walker Clinic in its HIV/AIDS prevention efforts by organizing and boxing medical records for archiving.
1:00-3:00 p.m. EST
Elizabeth Taylor Medical Center, 1701 14th Street NW, Washington DC
Contact: Dave Mallory, Whitman Walker Clinic, (202) 797-3510 or dmallory@wwc.org
National Endowment for Humanities
Chairman Jim Leach will attend the Illinois Humanities Council’s “Meaning of Service” program sponsored by City Year Chicago that engages volunteers in discussing short stories, poems, and essays that reflect on the nature of justice, service, and related themes.
3:30 pm CDT
City Year Chicago, 36 S. Wabash St., Suite 1500, Chicago, IL
Media contact: Dimitra Tasiouras, IL Humanities Council, 312.422.5585 ext. 225 or dct@prairie.org
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
* Note: This event is closed press.*
Administrator Charles F. Bolden Jr. will visit Davis Elementary School in Washington DC to speak with students about the importance of service and science and math education and read with 3rd-5th graders.
Media contact: Brandon Gryde, Youth Service America, (202) 296-2992 or bgryde@ysa.org.
