Here’s how to commemorate 9/11 through acts of service from home

PHOENIX — National nonprofit group 9/11 Day wants to make Americans aware of ways to safely commemorate Friday’s National Day of Service and Remembrance amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“Because of COVID-19, we recognized the need to provide creative, virtual ways for Americans to ​continue to transform the anniversary of 9/11 from a day of tragedy into a day of doing good, and ​keep the solemn promise to ‘never forget,'” David Paine, president and co-founder of 9/11 Day, said in a press release.

The group, which worked to establish the federally recognized annual day of service on the date of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, has compiled a list of charitable activities as part of its “9/11 Day At Home” initiative.

The deeds include donating meals to first responders, pledging to perform acts of kindness and donating plasma that can be used for COVID-19 treatments.

Paine and Jay Winuk founded 9/11 Day in 2002, a year after Winuk’s brother was among those killed when terrorists hijacked four airplanes in a coordinated attack on America in 2001. In all, 2,996 men and women died in the attack.

Following the anniversary of 9/11 this year, the 9/11 Day website will become a permanent online learning resource for people of all ages to engage in acts of service in honor of the fallen.

“One of our goals, shared by many other 9/11 family members, is to ensure that our personal and the nation’s loss results in positive expressions of service that honor the innocent souls killed and injured on 9/11,” Winuk said in the release.

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