Latter-day Saints Honor 25th Anniversary of 9/11 Through Nationwide Service

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Volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints marked the 25th anniversary of 9/11 by serving communities across the United States on September 11 and 12.

Through JustServe, many people came together in service in 50 locations throughout the country.

3 Million Meals Packed in New York

Dita Cannon, Relief Society president of the Riverside Park Ward in New York, helped organize volunteers from the Church for the Unite for Good service event.

“I was grateful to volunteer with the 9/11 Day today,” said Cannon. “Today is an important reminder that though there is tragedy all around us, we can also bear witness to great resilience and human compassion.”

More than 3 million meals for New Yorkers facing food insecurity were packed in four days.

“I volunteered alongside members of my religious community, some of whom shared their experiences while working downtown during the attacks,” Cannon said. “One close friend recounted watching the second tower fall while evacuating on the Manhattan Bridge. She reported to work the next day to help with sanitation efforts. Twenty-five years later, she donned a Unite T-shirt and packed meals for New Yorkers in need.”

School Prepared for a New Year in Chicago

Volunteers from the Church throughout Chicago’s South Side gathered September 12 at Beulah Shoesmith Elementary School.

Volunteers painted, worked in the school gardens and organized classrooms and other areas to prepare for the new school year.

Matia Marcucci, JustServe coordinator for Chicago, said the project provided an opportunity for residents to come together and strengthen their community.

“We are so excited to partner with Shoesmith Elementary,” she said. “Many of our volunteers live right here in Hyde Park, and we love the opportunity to bring neighbours together to serve our community in a meaningful way.”

325,000 Meals Packed in Denver

Around 900 volunteers packed 325,000 meals at Empower Field in Denver. Sixty Latter-day Saint missionaries assembled food packs for community members experiencing food insecurity.

Sister Valencia, a native of Houston serving in the Denver mission, said this kind of service “shows Christlike love because Christ loved to help everyone. It makes me feel good to help the community.”

All meals will be distributed locally through Food Bank of the Rockies and Community Food Share. Erin Pulling, CEO of Food Bank of the Rockies, highlighted the impact of the volunteers.

“It is so meaningful to be a part of today’s 9/11 Day of Service because it recognizes how we have turned such a tragic day into a day of giving back — a day that makes a difference,” she said.

Thousands Serve in Utah Communities

Cache Valley Days of Service included more than 1,000 volunteers participating in 51 service projects on September 11 and 12.

“What made today so powerful wasn’t just the work that got done,” said David Zook, Cache Valley event chairman. “We live in a time where it is easy to feel divided, but days like today remind us of who we really are. Service builds a bridge that brings community together faster than anything else.”

In Heber Valley, Utah, some 400 volunteers gathered to help in nearly 30 service projects.

“Today our community has come together to show our strength and our unity,” said Mike Owens, one of the organizers of the service in Heber Valley.

“It’s a good thing when a community can gather together to serve one another,” added Eric Straddeck. “When you add in another dimension of patriotism and remembrance, it gives us greater meaning and impact — individually and as a group.”

This day of remembrance began in 2002 to provide opportunities for people to serve nationwide. The National Day of Service and Remembrance is observed each year on September 11.

While September 11 provides a special opportunity to remember through service, opportunities to serve local communities year-round can be found at JustServe.org.

Read this related article from the Church News ‘It brings in the bright light of Christ’: How 9/11 was remembered with Christlike service