In the days, weeks, and months following the September 11 attacks, hundreds of thousands of people volunteered to help support the rescue and recovery efforts, offering emergency assistance. For many, including a nonprofit executive director and an AmeriCorps Seniors volunteer, the attacks were a life-changing experience, sparking a path to a lifetime of service.
A 20-Year-Old's Path to a Lifetime of Service
Executive Director Mac Levine, MPH, founded Concrete Safaris in 2008 with 16 East Harlem children and has grown the organization to serve over 19,000 children, youth, and families. Mac dedicated her lifetime to service after the 9/11 Day attacks.
"I was 20 years old when the 9/11 Day attacks happened. It's been more than 20 years, but I remember how the world moved in slow motion for a long while after that day. After the attacks, people were so kind and ready to help with recovery efforts, even if it meant they could get severely injured. A tragedy shouldn't be why we serve, but New York City banded together to help each other – regardless of our differences.
"I knew I wanted to work in service since high school. After the attacks, I decided to serve as a wilderness first responder because I wanted to help expose young people from East Harlem to the world outside of the six blocks they frequented daily, and it was important to learn how to keep them safer while on an adventure. They had never been hiking, on a train, or in such quiet places, and I wanted to ensure that whatever minor issues they faced could be overcome.
“Young people in disadvantaged communities do not always have the resources to care for themselves or the time to serve. This gap led to establishing Concrete Safaris and PlacemakingCorps service through AmeriCorps. I had been looking for a way to engage more local youth in a more serious level of service and training than what we were doing as an organization with them. I wanted to give them the opportunity to earn education funds while doing this. I was attracted to the idea that they could continue to build their horizons on a state and national level, being a part of something much bigger than any of us. By providing a pathway for the youth to serve while still earning something towards their futures, they collectively address urgent needs and learn new skills. Every day is a good day for all of us to learn something new.
"The September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance is important to our nation because we come together across our many diverse backgrounds and communities for the health of our society. Through volunteerism, we get out of our personal bubbles and do our small act of service has the power to improve someone else's life."
A Firefighter's Continued Service as a Volunteer
AmeriCorps Seniors volunteer Joe has been serving in the RSVP program with the Madison County Office for the Aging for more than five years. A lifetime volunteer, Joe was a member of the rescue squad who supported emergency responders after the 9/11 Day attacks.
"I was raised in Queens, New York, and remember watching the World Trade Center be built. Seeing the attacks was traumatic for me and for so many like me who remember the towers' beginnings. I was an emergency medical technician and firefighter in 1983. Over the years, I joined several rescue squads and fire departments and was an advanced emergency medical technician. On September 11, 2001, I volunteered with the Ogdensburg Volunteer Rescue Squad, and we called to serve and help the emergency responders. Alongside hundreds of volunteers from rescue squads, we helped treat those injured, including our emergency responders and the numerous volunteers who jumped in to help.
"The most unforgettable moments from my volunteer service are the families and friends searching for their loved ones. Each morning, they would run up to the rescue squad volunteers and me to ask for help. Facing their frantic calls for help was one of the most difficult memories of my service.
"Even though the attacks happened more than 20 years ago, the anniversary is still a fresh memory as someone who witnessed how it affected so many Americans. As a volunteer, I think it's important to tell our story of the attacks to the next generation and share how we united as a nation. It's important to honor those who have died and the thousands of service members and volunteers who stepped up to help. I gave my helmet from when I was with the rescue squad to my eldest grandson and told him about the day's importance. As a grandfather, I felt it important to form a legacy to pass down. My grandson is now the caretaker of the helmet I wore while down there, and he assures me that he will share everything with his younger cousins.
"We can teach the next generation on September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. Tell our story and memories of how Americans from all walks of life answered the call to serve, willingly traveling hundreds of miles, leaving our families, to help those in need."
Remember and Honor Through Service
Since 2009, hundreds of thousands of Americans from coast to coast have honored the lives lost and those who united in service on September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. Through service, Americans rekindle the spirit of unity and service that swept our nation after that tragic day and serve alongside leaders like Mac and Joe.
From food drives and home repairs to neighborhood cleanups and disaster preparation activities, people of all ages and backgrounds join and lead community service projects to cross divides, differences, and ideologies to make a difference.
