Thousands to Remember 9/11 Through Day of Service

SPRINGFIELD – On and after September 11th, 2001, our nation witnessed the selfless and life-saving acts of first responders and countless volunteers at Ground Zero, the Pentagon, and Shanksville, PA. Each year, through the 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance, thousands of Illinois volunteers join Americans across the nation in tribute to those we lost.
 
Launched in 2002, this day of service is an annual tribute to the 9/11 victims, survivors, and responders. The 2009 Kennedy Serve America Act formally designated September 11 as a national day of service.
 
“Among the eight largest states, Illinois leads in number of volunteers,” said Scott McFarland, Executive Director of Serve Illinois. “We are proud of Illinois’ volunteer spirit, and there is no better way to show that spirit than in remembrance of all those who sacrificed for us.”
 
This year’s projects will enlist volunteers in delivering meals, refurbishing schools and community centers, collecting food and clothing, preparing communities for disasters, reading to children, and more.   In many locations around the state, AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members will lead and participate in service projects. For a listing of those programs, visit www.Serve.Illinois.gov.
 
About Serve Illinois
The Serve Illinois Commission is a 40 member (25 voting and 15 non-voting), bi-partisan board appointed by the Governor and administered by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Its mission is to improve Illinois communities by enhancing volunteerism and instilling an ethic of service throughout the state. The Commission is accomplishing this mission through the support of local community-based efforts to enhance volunteer opportunities and the administration of Illinois' AmeriCorps program. For more information on Serve Illinois, or to find one of over 2,500 volunteer opportunities in the state, please visit www.Serve.Illinois.gov.

CONTACT:  Scott McFarland
September 9, 2015                                                                 
(217) 685-5930