Every year in early September, a speck of dread about the upcoming anniversary of September 11 creeps into my otherwise festive end-of-summer activities. This is the first year since 1998 I neither live in New York City nor work in lower Manhattan, and I thought my first trip to the MN State Fair and my last backyard BBQ with friends (finally, a backyard!) might mitigate some anxiety about the day. Though both were fun, neither did much to change the fact that I feel low in the days leading up to September 11th.
What did change things, at least a little, was a press release reminder that this year President Obama plans to formally recognize September 11 as a National Day of Service & Remembrance.
After years of advocacy by the non-profit My Good Deed, 9/11 families and others, the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, passed in April, included legislation to formally recognize the day. During the week of 9/11 individuals and organizations are urged to volunteer, perform good deeds, or engage in charitable service.
“You and your organization will help rekindle the remarkable spirit of unity, service and compassion shared by so many in the immediate aftermath of the attacks,” says the Corporation for National & Community Service.
Here at MCF, we embrace a broad definition of philanthropy — one that includes donations of time, service and skills, as well as money. And here in the Twin Cities, folks are generous — extremely generous — when it comes to volunteering.
I wasn’t organized enough to come up with a service project for myself or my organization this year, so I’ve had to content myself with donating books to my daughter’s day care and clothes to women entering the workforce for the first time. I’d much rather donate my time, in community and in memoriam, re-kindling that remarkable spirit of service. Next year, I’ll have a project to look forward to in early September.
– Juliana Tillema, MCF research manager
