Sept. 6, 2016 -- In honor of those whose lives were lost or forever changed by the tragic events of September 11, 2001, County Executive Robert P. Astorino today joined with Volunteer New York! and Robison Oil to promote the “9/11 Day: Serve + Remember” volunteer opportunities available from Friday, Sept. 9, through Sunday, Sept. 11. Service projects will take place from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 9, at the County Center in White Plains, and will run throughout the weekend at locations across Westchester.
Public invited to attend
Westchester County’s formal 9/11 memorial ceremony at “The Rising” at Kensico Dam in Valhalla will begin at 7 p.m. on Sunday, September 11.
“On the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, we as a community continue to come together in remembrance and unity, proving that love and service will always prevail,” Astorino said. “Last year we had 1,200 volunteers put 1,670 hours of service back into the community as part of 9/11 Day. This year offers so many great ways to volunteer, whether it’s giving blood, feeding the hungry, educating our children or thanking our veterans. I hope you’ll all join us in remembrance.”
Register online at www.volunteernewyork.org/service or call (914) 948-4452 for more information.
The theme of this year’s 9/11 Day is “Service. Empathy. Unity.” Many volunteer opportunities are family friendly and all will help support one of 40 local nonprofits and causes.
“Join us as we remember the unity and compassion that was shared by the many first-responders, blood donors, and volunteers who came together after 9/11. And help us shine our light on the service and empathy that carries us forward,” said
Alisa H. Kesten, Executive Director of Volunteer New York! “We encourage families, individuals and business groups to register today to honor the lives of those lost through these individual acts of service.”
Westchester County will also host its annual employee blood drive in partnership with the New York Blood Center from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, September 9, at the County Center. To sign up or learn more, please contact Janet Lokay at or (914) 995-2127.
For every one whole blood donation, up to three lives can be saved. The top users of blood transfusions are cancer patients, premature babies and trauma patients, said Bill Bello, of the New York Blood Center.
“Every day, the New York Blood Center has to provide 2,000 units of blood to some 200 area hospitals,” Bello said. “That’s why we run blood drives every day of the year. And the one here on Friday is no exception, providing blood for the critical needs of people in the community.”
For the second year in a row, Robison Oil is the presenting sponsor of “9/11 Day: Serve + Remember.”
“No other event creates the sense of community and togetherness that this volunteer effort does,” said David Singer, president of Robison Oil. “This day reminds all of us at Robison, that service is what we are all about.”
Photo Caption: County Executive Robert P. Astorino today joined with Alisa H. Kesten of Volunteer New York! and Robison Oil to promote the “9/11 Day: Serve + Remember” volunteer opportunities available from Friday, September 9, through Sunday, September 11. They were joined by New York State Assemblymembers Shelley Mayer and David Buchwald; Patricia Keegan, Office of Rep. Nita Lowey; Dr. Sherlita Amler, Westchester County Health Commissioner; Jane Solnick, Con Edison; Bill Bello, New York Blood Center; Ed Forbes, Westchester County Association and Lohud.com/The Journal News; and representatives from partner organizations including Nonprofit Westchester; Junior League of Central Westchester; Meals on Wheels of Rockland; My Brother’s Keeper; Graham Windham; One Sandwich at a Time; Westchester County Association; Westchester County Government and Volunteer New York!
9/11 Day Volunteer Opportunities at the Westchester County Center on Friday, Sept. 9, 2016:
Book Drive to Benefit Young Readers (2 - 5 p.m.)
Supports Open Door Family Medical Center
New Rochelle Youth Book Drive (2 - 5 p.m.)
Supports My Brother's Keeper
Blood Drive (9 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
Supports New York Blood Center
Join the Westchester Medical Corps (2 - 5 p.m.)
Supports Westchester County Department of Health
The Westchester County Health Department is looking for new members of their Medical Reserve Corps. Volunteers would engage in training activities, be available for emergencies and help provide outreach and education in our communities. This is a great opportunity for retired healthcare professionals, those with administrative experience, and students of the healthcare professions.
Be An Organ Donor (2 - 4 p.m.)
Supports LiveOnNY
Join the Bone Marrow Donor Registry (2 - 4 p.m.)
Supports New York Blood Center
Make Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches for Food Pantry (2 - 3:30 p.m. / 4 - 5:30 p.m.)
Supports One Sandwich at A Time
Donate, Sort and Package Diapers for Westchester Diaper Bank 2 - 5 p.m.)
Supports Junior League of Central Westchester
Create No Sew Fleece Blankets (2 - 3:30 p.m. / 4 - 5:30 p.m.)
Supports Project Linus
Create Literary Enrichment Activities (2 - 3 p.m.)
Supports Leake & Watts
Create Rainbow Fish Literacy Kits (2 - 3:30 p.m. / 4 - 5:30 p.m.)
Supports WestCOP
Thank a First-Responder (2 - 3:30 p.m. / 4 - 5:30 p.m.)
Supports United for the Troops
Create #DadBeThere Artwork (2 - 5 p.m.)
With Westchester County Department of Social Services
Complete list fo 9/11 Day service projects
For a complete list of the 40 local 9/11 Day service projects, locations and their descriptions, which are scheduled from Friday, Sept. 9 – Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, go to www.volunteernewyork.org/service.
2016 9/11 Day Participating Nonprofits and Causes Include:
Afya Foundation, A-HOME, Atria Senior Living - Briarcliff Manor, Community Service Associates, the #DadBeThere Fatherhood Initiative, Dominican College Project, Family Services of Westchester: The Sharing Shelf, Girl Scouts, Graham Windham, Hillside Food Outreach, Humane Society of Westchester, Junior League of Central Westchester, Leake & Watts, Life Progressive Services, Live On New York, Meals on Wheels, Mercy College, Montrose Veterans Hospital, My Brother’s Keeper, My Second Home, New York Blood Center, One Sandwich At A Time, Open Door Family Medical Center, Operation Gratitude, Our New Way Garden & Acorn Organics, Pace University Project, Project Linus, Ronald McDonald House of GHV, Rye Nature Center, Schaffer Extended Care Center, Teatown Lake Reservation, United for the Troops, Volunteer New York! Hunger Relief Corps, Westchester County Health Department, WJCS Kids’ Closet, Westchester Parks Foundation, WestCOP and Worldwide Community First Responder, Inc.
About Volunteer New York!
The core mission of Volunteer New York! (volunteernewyork.org) is to inspire, mobilize, and equip individuals and groups to take positive action to address pressing challenges, support non-profits and improve the quality of life in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam. For more than 66 years the organization has encouraged adults to serve, youth to build character, families to bond, young professionals to lead, mature adults to share their wisdom and businesses to engage through volunteerism.
Volunteer New York! helped coordinate over 270,000 hours of service, which were devoted last year to over 500 nonprofits at a value of over $7.3 million. The Corporate Champions who strongly support the mission of Volunteer New York! include: Bunge Limited, MasterCard, New York Life, PepsiCo, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Robison Corporation, Scent 2 Market, The Journal News and Lohud.com, Two’s Company, Con Edison, Empire City Casino, Keystone Property Group, M&T Bank, Morgan Stanley, PKF O'Connor Davies, The Rollins Agency, Inc., NewYork-Presbyterian, Balancing Life’s Issues, Clarfeld Financial Advisors, LLC, PCSB Bank, The Dannon Company, Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, Entergy, IBM, MAG Real Estate Advisors, Inc., Montefiore Health System, Pentegra Retirement Services, LLP, Reckson - a division of SL Green Realty Corp, RPW Group, Sterling National Bank, TD Bank, The Westchester Bank, and Westmed Medical Group. With ongoing support from Westchester Community Foundation, Westchester County, Corporation for National & Community Service, and the New York State Commission on National and Community Service.
Follow @volunteerNYnow on Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest volunteering news in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam.