Shine A Light The 20th Anniversary of 9/11 - Help us generate 20 million "good deeds" - 911Day.org
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PA R T I C I PAT I O N T O O L K I T
Shine A Light
The 20th Anniversary of 9/11
Help us generate 20 million “good deeds”
for the 20th Anniversary of 9/11
INTERACTIVEJOIN #SHINEALIGHT FOR 9/11 DAY
In observance of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, and the federally recognized September 11
National Day of Service & Remembrance (“9/11 Day”), we’re asking you and millions of others in
the U.S. and around the world to #ShineALight for 9/11 Day by planning or performing simple
acts of service, charity and kindness (“good deeds”) that promote unity and understanding, while
honoring those killed and injured on 9/11 as well as the many rescue and recovery personnel and
members of our military who bravely rose in service in response to the 9/11 attacks.
In addition to whatever in-person volunteering or charitable giving program you may already be
planning for the 20th anniversary of 9/11, our #ShineALight for 9/11 Day campaign is a powerful
way for you, your colleagues and others in your community to participate virtually in 9/11 Day
through good deeds you can perform on your own, with your families, and with your friends.
With your help, and the participation of thousands of other organizations, we hope to inspire 20
million people to #ShineALight for 9/11 Day through good deeds.
Here’s how your team and others can get involved:
1. Explain the program to your colleagues and others you’d like to involve in #ShineALight.
(See our sample emails and other information.)
2. Invite each of them to make a personal pledge or plan to perform just one good deed for
9/11. (They can do their good deeds anytime during the month of September.)
3. Encourage them to visit our website at 911day.org, beginning September 1, to post and
share their planned good deeds. (There’s no cost, or requirement they provide any contact
information unless they choose to do so.)
4. Ask them to share their pledge on social media (whatever platforms they choose) using
the hashtags: #ShineALight, #911Day, and your organization’s hashtag.
Helpful Resources
In this toolkit we have included a number of helpful resources:
• Sample internal email you can send to your employees.
• Suggested social media posts.
• List of suggested Good Deeds (some of these will be on our website).
Copyright 2021. 9/11 Day hereby provides permission for these materials to be used and duplicated by educators, parents and youth mentors
as a service-learning tool. May not be used for any commercial purpose. Email 9/11 Day at info@911day.org for more information.
@911day facebook/911day @911day • 911day.org
2QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Who is organizing the #ShineALight Campaign?
#ShineALight is being organized and led by the 501(c)(3) nonprofit 9/11 Day, which created and
annually runs the federally-recognized September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance,
(known today as “9/11 Day.”).
When does this campaign begin officially?
We will officially launch the #ShineALight campaign on September 1, 2021. That’s when we will
unveil a new website at 911day.org, that will provide suggested ways for people to get involved,
including a list of good deed “thought-starters.”
How do our colleagues participate?
Just ask your colleagues and members of your community to do these three things.
1. Visit 911day.org beginning September 1.
2. Choose a good deed for 9/11 you want to share from our list, or compose your own.
3. S
hare it, via 911day.org, on your social media platforms, or post it directly to your platforms.
Remember to use the hashtags #ShineALight, #911Day, and your organization’s hashtag.
There’s no cost required to participate, and we will not require anyone to provide their personal
information.
That’s all there is to it!
What is a “good deed?”
A person’s good deed pledge can be any expression of unity or compassion: A simple act of
kindness, a helping hand to a friend, a commitment to volunteer, a contribution to a charity.
A moment to reflect on what’s most important in life. People can even do a good deed for
themselves, like quitting smoking. In other words, any good deed counts. Here are a few good
deeds that can be done virtually and safely:
1. Donate clothing you’ve outgrown or no longer wear.
2. Drop off cookies or food to a local police or fire station.
3. Donate to a charity of your choice.
4. Drop off canned food items to your local food bank or pantry.
5. Send a hand-written letter or card to someone in the military or veteran
6. Visit a homebound relative or friend.
7. Call or text someone you care about and haven’t seen in a while.
Do people need to do a good deed on 9/11 itself?
While we’d like as many people as possible to post their pledge or plan on or around 9/11 to do a
good deed, they can complete their good deed any time during the month of September.
@911day facebook/911day @911day • 911day.org
3Why are you asking people to remember 9/11 by doing good deeds?
9/11 was a tragedy that reminded so many of us that what we have in common as human
beings – our love and concern for each other – far outweighs in importance the differences and
disagreements that separate us from time to time. Performing acts of service, charity and kindness
often brings our communities together and helps us reflect on what’s most important in life.
Doing good deeds is a way we ensure that something positive comes from the loss of so many
innocent lives on 9/11.
What is the origin of 9/11 Day? How and why was it started?
A few months after the September 11, 2001 attacks, David Paine called his friend Jay Winuk, who
had lost his brother, Glenn Winuk, on 9/11, and suggested that they work together to transform
9/11 into a day of doing good in tribute to Glenn, a volunteer firefighter/EMT, and others who
died, were injured or rose in service in response to the 9/11 attacks. David and Jay subsequently
met with more than 40 9/11 leaders, who joined together to launch the nonprofit known
today as “9/11 Day.” In 2009, the group successfully secured passage of legislation that formally
designated September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance under federal law.
What’s Your Privacy Policy? Will you be collecting Personal Identifiable
Information (P.I.I.)?
We do not collect and store P.I.I. Our site does include links to third party organizations, which
may collect and store this information. Please review their policies should you choose to utilize
these links to their sites and resources.
Other Helpful Tips:
•P
ost the #ShineALight for 9/11 Day campaign on your volunteer engagement portal as
a “project.” Just set up the number of volunteer spots as “unlimited” (as this is a virtual
volunteering program).
•D
irect people to 911day.org, beginning on September 1st.
•D
evelop a supporting social media strategy. We encourage you to actively promote your
participation in #ShineALight for 9/11 Day. Post social media messages of support for 9/11 Day,
sharing some of the Good Deeds your colleagues and volunteers post. Just remember to
include the #ShineALight hashtag, #911day, and your hashtag.
•T
rack and share your results. We’ll be tracking the total number of 9/11 Day good deeds. You
can do that, too, if your colleagues include your hashtag in their posts.
@911day facebook/911day @911day • 911day.org
4Sample Outreach Email
Dear ,
The anniversary of 9/11 has become a very important National Day of Service and Remembrance
in America, known as “9/11 Day.” This year is especially important, marking the 20th remembrance
of the 9/11 attacks.
9/11 Day is a time when Americans are asked to join together in unity, remember those lost on
9/11, and #ShineALight by performing simple acts of service, charity and kindness (“good deeds”)
as a positive tribute to the 9/11 victims, as well as first responders and military personnel who
rose in service in response to the attacks.
This year is especially important, marking the 20th remembrance of the 9/11 attacks. The 20th
Anniversary of 9/11, the organizers of 9/11 Day have launched a new website that makes it easy for
everyone to participate “virtually” – simply by sharing one good deed through the new website.
There’s no cost or donation required.
Our organization is supporting 9/11 Day this year, and we hope you will too. Here’s how.
1. On September 1, visit 911day.org where you can learn about the mission of 9/11 Day, and post
your good deed, or plans to do a good deed, through the site.
2. Perform your good deed. We encourage you to perform your good deed or service project
on 9/11 Day itself, but you can do your good deed for 9/11 Day anytime during the month of
September.
3. Share your good deed. When you post your good deed on 911day.org, you’ll be asked to
share it on your social media channels. Please do so. That’s how we’re tracking how many
deeds are being performed for 9/11 Day. Be sure to us #ShineALight, #911day, and your
organization’s hashtag if any.
Thank you!
[YOUR NAME]
@911day facebook/911day @911day • 911day.org
5Suggested Social Media Strategy and Posts
For the 20th anniversary of 9/11, please join the millions of people and influencers who annually
post in support of @911day.
To help you support 9/11 Day this year, we will be providing you with a number of helpful assets:
• Videos (2-min; :60; :30, and :15 versions to choose from). We will send our YouTube links to
all of these on September 1. If you need to embed the actual video file, please contact
ryan.walls@911day.org to request it.
• Photos and images. Some of these will be sent to you, others will be accessible on our
gallery at 911day.org.
Suggested Posts
Please join all of us at [ORGANIZATION NAME] in supporting #911Day for the 20th Anniversary
of 9/11. #ShineALight Day on 9/11 to post and share a good deed you'll do in observance of this
important tribute. Visit 911day.org to share your good deed.
Please join all of us at [ORGANIZATION NAME] today as we #ShineALight to remember @911day
by doing good deeds in tribute to those lost in the 9/11 attacks. Visit 911day.org to share your
good deed. #911day.
@911day is when Americans are asked to join together in unity and do good deeds to help
others. Join us at [ORGANIZATION NAME] as millions of others #ShineALight to visit 911day.org
and share your good deed. #911day.
For @911day, millions of Americans plan to #ShineALight to remember how much we all have in
common, and to pledge to perform good deeds in honor of those killed and injured on 9/11, and the
many who rose in service, including our veterans. Visit 911day.org to share your good deed. #911day
Official 9/11 Day Social Media Channels
Please tag us on social media where appropriate in addition to using #911day in your posts to
join the national conversation. See the official 9/11 Day social media channels below.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
LinkedIn
911day.org
@911day facebook/911day @911day • 911day.org
6Take a Moment To ...
1. Call or text someone you care about or haven’t seen in a while.
2. Donate clothing you’ve outgrown or no longer wear.
3. Offer to buy coffee for the person in line behind you.
4. Drop off cookies or food to a local police or fire station. (You might want to call them first.)
5. Donate to the 9/11 Day Fund. (Supports us, 9/11 Memorials, and 9/11 groups.)
6. Donate to a charity of your choice.
7. Plan a special day or moment with your children or child you mentor.
8. Send an email to someone who helped you at a key point in your life.
9. Surprise your teacher with a thank you letter or small gift.
10. Drop off canned food items to your local food bank or pantry.
11. Make a donation at retail if presented with an opportunity.
12. Make plans with friends you haven’t seen in a while.
13. Write a note to your mom or dad and say thank you.
14. Thank a colleague for their hard work.
15. Cook a meal for someone you care about.
16. Visit a homebound relative or friend.
17. Hold a door open for someone.
18. Treat others on social media the way you want to be treated.
19. Reach out to someone you’ve lost touch with.
20. Help your child decide what they can donate for 9/11.
21. Give a gift card to someone.
22. Schedule time to volunteer at an animal shelter or other nonprofit.
23. Give your seat on the train, bus or subway to another person.
24. Read your child a bedtime story.
25. Quit smoking or do another good deed for yourself.
26. Take a walk and reflect on the things you love about your life.
27. Tell your spouse/partner how much you appreciate them.
28. Send a hand-written letter or card to someone in the military or veteran.
29. Pick up some trash in a public area.
30. Think of your own good deed. (Any good deed counts!)
@911day facebook/911day @911day • 911day.org
7You can also read
