In the spirit of giving this holiday season, dozens of volunteers including 9/11 families and first responders and other concerned New Yorkers joined forces today with Tuesday’s Children in a day of service to make blankets and assemble hundreds of lunch bags for homeless military veterans in Bronx.
The “Helping Heals” Day of Service was organized by Tuesday’s Children in conjunction with State Farm. Tuesday’s Children is the premiere non-profit organization serving the 9/11 community and communities worldwide affected by terrorism. The event took place at McGinley Center on the Bronx campus of Fordham University.
Terry Sears, Executive Director of Tuesday’s Children, said, “The generosity of the 9/11 community is truly inspiring. Time and time again, Tuesday’s Children heard from our 9/11 families and first responders that they wanted to give back to those who helped them in their time of need. At the top of that list were military veterans and their families who so often suffer grave loss and injury in service to our country. Today’s “Helping Heals” Day of Service answers that call.
“We extend our deepest appreciation to all of our volunteers and to the wonderful employees at State Farm who made today possible,” Sears added.
Sears also singled out the contributions of the Grace Outreach community who were on site lending a hand today. Grace Outreach is a Bronx-based charity that serves low-income women as they seek to enhance their academic skills, pursue higher education and find employment.
Tuesday’s Children has made a long-term commitment to provide programs and support to individuals impacted by the September 11, 2001 tragedy and more recently to family members of veterans of post-9/11 military operations, as well as those from around the globe who have lost a loved one due to an act of terrorism.
Responding to the growing needs of families of U.S. military personnel killed in post- September 11 military operations, Tuesday’s Children recently hired a Director of Outreach for its Military Program who is responsible for developing, expanding and sustaining Tuesday’s Children’s relationships with all branches of the armed services and the Veterans Administration.
One of the Tuesday’s Children’s most successful military programs is Project Heart to Heart, an initiative that unites military widows and women who lost their husbands on Tuesday, September 11 for three days of healing, growing, and building lifelong friendships. The program utilizes the evidence-based life skills program Creative Insight, as well as the Dignity Model created by Donna Hicks at the Harvard University Weatherhead Center for International Affairs.
The 250 lunch bags, carefully assembled by today’s volunteers, each contained a turkey sandwich, fruit, water and a note of encouragement personally scribed by the volunteers.
The 50 patriotic-themed fleece blankets – all red white and blue and decorated with stars – and the lunch bags were presented to veterans from the Sam Young American Legion Post on Hutchinson River Parkway who will distribute them to veterans in need.
About Tuesday’s Children:
Tuesday’s Children’s time-tested, long-term approach-forged in the aftermath of Tuesday, September 11, 2001-enables families, children and communities torn apart acts of terror and violence to heal, recover and thrive for a lifetime. Since 2001, more than 10,000 individuals have benefited from their evidence-based programs, including: families of 9/11 victims, responders and military service members; international youth; global victims of terrorism; and local communities, such as Newtown, CT, that are recovering from tragedies. Tuesday’s Children has spent 14 years providing trauma and grief support, youth mentoring, mental health services, skills-building workshops, career resources, parenting advisement, youth leadership development, community and family engagement events, and volunteerism opportunities. Tuesday’s Children’s programs strengthen resilience, foster post-traumatic growth and build common bonds. Please DONATE NOW to help us keep the promise to those we serve.
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Image captions:
1. Left to right – Fordham Prep sophomores Jonah Shortall and Dean D’Addario join 9/11 family members Lauren and Caitlyn McIntyre at the Tuesday’s Children Helping Heals Day of Service in Bronx. Together the four volunteers made 250 turkey sandwiches for distribution to veterans in need.
2. Volunteer Andy Torres from Grace Outreach pitched in to help Tuesday’s Children at the Helping Heals Day of Service for veterans in need in Bronx.
