On April 21, 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act which establishes September 11th as a National Day of Service and Remembrance. Under the law, the anniversary of 9/11 will be observed in ways similar to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, although it is intentionally not a federal holiday. This is a day to honor the victims and volunteers of 9/11. Councils and partners can work with members of your community to determine the most appropriate way to commemorate this day. Encourage citizen's who volunteer to register their service on the My Good Deed wesbite. My Good Deed is a national movement launched in 2003 to establish 9/11 as a national day of kindness, service and reflection.
Throughout the month of September, Americans will coordinate in somber remembrance of the terrorist attacks of 2001. As a result, citizens will be thinking more about keeping their communities safe. Reinforce the value and importance of protecting communities by asking local retail stores to hand out information on disaster preparedness and asking your local news to broadcast the information. Consider having a community vigil or ceremony where leaders in the community and Citizen Corps volunteers can speak about the importance of being prepared, and offer citizens ways to volunteer and assist their community.