9/11 National Day of Service with Jersey Cares

Nine years ago during the months after 9/11, I remember being awestruck by the outpouring of genuine kindness and the remarkable increase in civic engagement. I remember hearing from my friends, my family and from the media that we should “value this moment in time because eventually people would lose this spirit and go back to their everyday lives and forget how 9/11 inspired us all.”

To my friends, my family, and yes, to you, the media – I want to say that you were not completely accurate in your overall prediction. I say this from a fresh and rejuvenated perspective because now that I have started my year of service as an AmeriCorps Member at Jersey Cares, I am constantly inspired everyday by the humanitarian spirit of the many people who I meet, speak to, and work with on a daily basis.

It’s both exciting and monumental for me that my first major service project was on 9/11, which is now considered a National Day of Service. Nine years ago, I never would have imagined the type of work that I would be doing today, nor did I have any idea as to where exactly my career would take me. My saying always was, “I just want to help people and inspire others to do the same.”

On September 11, 2010, I got to do just that when I helped to lead a group of over fifty volunteers revitalize a charter school in Jersey City. Not only did I learn about all of the planning and the preparation that goes into making such a project happen; but I also learned that the spirit of volunteerism did not just “fade away” after 9/11. Today, there still is a tremendous amount of people who continue to nourish their humanitarian spirit; it’s just that unlike nine years ago, it is no longer the major focus of the news.

During the National Day of Service, I met over fifty people who came out on a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon simply because they wanted to volunteer out of the kindness of their hearts. There were men and women of all ages - teenagers, parents, college students, and even two young children who were no older than six years of age. Together we made bare walls beautiful. The orange walls of the cafeteria turned into canvases of artwork inspired by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The hallways went from long empty corridors, to breathtaking pictures and inspirational quotes about the endless possibilities we all have with an education. The library was transformed into a stimulating environment, full of colorful pictures and quotations. Our volunteers even took a plain, concrete blacktop and turned it into an interactive recreational area filled with lines games including a mini soccer field, four square, and hopscotch.

As I reflect on all of the wonderful people I met that I day, I can’t help but smile. The young man, who took a simple tree and added his own personal touch and made a beautiful garden scene, complete with flowers and an apple tree. The group who carefully mixed colors to effectively create a multicultural scene of hands holding up the world. The little boy who helped paint a bookworm with his mom, who was so excited about his creation that he could not stop dancing around the room when Enrique Iglesias played on the radio.

Thank you everyone for all of your hard work. Jersey Cares would have never been able to complete this project without your help. And on a personal note, thank you, for helping me recognize that the spirit of volunteerism is still, very much alive.

Sarah Lansey

AmeriCorps Member

Jersey Cares