North Carolina Turns 9/11 Anniversary Into Day of Service

Twenty-five years after September 11, hundreds of North Carolinians chose to honor the fallen by rolling up their sleeves and serving their neighbors.

Inside the Chavis Park Community Center gym in Raleigh, 375 volunteers gathered for Activate Good's annual 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance. Tables lined every corner of the space, each representing a different organization where people could pack food, sort clothes, and prepare necessities for Triangle residents in need.

Rose Thompson, executive director of Activate Good, has been transforming this anniversary into an opportunity for service since 2010. Her organization partnered with over 600 groups across the Triangle, including local parks, shelters, and community centers, to make Friday's event possible.

"Today is a day of tragedy, but thanks to all of you in this room, it's a day of unity, hope, compassion, healing and action," Thompson told the crowd.

The volunteers represented every generation. Some remembered exactly where they were on that September morning 25 years ago, while younger participants learned about an event that happened before they were born.

Matthew Tracy volunteered alongside his mom, who runs Active Kids, a nonprofit helping children become service leaders. He grew up in a family dedicated to giving back and sees service as a natural part of life.

"It's a blessing that we can help people who are in need," Matthew said. "If you go to a food bank, a diaper bank, a homeless shelter, you can just give an hour of your time, and that's very special."

The Ripple Effect

Governor Josh Stein attended the event and praised how Activate Good makes giving back accessible to everyone. The organization removes the barriers that often stop people from volunteering by coordinating with hundreds of partners and creating one central event where anyone can show up and make a difference.

"So many of us want to find ways to give back, but we don't know how to do it," Stein said. "You've made that easy for us, and we're very appreciative."

The model has proven so successful that it continues growing 15 years after its launch. What began as a small effort to reframe a national tragedy has become a powerful reminder that North Carolinians respond to darkness with light, and to loss with love.

From packing meals to donating blood, these volunteers proved that remembering the past means building a better future.