Serve on #911Day

A We Go Dark on this 9/11 Day, we begin by sharing this message from the co-founder of 911.Org:

To Our Friends, 9/11 Family Members, and Supporters, As many of you know, on September 11th, 2001, I lost my courageous brother, Glenn Winuk. Glenn was an attorney, volunteer firefighter and trained EMT who died in the line of duty during the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center in New York City. As hard as the anniversary of 9/11 is for my family and me each year, I am so inspired by the fact that, because of your support and kindness, and that of countless others, 9/11 has grown to become one of the largest days of charitable service in America, an observance now widely known as "9/11 Day." This Monday, when our nation joins together again to mark the 16th anniversary of the attacks, millions of people will once more pay tribute by being kind to others, promoting a spirit of unity, and engaging in good deeds to help those most in need. 9/11 Day has truly become an extraordinary and inspiring symbol of our nation’s collective resilience, goodness, and compassion. I know this about my late brother:  He would have really appreciated what we're building together! So I hope you'll join me in participating in 9/11 Day this year. Here are a few helpful suggestions:  Share a personal message of tribute or support on our website, 911day.org. Donate $9.11 to support the September 11 National  Day of Service and Remembrance. (This year we're planning to use a portion of these proceeds to provide emergency food relief to the victims of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma.) Observe the official moments of silence that will happen on 9/11. Do any kind of good deed tomorrow or this week, and encourage your colleagues, friends and family members to do the same. If you're not sure what to do, start by being especially kind or helpful to those you encounter, and check out our web site for other ideas. For those of you who, like me, lost a loved one on 9/11, or are survivors or first responders, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Please take comfort in knowing that millions of people will be remembering by making a difference, in honor of you and those you may have loved and lost. My family and I wish you peace and comfort this 9/11, and we pray for the victims of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Best wishes, Jay Winuk, Co-Founder

We are also  honored to feature this call to action from the Corporation for National Service Across all our properties: 

9/11 Day and the Spirit of Service

On Monday, the nation will observe the 16th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the United States.

This day could have easily become one that focused on those who attacked our nation and the American way of life. However, the families who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001, wanted to mark this date by looking forward while recognizing the lives lost and remembering those who rose up in service. 

From first responders who face danger every day, to people who changed their career paths to pursue military or public service, to the simple acts that everyday Americans integrated into their lives, millions of stories of service emerged from the aftermath of 9/11.

The Corporation for National and Community service is charged with leading the nation in service on September 11th that honors the spirit of unity and service that infused the nation in the weeks and months after this tragedy. It is a responsibility we cherish.

“In the dark days following September 11th, Americans came together as a country to show that we are there for each other,” said Kim Mansaray, Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service. “We see this same spirit of service in the extraordinary acts of neighbor helping neighbor and stranger helping stranger in communities impacted by Hurricane Harvey. I am proud that so many Americans choose to dedicate this day to give back in honor of the victims and heroes of September 11th. This is America at its best.”

At our core, Americans understand the challenges that we face require its citizens to stand tall in times of need, demonstrating the resilience, kindness, and compassion that are defining characteristics of our people. 

Patriot Day, as it has come to be called, is an opportunity to join together and serve to honor those who perished on 9/11 and remember the bonds we share that keep the fabric of our nation strong.

We encourage everyone to find service and volunteering opportunities in your community to commemorate this day by searching for opportunities on our 9/11 Day webpage. Our September 11th partners at My Good Deed also have ideas to mark the day along with links where you can find service events or register ones in your community.

We hope you take this opportunity to commit to making service and volunteering part of your life. It is the best way we can think of to pay tribute to the victims and heroes of September 11th.

In service, 

CNCS Office of External Affairs

Notations From the Grid (Special W-End Edition): Some Awesome News.....

We picked this up that we hope brings some "smile" to all courtesy of the team at the DayBreaker:

REAL NEWS: 3 Things Happened This Week That Prove The World is Actually Awesome

It's easy to think society is swirling down the “times of trouble toilet.” But here are three things to remind you how people are actually incredibly awesome.   ️ A MAYOR, WHAT THE MLB SAID YES TO + OBAMA'S LETTER TO TRUMP ️

Notations On Our World (Special Edition): On #Harvey, #Irma & #EquifaxBreach

 Photo credit: Charlie Riedel/APtion

It has been quite a weekend in our midst as we have been witness to the nature's fury in Texas, the Caribbean and Florida and the Equifax Data breach. Our team received this primer courtesy of the team at Global Citizen that we wanted to report on on how all around the World Can help as we will feature this on all our properties: The devastation we've seen in Houston, and now in Florida and the Caribbean, is unimaginable. Relief teams estimate it will take more than a decade to repair the destruction. Thousands are now living in shelters or completely homeless in parts of the country where many already live under the U.S. poverty line. For those already struggling to make ends meet, Harvey will continue to wreak havoc on their lives for years to come.   At Global Citizen we work to end extreme poverty around the world through calling for systemic change against the systems that keep people poor. We also believe that strong community spirit is an essential pillar of our mission. And in times like these, there's something each of us can do to help our brothers and sisters in Texas, Florida and the Caribbean as they work to rebuild their lives. Donate now to one of these organizations that are helping people directly on the ground. Give what you can — and together, our donations can make a big difference in the lives of Texans, Floridians, and beyond. We are holding all those impacted in our thoughts and prayers. Warmly, Hugh Evans (CEO), Liza Henshaw (COO) and the Global Citizen Team   ### One America: A newly created fund created by President Jimmy Carter, President George H.W. Bush, President Bill Clinton, President George W. Bush, and President Barack Obama. You can donate here. American Red Cross: This longstanding relief organization is establishing shelters, distributing food, and providing emergency medical services throughout Texas. You can donate here. Catholic Charities USA: This Catholic relief group is working to address short and long-term hurricane damage. You can donate here. Save the Children: This emergency response team is dedicated to assisting children and families affected by the hurricane. You can donate here. Please also see this very crucial primer on the Equifax Data Breach that we hope all take advantage of--we understand that folks in the United Kingdom are even affected--although this is geared towards the 145 Million affected in the United States only:

•  Assume you are affected. Equifax and other credit reporting companies can collect information about you from credit card companies, banks, or other financial institutions without your knowledge. 
•  Freeze your credit reports with all three major credit reporting companies: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Visit the Federal Trade Commission’s Credit Freeze FAQ page for guidance on how to freeze your credit. 
• Set fraud alerts with all three agencies. For guidance on how to set fraud alerts, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s Place a Fraud Alert page. 
• Monitor activity on your credit accounts and reports carefully. Consider checking your credit rating regularly by asking for free credit reports from your bank or other credit service companies. Please note that while Equifax is offering free credit monitoring for those affected by this breach, there are reports (not confirmed by USC) that you may be opting out of your ability to join any class action lawsuits against the company if you sign up for Equifax’s credit monitoring. 
• Be aware of tax return fraud. Criminals sometimes use stolen social security numbers and other personal information to file fraudulent tax returns and redirect tax refunds to their own accounts. For more information on how to protect yourself, see the Internal Revenue Service’s Taxpayer Guide to Identity Theft. 

As this is a major and well-publicized breach, identity thieves and other criminals are likely to send out phish emails appearing to come from Equifax or other credit reporting agencies. It is important that you do not click links in any emails asking for your personal information or login details, no matter how legitimate the emails may appear. Instead, open a new browser window, navigate to the company’s website by manually typing its official URL in the location bar, and conduct any required business there.

(Update: We end with this courtesy of the Code for America with this link on the #IrmaResponse: ):

Help Floridians prepare for Hurricane Irma You may have heard about the great work done by Sketch City, Code for America's Houston Brigade, organizing volunteers to map shelters, coordinate rescues, and clean out flooded homes in Houston during and after Hurricane Harvey. Check out Harvey Needs to see what they built. The Brigade, alongside volunteers around the country, is shifting focus to Florida ahead of Hurricane Irma. Working with Code for Miami, Code for Fort Lauderdale, and Code for Orlando, the volunteers have created Irma Response, repurposing many of the tools used in Houston, including a hurricane shelter map and resources for volunteers looking for ways to help. Want to help right now? Take a look at the Irma Tech Volunteer Onboarding guide and spread the word by sharing it with anyone you think can help as well. Want to connect with other volunteers? Join the Irma Response Slack channel.