Whom You Know: HEART 9/11 Launches $9.11 Campaign to Drive Critical Support for Life-Saving Mission

Monday, November 4, 2024

HEART 9/11 Launches $9.11 Campaign to Drive Critical Support for Life-Saving Mission

Founded by 9/11 First Responder Bill Keegan, the Nonprofit Aims to Mobilize First Responders and the Communities They Serve Through Powerful Ad Campaign

HEART 9/11, the nonprofit founded by retired PAPD Lieutenant and 9/11 first responder Bill Keegan, has launched a compelling new ad campaign to sustain its critical mission of delivering hope, healing, and recovery to communities affected by disasters. The campaign, which highlights the organization's unwavering spirit of service, encourages supporters to donate $9.11 – a small, yet powerful amount that helps fuel HEART 9/11’s life-saving efforts.

Founded in 2007 by Keegan, HEART 9/11 (Healing Emergency Aid Response Team) is an alliance of first responders from the FDNY, NYPD, PAPD and NYC Building Trades who bonded in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. Since its inception, the organization has expanded its reach globally to respond to natural disasters, humanitarian crises, and emergencies while working tirelessly to transfer their unique 9/11 rescue recovery mission experience to future first responders. HEART 9/11 is consistently among the first to arrive and the last to leave, ensuring that recovery and rebuilding efforts are supported long after the initial crisis fades.

The $9.11 campaign leverages this legacy, with the message "Strength in Action. Power in Unity," to remind people of the incredible cohesiveness and community that emerged from tragedy, and pass on these vital lessons to future first responders and survivors.

"Every donation, no matter how small, allows us to continue our mission and remind our fellow Americans that when faced with catastrophic challenges, we must come together," said Bill Keegan, founder and president of HEART 9/11. "From disaster relief to long-term community rebuilding, we are built on the values of courage, compassion, and resilience. Through this campaign, we want to emphasize that even a gift of $9.11 can help save lives and rebuild futures."

Since its establishment, HEART 9/11 has launched 339 deployments in response to 49 disasters in six countries and 16 states across the U.S., with teams currently in Florida and North Carolina; trained 1,000 law enforcement officers from 75 police departments in stress management; rebuilt and modified 884 houses; completed 37 veteran builds and home modifications for injured first responders; and more.

In addition to its impactful disaster response work, HEART 9/11 launched its Responder 2 Responder Assistance Program in response to the overwhelming health needs of first responders and building trades members affected by duty-related illnesses or injuries, especially those linked to 9/11. The program leverages the organization’s extensive veteran home build experience to address the needs of first responders. Another key initiative, HEART 9/11’s Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) Program for First Responders, empowers the community of first responders with stress management and resilience techniques and disciplines that will assist them in both their professional and personal lives.

“As a proud supporter of HEART 9/11, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible impact this organization has on communities recovering from disaster,” said Gary LaBarbera, president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York. “Our union brothers and sisters, along with our affiliate members, are honored to volunteer alongside HEART 9/11, paying it forward to help those in need. Their commitment to responding quickly and staying for the long haul mirrors the values we uphold—courage, resilience, and determination. The $9.11 campaign is a powerful reminder that even the smallest contributions can make a lasting difference. We stand with HEART 9/11 as they continue their critical mission of rebuilding lives and communities, and we encourage everyone to join us in supporting this important cause.”

“Participating in HEART 9/11’s SMART training taught me invaluable strategies and simple, practical techniques that have truly transformed my approach to mental wellbeing,” said Adrienne Kennedy, immediate past president of the board of directors of NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). “Since completing the training, I have experienced remarkable health improvements: my atrial fibrillation and bradycardia are gone, I am free from the back and hip pain that plagued me for 20 years and required multiple surgeries, and I haven’t had a single asthma-related incident in more than three years. I am incredibly grateful to HEART 9/11 for offering this life-changing support.”

To learn more about HEART 9/11’s mission or to make a contribution, please visit: https://heart911.funraise.org/.

About HEART 9/11

HEART 9/11 is a team of first responders – FDNY, NYPD, PAPD and the NYC Building Trades – that bonded in the aftermath of September 11, 2001. Together, the organization builds resiliency and provides hope for individuals, families and communities that have been affected by natural and man-made disasters. To address the overwhelming health needs of first responders and building trades members, HEART 9/11 established the Responder 2 Responder Assistance program, in which individuals help retrofit homes to increase accessibility. Additionally, HEART 9/11 provides strength and resilience training for individuals who serve on the frontlines during tragic events, including nurses, teachers, and school aides, and a SMART Program for first responders focused on managing job-related stress.

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