Marking the Anniversary of 9/11, the 9/11 Tribute Museum Announces The ‘Stories in Tribute’ Campaign
New York, NY – September 6, 2023 – As part of its ongoing effort to preserve the memories of 9/11 for future generations, the 9/11 Tribute Museum announced the launch of a campaign, ‘Stories in Tribute’.
On the 20th anniversary, it is pivotal to secure our future with this fundraising to support the archives, educational programming, and programs for the 9/11 community, a pledge America first made on September 12, 2001. The Tribute Museum provides unique educational experience with first-person testimonials and reminds people of the positive differences our local and global communities can make when we all stand together.
Over 15 years, the 9/11 Tribute Museum welcomed over 5 million visitors before closing in 2022. It also hosted more than 500,000 visitors to hear the 9/11 community stories of resilience and hope with others.
“The ‘Stories in Tribute’ campaign will support the 9/11 Tribute Museum in its mission to preserve the authentic voices and to help the public understand what happened on that horrific day, how the world has changed, and the tremendous spirit of resilience and service that emerged after the attacks,” said Lee Lelpi, Co-Founder of the 9/11 Tribute Museum and President of the Board of Directors for the September 11th Families’ Association. “To all of the police officers, firefighters, and volunteers who bravely came to our aid that day: this is our small way of keeping the memory of your heroism alive.”
“When people think of artifacts, they think of steel, which symbolizes strength and endurance. At the 9/11 Tribute Museum, the stories of our volunteers are our most profound and poignant artifacts,” said Joan Mastropaolo, Community Resident and Board Director of the 9/11 Tribute Museum. “The ‘Stories in Tribute’ campaign will allow us to continue to carry this history forward.”
“Honoring the stories and experiences of those most closely impacted by 9/11 is an essential part of healing, rebuilding, and advocating for New Yorkers who lost their loved ones, their lives, and their health on that tragic day,” said New York State Senator Kristen Gillibrand. “We are still making sense of all the ways 9/11 altered the fabric of who we are as a nation. I am thankful to the 9/11 Tribute Museum for creating ways to educate and inspire all of us to continue advocating for a world in which the 9/11 community can receive the care and justice they deserve.”
“Twenty years after 9/11, I continue to remember the 2,977—some of them my friends—who were tragically murdered that day by terrorists, in addition to the countless first responders, local residents, and others who have battled 9/11- related cancers, injuries and trauma since,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer.
Senator Schumer continues, “For fifteen years, the 9/11 Tribute Museum has supported those affected by 9/11 and the 9/11 community has bravely shared their stories with visitors and students from around the world. We owe a great debt to those who died, whose stories are honored at the museum, and to those who share their stories with countless visitors. On the anniversary of the attacks, I am reminded of the profound sense of common purpose, unity, and selflessness that this tragedy spurred in New York and across our whole nation. In honor of those lost that day and those affected by the tragedy, we never stopped searching or finding ways to learn from our mistakes and we never stopped moving forward to rebuild our city and nation so that it is stronger, wiser, more compassionate, and better, and the 9/11 Tribute Museum has an important part in that.”
It remains more critical than ever to support the 9/11 Tribute Museum:
- As the 9/11 community ages and suffers from 9/11-related illnesses, it is increasingly important to preserve these stories from family members, survivors, first responders, recovery workers and residents.
- The museum’s operations were forced to close in 2022. Programs have shifted virtually to continue educational resources and allow access to the authentic community voices.
- The lack of a standard educational curriculum in our school system has left our younger generations with little to no understanding of what happened on 9/11. Educational tools with the first-person perspectives enable teachers to bring these essential lessons into the classroom.