New York is a symbol of freedom.
Everyone in the country loves you.
We hope your hearts are o.k.
You are very special to us.
Our families care about your families.
Remember we love you and are always thinking of you.
Keep up your spirits and God bless us all.
On September 11, 2026, New York City will commemorate the lives of the 2,983 men, women, and children killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center. This historic moment transformed both New York City and the nation in ways both big and small, and messages of hope, encouragement, love, and resilience poured in from across the country.
Throughout the month of September, LinkNYC kiosks throughout New York City will feature some of these heartfelt messages—specifically, children’s artwork and letters. Sent to City officials from school classrooms across the country, the handwritten letters express encouragement and gratitude to New York City’s firefighters, police officers, and New Yorkers citywide. They have been preserved in the Municipal Archives as a testament to the powerful impact that day had on lives both near and far.
As we recognize the 25th anniversary of this horrible incident, we also recognize the incredible hope, strength, and resilience that people brought with them to a place of tremendous grief and pain.
As part of the 25th annual 9/11 Day of Service & Remembrance on September 11, 2026, DORIS is inviting volunteers to commemorate the 25th anniversary of September 11 by helping to preserve the heartfelt messages left by family members and loved ones at the annual Ground Zero memorial services. Volunteers’ participation will help preserve these historical records and contribute to the future creation of a searchable, publicly accessible digital archive that will ensure every message can be discovered, remembered, and shared.
This virtual transcription event will take place on From the Page, a crowdsourcing platform which will host photos documenting handwritten messages inscribed on the wooden supports that surrounded the temporary reflecting pools installed annually at the site of the City’s 9/11 memorial services. The supports were collected and preserved by the Municipal Archives, and the messages they bear contain deeply personal expressions of remembrance, love, and loss.
The 9/11 transcription project will extend beyond September 11, and all volunteers participate remotely. To learn more, visit Messages of Memory: Transcribing Words of Remembrance.
