Dear Families and Friends,

September is always a busy month for us at VOICES. The pandemic changed the traditional ways we commemorated the anniversary, yet thanks to the contribution of so many, we found new and meaningful pathways to connect with each other during this challenging time.  

VOICES Annual Remembrance Symposium was held virtually this year. Although we were not able to be together in person, the event provided an opportunity for hundreds of individuals from around the world to participate, many attending for the first time.

In advance of this year’s anniversary, we announced the change of our name to Voices Center for Resilience and launched our new website VoicesCenter.org. VOICES logo remains the same, along with our longstanding commitment to provide support for the 9/11 community. Our over 19 years of experience guides our efforts to assist those impacted by other tragedies.  

On the 19th Anniversary, we commemorated the lives of the 2,977 we so tragically lost on 9/11, and honored the responders and survivors who have died of 9/11-related illnesses. While many marked the day in new ways, others found comfort in making their annual pilgrimage to attend the ceremony in person. 

October is National Emotional Wellness Month which is an important focus of our mission. This month we launched a series of bereavement workshops and will be announcing additional programs in the coming weeks to promote wellness and build resilience. We also want to recognize October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Hotline information is available HERE.

As always, we are very grateful for the generosity of all those who have contributed in a variety of ways to support our work. Please contact our office at 203.966.3911 if we can be of assistance.   

Warm regards,

Mary Fetchet & the VOICES Staff

Voices Center for Resilience (VOICES) assists communities in preparing for and recovering from tragedy, and provides long-term support and resources that promote mental health care and wellness for victims’ families, responders and survivors.

As an integral part of VOICES, we established the Wolfgruber Institute, to honor the longstanding commitment of our former Chairman Kurt Wolfgruber. The Institute is a digital resource center with an ever-expanding collection of publications, research and lessons learned that advance mental health care and resiliency studies.

Our new website, VoicesCenter.org is a reliable source for information, resources and programs that are accessible to the individuals and communities we serve, here in the United States and abroad.

VOICES Annual Appeal is in full swing! Our sincere thanks to all who have generously contributed. All donations, both small and large, make a difference in supporting our programs.   

Every year it is especially heartwarming to hear from individuals who have held fundraising events on our behalf. Of special note this year – Robert Gray and the 9/11 Ride of Hope, Theta Xi Fraternity at the University of Nebraska, and the Greenfield Police Association of Greenfield, MA. 

During this unprecedented time, the needs of those we serve are growing, so your support is more important than ever. If you haven’t yet, we hope you will consider making a donation.

VOICES Annual Remembrance Symposium, Pathways to Resilience During Unpredictable Times, featured leading experts working in the fields of mental health, trauma, and resilience, as well as presentations by legal and medical professionals who support the 9/11 community.

If you did not have an opportunity to attend, the presentations listed below are available on our website:

• Keynote Address: Collective Trauma, Collective Fatigue
• Grief, Loss and Pathways to Resilience
• Providing Support and Promoting Resilience in Children and Families
• Stories of Resilience: Victims’ Families, Responders and Survivors
• VOICES 19th Anniversary Candle Lighting Ceremony
• Honoring the 9/11 Responders who advocated for the VCF
• Update on the Victim Compensation Fund and Other Programs
• Progress Report on September 11th Litigations: Saudi Litigation & Iran Fund
• World Trade Center Health Program: Treatment and Outreach Updates
• Commemorating the Lives and Documenting the Stories

Of special note is our 19th Anniversary Candle Lighting Ceremony and VOICES tribute to the legacies of Lou Alvarez and Ray Pfeifer.

VOICES has launched a series of bereavement workshops beginning with Yes, I’m Still Grieving: Managing Loss Long-Term. Upcoming workshops will be held monthly on Wednesday evenings from 7:00pm to 8:15pm EST and will focus on various topics. The workshops are free and open to the public. Please note registration is required.

• November 4, 2020 – Grief and the Holidays
• December 9, 2020 – Making Meaning in the Face of Loss and Grief
• January 6, 2021 – Building Resilience After Loss

The program will be facilitated by Connie Palmer, LCSW, Clinical Training Director for Imagine, a Center for Coping with Loss. Each workshop will include skills development, self-reflection exercises and opportunities for Q+A with the presenter. To learn more and register for one or all programs, please click below.

This month we remember all those who have been impacted by mass violence during the month of October. As their communities come together to commemorate the lives of the victims, and support their families and those who have survived, they are in our thoughts and prayers.

May they find comfort and healing through the support of one another, and in knowing we are always here to lend a helping hand. We will #Always Remember

October 1 - Las Vegas Strip Massacre, Las Vegas, NV

October 12 - Seal Beach, CA

October 18 - Edgewood Business Park, Edgewood, MD

October 24 - Marysville-Pilchuck High School, Marysville, WA

October 27 - Tree of Life Shooting, Pittsburgh PA

October 31 - Colorado Springs, CO

VOICES 9/11 Living Memorial Project, commemorates the lives of the 2,977 who died on September 11, 2001 and documents stories of survivors and responders. The Living Memorial is a digital collection of over 87,000 photographs that chronicles their lives and stories through photographs and personal mementos shared by their families.

We invite you to visit the 9/11 Living Memorial to learn about the 2,977 lives lost and stories of those who survived, and leave a personal tribute.

September 11th Litigation Ruling On the eve of the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, September 10, 2020, a federal Judge directed the Saudi Arabian government to make as many as 24 current and former officials available for depositions about their possible knowledge of events leading up to the airplane attacks of September 11, 2001, which killed almost 3,000 Americans. Read More.

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Victim Compensation Fund Acknowledges COVID-19 Impact On September 9, 2020 Special Master Rupa Bhattacharyya announced that if a first responder or survivor’s death certificate lists COVID-19, plus cancer, or a certified respiratory illness, the fund would accept wrongful death claims and consider it a 9/11-related illness. This recognizes the impact of 9/11 illness as a significant part in the death of a responder or survivor.

From 9/11 to today, helping families and communities heal after tragedy

Voices Center for Resilience assists communities in preparing for and recovering from tragedy, and provides long-term support and resources that promote mental health care and wellness, for victims’ families, responders and survivors.

More Information: www.VoicesCenter.org

(203) 966-3911 | Support@VoicesCenter.org