As the United States approaches the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001, the nonprofit 9/11 Day is putting major resources behind a familiar idea with renewed urgency: remembrance through service. The organization—founded by 9/11 families and leaders and co-led by co-founders David Paine and Jay Winuk—announced $3 million in grants to roughly 200 nonprofits, schools, and community groups across 40 states to expand local volunteer projects tied to this year’s September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance.

The funding is designed to dramatically increase the number of ways Americans can participate close to home, from food insecurity initiatives to neighborhood cleanups and support programs for veterans and first responders. Together, grant recipients are expected to engage more than 70,000 volunteers nationwide.

A major push toward youth-led service

More than 70% of the grant funding is going to youth organizations and educational institutions, including K–12 schools, universities, and other learning programs. The emphasis reflects a generational reality: millions of students today know 9/11 primarily through textbooks, family stories, and classroom lessons.

“For many students participating in the observance this year, 9/11 is something they’ve only encountered in textbooks or through stories from parents and grandparents,” said Jay Winuk, co-founder and executive vice president of 9/11 Day and a 9/11 family member. “By connecting history with hands-on service, we’re helping young people understand that the legacy of 9/11 isn’t defined only by tragedy. It’s also defined by compassion, resilience and the responsibility we all share to care for one another.”

Youth-focused projects supported by the grants include school-wide days of service, hunger-relief efforts, donation drives, community improvement work, and service-learning initiatives that connect the history of September 11 with practical ways to help others.

UNIITE for Good: turning an anniversary into a nationwide “doing good” moment

The grant program is a cornerstone of 9/11 Day’s nationwide UNIITE for Good campaign, scheduled to officially launch August 24. The campaign aims to transform the 25th anniversary into what organizers describe as America’s largest day of doing good—channeling remembrance into tangible community impact.

The program is administered in collaboration with AmeriCorps, with principal funding provided by AmeriCorps and the Popeyes Foundation. A special emphasis this year is addressing hunger—an issue described in the release as an “ever-growing hunger crisis across the nation.”

Meeting community needs where people live

Grant-funded projects span urban, suburban, and rural communities. Activities include assembling meals for individuals and families facing food insecurity, packing care kits for veterans and first responders, restoring community spaces, and strengthening schools and neighborhoods.

Beyond the service itself, the grants are also intended to help local groups recruit volunteers, purchase supplies, coordinate logistics, and expand the number of service opportunities available in their areas.

“As we mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, we have a responsibility to preserve not only the memory of that day and those lost and injured, but also the extraordinary way Americans came together in the aftermath of the attacks,” said David Paine, president and co-founder of 9/11 Day. “These community-led projects are helping rekindle that spirit of unity, compassion and service by bringing neighbors together to help solve local challenges.”

AmeriCorps echoed that message, framing service as a way to honor those who responded in the immediate aftermath of the attacks.

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“This year, we invite Americans to carry forward that enduring spirit of unity and service by becoming a hero for someone in need,” said Emily Stock, project manager for Volunteer Initiatives at AmeriCorps, noting that AmeriCorps-funded projects will include food drives, home repairs, neighborhood cleanups, and disaster preparedness activities.

The Popeyes Foundation also highlighted its community-focused mission and its role in supporting local projects.

Why this anniversary matters now

Organizers say the 25th anniversary arrives at a pivotal moment: more than 100 million Americans are now too young to have personal memories of September 11. That makes this milestone one of the last major opportunities to connect those who lived through the day with younger generations learning about it as history.

Examples of grant-supported efforts include:

• Marshall University, which plans to build on its existing 9/11 Days of Service tradition, including a Memorial Stair Challenge and volunteer projects supporting veterans, first responders, and families in need.
• Middlebury Elementary School, which will expand hands-on service activities that teach younger students about 9/11 through compassion and community action.
• University of South Dakota, where students will work alongside community partners to address local needs while learning how service can bridge backgrounds and perspectives.

How to get involved

A full list of 2026 9/11 Day Grant Program recipients is available through 9/11 Day. To learn more about the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance—and to find ways to participate—visit 911day.org.

STM Daily News will continue tracking community service initiatives and local observances tied to the 25th anniversary as September approaches

Kia and its Dealers Expand Community Giving Nationwide

(Feature Impact) Families often arrive at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital with a tough road ahead. Their child has been diagnosed with cancer, and they’re navigating a complex treatment plan. One thing that families don’t have to worry about is how they’ll pay for this upheaval to their lives. In 2026, Kia donated $2 million to St. Jude to help ensure families don’t receive a bill for medical costs, housing or food during treatment.

Watch this video to learn more

Kia announced its fifth annual “Accelerate the Good” dealer match program, which supports St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The program also donates to other organizations that make a positive impact in their communities.

Donations from a network of nearly 800 dealers support organizations such as No Kid Hungry, Toys for Tots, Operation Homefront and several other groups dedicated to children’s health, hunger relief, disaster response and veterans’ well-being. Kia employees also lead volunteer efforts to benefit community pantries, beach cleanups and clothing drives.

“The continued success of our ‘Accelerate the Good’ initiative reflects the shared commitment of Kia and our nationwide retailer network to invest in the communities we serve,” said SeungKyu (Sean) Yoon, president and CEO of Kia North America and Kia America. “Together, we are proud to support organizations that deliver lifesaving care, strengthen families, fight hunger and create meaningful opportunities for people across the country.”

Ahead of September’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Kia and its dealers have reached an important milestone: more than $7.7 million donated to St. Jude Children’s Hospital in four years. The donations are part of Kia’s broader community giving initiatives.

To learn more about how Kia is accelerating good in their communities, visit kia.com.

SOURCE:

Kia

New partnerships in Fresno and Kansas join ongoing operations in Omaha, St. Louis, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles

As millions of students return to classrooms, transportation company Zūm is beginning the 2026–27 school year with new district partnerships, expanded technology deployments and thousands of drivers preparing for what the company calls “the most important commute in America.”

The Redwood City, California-based student mobility company announced that its teams have completed months of driver training, route validation and operational planning ahead of the new academic year.

“There is nothing quite like the first day of school at Zum,” founder and CEO Ritu Narayan said in the company’s announcement. “You see drivers arriving before sunrise, teams making final preparations and buses rolling out of yards across the country—all united around one purpose: getting students safely and reliably to school.”

New buses roll out in Fresno

One of Zūm’s largest new launches is in California’s Fresno Unified School District. According to the company, 168 buses were placed into service just two weeks after its local team moved into a new transportation yard.

The district is also introducing the Zūm Parent App, which allows families to track buses in real time, receive arrival alerts, view scheduled rides and receive notifications when a child boards or exits a bus. Registered students will receive bus cards connected to the transportation system, according to Fresno Unified.

The rollout is part of a broader change in how Fresno Unified manages student transportation. Routes and stops will continue to be evaluated using registration information, actual ridership and family feedback, the district says. Beginning September 28, registered students will generally be required to show a bus pass before boarding. Fresno Unified’s transportation page provides registration instructions and assistance for families.

Technology comes to LAUSD’s in-house fleet

In Los Angeles, Zūm says its CMX technology has been deployed across the Los Angeles Unified School District’s internally operated bus fleet.

The platform is designed to connect routing, dispatch, drivers, schools, transportation officials and families through one operating system. Its tools include real-time vehicle visibility, route planning, operational coordination and family communications.

Rather than replacing the district’s in-house drivers, the Los Angeles deployment focuses on providing the technology used to coordinate district-operated buses.

New partnership in Kansas

Zūm also began a new partnership with the Shawnee Mission School District in Kansas. District leaders, drivers, monitors and school employees marked the start of the program with a launch celebration.

The company said Shawnee Mission’s transition is intended to give the district a more modern and technology-supported approach to student transportation.

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Meanwhile, Zūm is returning for a third school year in Omaha and Santa Barbara. Its St. Louis operation is entering its second year.

Drivers remain at the center

Although technology plays a growing role in school transportation, Zūm emphasized that drivers remain essential to the daily experience of students and their families.

“Back to school is when months of preparation come to life,” said Liz Sanchez, Zūm’s executive vice president of student mobility. “Our teams spend months hiring and training drivers, validating routes and working alongside our district partners to prepare.”

Drivers often serve as the first school-related adults students see in the morning and the last they see before returning home. Their work can also determine whether students arrive safely and on time—especially in communities where families have limited transportation choices.

A changing school-bus experience

School transportation has traditionally depended on separate systems for scheduling, dispatching, vehicle tracking and communicating with parents. Zūm CMX is designed to bring those functions together and give school districts a clearer view of their daily operations.

For families, the most visible change may be access to real-time bus locations and arrival notifications. These tools can reduce some of the uncertainty associated with late buses, route changes and missed pickups.

Zūm reports that its technology and transportation services now support more than 6,500 schools across 19 states. As the company expands, the 2026–27 school year will test how effectively its technology, drivers and district partnerships can translate into dependable daily service.

For students, however, the goal remains straightforward: a safe ride to school, a reliable trip home and one less obstacle between them and their education.

This article is based primarily on information provided in an August 21, 2026, Zūm press release. Statements about the company’s national reach, fleet deployments and technology are attributed to Zūm unless independently noted.

Source: Zūm official website

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Related links:

• Fresno Unified: Zūm Parent App
• Fresno Unified: New Transportation Model
• Fresno Unified: Bus Routes
• Fresno Unified: Back-to-School Resources

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