David Paine is the co-founder and president of 9/11 Day, the nonprofit organization that led the formal establishment of September 11 as a federally recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Over the past 24 years, 9/11 Day has inspired tens of millions of Americans to honor the victims and heroes of 9/11 through acts of kindness, volunteering, and charitable giving—transforming a day of tragedy into a powerful annual moment of unity and service across the country.

For the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Paine and his co-founder Jay Winuk are leading an ambitious national effort to organize what is expected to be the largest day of service in American history. The initiative will feature 50 large-scale, multi-city service projects focused on critical needs such as hunger relief, alongside expanded education programs and grantmaking to support schools, nonprofits, and youth organizations nationwide. This historic effort is powered by an extraordinary coalition of influential partners — including the NFL, Major League Baseball, National Governors Association, U.S. Conference of Mayors, America250, AmeriCorps, Points of Light, and many others — and is supported by more than 600 corporate partners, including Delta Air Lines, Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co., JPMorgan Chase, American Express, Citigroup, Pfizer, Blackstone, The Coca-Cola Company, Starbucks, and many other leading corporations committed to advancing service and unity nationwide.

At a time of deep division, Paine is advancing a bold, unifying vision for civic engagement—one that invites Americans of all backgrounds to join together in shared purpose through service. His work is rooted in the belief that even in the face of profound loss, acts of compassion can help bridge divides, strengthen communities, and reaffirm our common humanity. Through his leadership, he has helped build a lasting national movement grounded in empathy, unity, and the enduring idea that doing good for others is one of the most meaningful ways to remember.