Our Voices: Message from the Director
It is with deep sorrow that we regret to inform you that our dear friend and leader, Kurt Wolfgruber, passed away peacefully this morning following a brief, but serious illness. For over a decade Kurt served as Chairman of the Board at Voices of September 11th, with dedication and commitment to ensuring all those impacted by 9/11 had the support they needed to heal..
The heartbreaking news of the recent suicides of two Parkland students and the father of a child who was killed in the Sandy Hook shooting is a sobering reminder of the profound long-term impact these tragedies have on families, survivors, and the community-at-large.
Responders and survivors stricken with 9/11-related illnesses need our help. In the days and months following the attacks, over 90,000 responders who worked in the recovery effort and 400,000 survivors who lived, worked, or went to school in the area were exposed to toxins in Lower Manhattan. Today over 40,000 are in treatment for life-threatening illnesses, including over 100 cancers.
As we begin the new year we would like to thank our donors and partners for your support in 2018! Thanks to your generosity Voices of September 11th continues our mission of providing critical support services and access to resources and mental health care for victims' families, survivors and responders.
During the month of October VOICES is promoting mental health awareness. Did you know that one in five Americans is affected by a mental health condition in a given year? However, many do not seek care and their conditions are untreated due to the stigma of mental illness.
