A day we never forget.

On today’s edition of Up To Speed, we commemorated the 22nd anniversary of the tragic events of September 11th, 2001.

The devastating terrorist attacks claimed the lives of almost 3,000 Americans, including brave first responders and three of our own V Teamers: Donna Bowen, Derrick Washington and Leonard White. May we always remember them and all of the lives lost on that tragic day.

In the days following 9/11, our technicians and engineers worked tirelessly to reconnect communications in downtown Manhattan. Check out this short video that highlights those untold stories: The Untold Story of Reconnecting New York.

Honoring their memories

One of the greatest ways we can honor the memories of those who passed is by giving back to our communities.

Each year, V Teamers unite for the National Day of Service and Remembrance to honor the brave individuals who rose in service in response to the terrorist attacks. And to honor this 22-year anniversary, Verizon is donating $10 (up to $20,000 total) to 911Day.org for every volunteer hour committed between September 11-18.

All events on the Citizen Verizon Volunteers portal are eligible, but if you are looking for some recommendations, here are a few to start:

• Write, walk, honor, 9/11 first responders
• SOMOS: Walk for Mental Health & Donate
• Participate in a world clean up movement (global event)
• 9/11 remembrance walk & litter pick up (global event)
• Emergency donations for Maui (global event)
• VALOR service dogs: walk, honor, support
• Train to become a crisis counselor

Giving back to our everyday heroes

As for the brave men and women who put their lives on the line to protect us every day, one way that Verizon continues to show our appreciation for their selfless service is by offering plan and product discounts to active and retired first responders.

We’re proud to offer our best pricing on Unlimited plans for firefighters, police, EMS workers, retirees, volunteers and immediate family of those fallen in the line of duty.

Support for you and your loved ones

We know that this is a difficult topic for many, so we want to remind you that all V Teamers and their dependents and household family members can utilize our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for counseling services, mental health resources and much more.

The EAP is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 1-888-441-8674. For more on EAP, click here.

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