How the Co-Founder of 9/11 Day Learned to Trust His Gut

Each year, PR News recognizes the leaders and campaigns creating the most social good at our CSR & Nonprofit awards luncheon. The 2019 event, hosted at the the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., saw nearly 300 top communicators celebrate their colleagues accomplishments in making the world a better place.

Keynoter Jay Winuk, President of Winuk Communications, Inc. and co-founder of the 9/11 National Day of Service and MyGoodDeed, told an impassioned story about why he started the nonprofit after losing his brother, Glenn, on 9/11.

Winuk also recalled his first conference for 9/11 Day, held just down the hall from our awards luncheon in a packed press club breakout room. Winuk was nervous that promoting the day could come off as opportunistic, and the fact that the press club room was packed full of reporters and cameramen didn't help. But upon realizing that his 9/11 Day would be well-received, Winuk had an epiphany.