Veterans, Volunteers Lead Two Major 9/11 Events in Los Angeles
1,300 Volunteers to Pack 400,000 Meals for Local Families in Need
More than 1,300 volunteers will gather at the Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center to package 400,000 non-perishable meals for people experiencing food insecurity in Los Angeles.
The event is part of the federally recognized September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, marking both the 24th anniversary of the attacks and Hunger Action Month. The meals will be distributed by the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank to local families and individuals in need.
This year marks the seventh annual Los Angeles Meal Pack for 9/11 Day, one of 25 large-scale service projects taking place in 24 cities across the U.S. The nonprofit 9/11 Day, founded in 2002, organizes the nationwide effort. Organizers estimate more than 30,000 volunteers nationwide will assemble nine million meals, with about 30 million Americans expected to participate in service activities throughout the day.
According to Feeding America, over 47 million people nationwide experience food insecurity, a problem that affects every U.S. county.
The Los Angeles project is backed by more than 55 companies and organizations, including lead sponsors Reliance, MUFG, Western Alliance Bank, AmeriHome Mortgage, Citizens Business Bank, Servicon Cares, Paramount Skydance, and Aspire General Insurance. National sponsors include AmeriCorps, Delta Air Lines, Holland & Knight, JPMorgan Chase, Pfizer Foundation, and Nestlé.
Event Details:
- Date: Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025
- Time: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Location: Frank Hotchkin Memorial Training Center, 1700 Stadium Way, Los Angeles
- Parking: Dodger Stadium Lot 13, adjacent to the venue
For more information about the September 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance, visit 911day.org, or email info@911day.org.
22-Mile Tribute March to Honor Veterans and First Responders
Also on Thursday, Shepherd’s Men, a group of active-duty, retired, and honorably discharged service members and civilian supporters, will embark on a 22-mile march through Los Angeles to raise awareness about the challenges faced by veterans and first responders.
The Tribute March will begin at 8:46 a.m., the exact time the first plane struck the World Trade Center in 2001. Participants will each carry weights symbolizing the burden borne by the nation’s heroes. You can read more about it here.
The march will start at the Court of Historic American Flags in downtown Los Angeles and follow Wilshire Boulevard west to the coast, then head north, concluding at the American Legion Post 283 in Pacific Palisades around 3:45 p.m.
This symbolic journey aims to raise funds and awareness for the SHARE Military Initiative, a free, comprehensive program based in Atlanta that provides critical care to post-9/11 veterans and first responders suffering from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Since its founding in 2014, Shepherd’s Men has raised more than $11 million for SHARE, helping over 300 veterans complete the program.
Event Details:
- Assembly Time: 7:45 a.m.
- March Start Time: 8:46 a.m.
- Start Location: Court of Historic American Flags, 145 N. Broadway, Los Angeles
- End Location: American Legion Post 283, 15247 La Cruz Drive, Pacific Palisades
Opportunities will be available before and after the march to interview Travis Ellis, founder of Shepherd’s Men, as well as graduates of the SHARE program
For more information about the march and SHARE Military Initiative, visit www.shepherdsmen.com or www.shepherd.org/patient-programs/share-military-initiative.
