Best Buy Donates $500K to 9/11 'Day of Service and Rememberance' Effort

recently donated $500,000 to MyGoodDeed in support of efforts to commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and to establish Sept. 11 as a national service day, according to a company press release.

“Everyone has a story about where they were when they heard the news on 9/11, and many of our Best Buy employees were directly affected by the tragedy,” Brian Dunn, CEO of Best Buy, said in the release. “We are tapping in to the spirit of service that runs throughout our organization to help transform this day of tragedy into a meaningful remembrance by pledging our commitment to service.”

The company's contribution makes the it the "national innovation contributor" and is helping fund several online tools—such as 911day.org—and local service projects in a number of communities nationally, with a special focus on the Minneapolis area.

As part of the 9/11 remembrance effort, Best Buy is also hosting three events leading up and shortly following the anniversary:

• Sept. 7: Best Buy will hold a rally at its Richfield headquarters to kick-off the 9/11 activities. This event includes presentations by Dunn and the sister of United Flight 93 hero Tom Burnett, Martha Pettee. There will also be a performance of the national anthem by Quiet Drive, a local band.
• Sept. 10: Beginning at 9 a.m. at Victory Memorial Park in North Minneapolis, speakers will begin with a presentation and follow it with projects in and around the park as well as at Folwell Park and Theodore Wirth Park. According to the release, Best Buy employees will also be on site at Victory Memorial Park with mobile pledge stations for volunteers to upload their own special tribute to mark the occasion.
• Sept. 14: Best Buy employees will rehab the home of an elderly woman as part of a series of build and rehab events for Rebuilding Together Twin Cities, which is a 9/11 Day of Service partner.

In addition to these local events, Best Buy employees across the country will also be in other service projects on 9/11. Stay tuned for photos and an article on the Richfield rally.