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New York, NY, September 5,2002 - World Trade Center victims and their families were honored this evening with select readings from Portraits 9.11.01 by honorary guests at In Our Own Words event, an annual literary event for victims of crime and abuse created by Safe Horizon, the nation’s leading victim assistance and advocacy organization.
Readers at the Tribeca Rooftop included actors Marlo Thomas and Stephanie March (Law & Order), President of the United Way of New York City Ralph Dickerson, NYPD Detective Anthony DeMaria, New York Times Metro Reporter Jan Hoffman, and William B. Feehan, son of fallen Firefighter William Feehan.
This year, Safe Horizon turned the focus of the annual event to the victims of the World Trade Center attack and readings from Portraits 9.11.01, the collection of the “Portraits of Grief” biographies that have been listed regularly in the New York Times. Soon after the horrific events of September 11, newsroom staffers at The New York Times began to ask about the names and faces behind the unimaginable statistics. Their efforts, which grew into the daily "Portraits of Grief" feature, gathered force over the ensuing weeks and eventually became a cultural phenomenon on a national scale.
Each day, readers in New York and across the country spent a few moments getting to know the doting fathers and loving spouses, gourmet cooks, fanatical sportsmen, partygoers, church elders, pranksters and perfectionists - the astonishing diversity of unique individuals. And as we made the transition from mourning our loss to celebrating these lives, a gentle note of uplift was sounded, and we began to think about healing.
“We are deeply moved by the overwhelming response to this year’s In Our Own Words,” said Gordon Campbell, CEO of Safe Horizon. “These short biographical sketches pay tribute not only to the profound losses of that day, but also to the remarkable way in which New Yorkers have come together to help each other and to heal.”
Safe Horizon, New York City's leading victim assistance and advocacy organization since 1978, quickly mobilized to provide relief to September 11th victims at the Family Assistance Center at Pier 94 and at their five borough assistance centers and September 11th Support Hotline. Safe Horizon’s 23 years of experience in providing services for over 400,000 victims of crime, abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assaults annually throughout the five boroughs enabled the organization to successfully undertake this massive effort. To date, they have given out over $100 million to more than 45,000 victims and their families.
Safe Horizon offers 75 programs throughout New York’s five boroughs and has a staff of 1,000. Their mission is to provide support, prevent violence, and promote justice for victims of crime and abuse, their families and communities. Their programs in community offices, shelters, courts, police precincts, and schools help over 400,000 New Yorkers every year.
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