In the wake of the tragic attacks of 9/11, Americans everywhere (young and old) heard the “call to serve” our country, our communities and one another. The quote: “Every day is September 12th” is a distant memory. Military recruiting rates and propensity to serve among young people are at all time lows. Similar shortages exist in service professions and industries we now must call on young people to consider; while a vast majority of them weren’t even born on September 11th. In addition to these massive skills gaps threatening our national security and hindering economic growth, our country and our communities are divided by polarization.
On Friday September 12, 2025 leaders from across the public, private and nonprofit sectors will have a unique opportunity to come together, Uniting in Service in Minneapolis to address these systemic challenges.
Uniting in Service: Military Thriving Minneapolis will provide an unprecedented opportunity for several hundred local residents in the Twin Cities to serve shoulder to shoulder — with one goal in mind: to strengthen military and veteran engagement with youth and spotlight positive outcomes of service both in and out of uniform.