25 Years Since the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

ARCAN Update by Becky McCorry, President 

AUGUST 2026

It’s hard to believe that the 9/11 terrorist attacks were nearly 25 years ago. Some days, it feels like it was just yesterday; other times it feels like it was eons ago. 

I was the New York State disaster lead for the Red Cross when the planes hit the World Trade Center, struck the Pentagon and crashed into the field in Shanksville, PA. But I saw that one of the worst days for our nation brought out the best in our nation as we helped with the response and the recovery.

And our work continues for you and the people who were part of the 9/11 response.

The American Red Cross Alumni Network (ARCAN) has been working to ensure that Red Cross staff and volunteers involved in the response and recovery efforts are aware of ongoing federal government programs to address health claims related to those efforts in New York, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania. 

We hosted a webinar in June with leaders of the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund, a federal program set up to compensate people for health claims related to the response and recovery. They went through the three-step process for people to register with the fund, get their claims certified and then be compensated if eligible.

The Victims Compensation Fund has already received more than 109,000 claims and paid more than $17.8 billion to 74,000 claims.

Here’s the main point: If you were part of the response and recovery and on the scene, look into getting registered. Go to VCF.gov to learn more and register.

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Kate Forbes Speaks of Importance of Humanitarian Aid and IHL During ARCAN Webinar

By Roger Lowe

Kate Forbes, president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), called on all parts of the Movement – societies, staff, volunteers and alumni – to become more active in talking about the importance of humanitarian assistance and international humanitarian law at a time of rising challenges across the world.

Speaking to more than 100 people in a webinar hosted by ARCAN, Kate said she believes that the Red Cross is too quiet about what it does, too quiet about the importance of international humanitarian law and too quiet about its global impact, which is more than any other organization.

She urged current and former Red Crossers – staff and volunteers – to speak at schools and community events about humanitarian issues, international humanitarian law, the work of the Red Cross, and the need for lifesaving assistance in so many places across the world.

Kate, who has more than 40 years of experience with the Red Cross and Red Crescent, was elected IFRC President in December 2023; she is the second woman to hold this position.

She said that in the years ahead, a big challenge will be keeping pace with the growing humanitarian need, including food insecurity and access to safe water. She spoke of the Cox’s Bazar camp in Bangladesh with over 1 million refugees from Myanmar and where there are no schools and far too little food. 

Kate also noted that climate change is another big challenge as well as simultaneously addressing crises in Ukraine, Gaza and Iran while dealing with critical ongoing needs for humanitarian assistance and programs in places such as Syria and Africa that are not getting as much attention. 

Full story here