Thousands of children who lost a parent in the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks were offered counselling, mentoring and summer programmes through Tuesday’s Children, a charity created to support families living with the long-term effects of the tragedy.
The organisation was established in the aftermath of the attacks to help the 3,051 children who lost a parent that day. Its work focused on providing a community for young people facing grief, while helping them build relationships with others who understood their experience.
Support included access to counselling, one-to-one mentoring and trips designed to give children time away from the pressures of bereavement. The aim was not to erase the loss, but to ensure that those affected did not have to cope with it alone.
Programmes later expanded to include young people from other communities affected by terrorism and traumatic loss. Project COMMON BOND, for example, brought together teenagers who had lost parents in terrorist attacks, allowing them to share their experiences and develop leadership, conflict-resolution and peace-building skills. ([911memorial.org](https://www.911memorial.org/connect/blog/woman-who-lost-father-now-helping-others-tuesdays-children?utm_source=openai))
The charity’s work also included long-term mentoring. A case study published by the organisation described a boy who lost his father, an NYPD emergency services officer, on 9/11 and was matched with an adult mentor. The relationship continued for years as the boy grew up and later joined the US Marines. ([tuesdayschildren.org](https://www.tuesdayschildren.org/wp-content/uploads/TC-MI-Mentoring-Program-For-Families-compressed.pdf?utm_source=openai))
Tuesday’s Children has since broadened its mission to support families of military personnel who died in service, as well as communities affected by mass violence and other traumatic events. Its programmes have included family support, peer groups, referrals to mental health services and help with education and employment. ([dhs.gov](https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/2022-05/EMW-2021-GR-APP%20-00102-Tuesday%27s%20Children.pdf?utm_source=openai))
The organisation said in 2026 that it had adopted the name Tuesday’s Promise, reflecting the fact that many of the children it first supported are now adults, some with children of their own. It said the rebrand was intended to underline its commitment to providing support throughout the lives of families affected by traumatic loss. ([tuesdayspromise.org](https://www.tuesdayspromise.org/news?utm_source=openai))
More than two decades after the attacks, the need for such support has not disappeared. The experiences of those children continue to shape their families, relationships and communities — making the promise of long-term help as important now as it was in the days after 9/11.
