Remembering Sept. 11: Brittany Harper

Brittany Harper was sitting in a high school classroom in West Point, MS, on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. It was the beginning of her senior year.

She was headed to college the next year. She knew she wanted to work in an industry that allowed her to help people. But she said she spent that day with her classmates, watching the devastation unfold on television.

"[Sept. 11] helped to, I guess, focus my desire to help people," said Harper, who lives in the Briarcliff area. "People made themselves available whether it was donating their time or donating their money or donating their goods. ... It was pretty inspirational and it was pretty heartwarming to watch and experience that.”

Now, Harper works at Hands On Atlanta, an Atlanta nonprofit that's working to organize a metro-wide service event to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. On Sept. 8-11, Hands On Atlanta will host approximately 15,000 volunteer opportunities across the metro Atlanta area.

"While 9/11 did fill me with a desire to give back, I've always had a passion for helping others," said Harper, an executive affairs coordinator at the nonprofit. "When I discovered what a nonprofit organization was, I thought, 'That's what I want to do.' I love the idea that my day-to-day work benefits my community in some way. I'm not just collecting a pay check. I'm helping make a difference."