City of Boston Will Mark One Boston Day With Acts of Kindness

City of Boston will lead service activities and calls on community-based organizations and residents to plan One Boston Day volunteer opportunities

Mayor Michelle Wu and the City of Boston released the annual call to action for community-based organizations, businesses, and city of Boston residents to come together for volunteer events and acts of kindness in recognition of our City's spirit of care for one another in response to the tragic events of April 15, 2013. One Boston Day, observed on April 15, honors the victims, survivors, and first responders of the 2013 Boston Marathon. Mayor Wu is encouraging acts of kindness on Wednesday, April 15, and for people to take part in volunteer opportunities throughout the week.

"Thirteen years ago, when the horrific tragedy at the Boston Marathon shook our city to its core, we came together in love-mourning families, supporting survivors, and healing together," said Mayor Michelle Wu. "Each year on One Boston Day, we honor that spirit by coming together to perform acts of kindness for one another and make a difference in our neighborhoods. I hope everyone will join their neighbors today in honoring those we lost and celebrating the love that makes Boston a home for everyone."

City of Boston departments and workers will again this year be hosting service projects for people to give back to their communities on April 15 and throughout the week leading up to Marathon Monday, April 20, 2026. The Mayor's Office of Civic Organizing is facilitating a neighborhood cleanup for youth and families on Saturday, April 18, 2026, starting at 9:00 a.m. at Franklin Park Playstead. Interested volunteers are asked to register for the annual cleanup here.

"As spring arrives in Boston each year, we are reminded of the hope and spirit of our city," said Bill Richard, co-founder of the Martin Richard Foundation. "One Boston Day gives us a moment to reflect on our shared values most importantly to care for one another."

"In Boston, resilience is not just remembered-it is lived. One Boston Day honors the enduring spirit of a city that rises together, supports one another, and transforms adversity into unity, compassion, and strength," said Audrey Epstein Reny, founder of The Gillian Reny Stepping Strong Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "That spirit, so evident in the aftermath of the 2013 Boston Marathon tragedy, continues to guide us as we come together in service of one another to meet today's challenges.

In honor of One Boston Day, the Stepping Strong Center is offering a free, virtual Stop the Bleed training open to the public. Uncontrolled bleeding is the leading cause of preventable injury death and can be fatal in as little as five minutes, often before first responders arrive. However, there are simple techniques that bystanders can use to slow or stop bleeding and save a life. The rapid application of these techniques in the chaotic moments after the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing helped to save the life of Gillian Reny, for whom the center is named. On Wednesday, April 15, free Zoom sessions are available at 12:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. to learn how to recognize life-threatening bleeding and take immediate, effective action. Registration can be found here for the 12 p.m. session and here for the 6 p.m. session.

As the city marks 13 years since 2013, the City of Boston and the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) will honor the day with a wreath laying in the Back Bay the morning of Wednesday, April 15. More details will become available in the coming weeks.

"One Boston Day is a time for all of us to remember, uplift, and extend ​gratitude to one another. As race day and the 130th Boston Marathon presented by Bank of America approaches, we encourage all athletes, volunteers, spectators and community members to unite and celebrate the spirit, resilience, and determination of our community on One Boston Day," said Jack Fleming, President & CEO of the Boston Athletic Association. "This year's One Boston Day will occur on ​Wednesday of Boston Marathon race week, a time when many athletes from around the world begin arriving to Boston. As stewards of the event, the Boston Athletic Association looks forward to welcoming the world to our home and showcasing what truly makes our community and sport special."

More information about One Boston Day will be available here boston.gov/one-boston.

• Published by: Mayor's Office