SAU honors 9/11 through community meal-packing service project

Southern Arkansas University is honoring the lives lost on September 11, 2001, by turning remembrance into action and bringing the University and surrounding community together to help address food insecurity.

Through a federal 9/11 grant written by Kathy Gean, director of SAU+AmeriCorps VISTA and Service Learning, SAU was awarded $10,000 to support a service project honoring those whose lives were lost on that day. The grant funded a large-scale meal-packing event held September 22 at the SAU Student Event Center.

SAU partnered with The Pack Shack to bring its meal-packing program to campus. Volunteers worked together to pack approximately 25,000 Louisiana-style red beans and rice meals in just a few hours.

The event brought together SAU students, faculty and staff, community volunteers, and local leaders, including SAU President Dr. Bruno Hicks, SAU Tech Chancellor Dr. Jerry Thomas and Arkansas State Senator Steve Crowell.

Following the meal-packing event, the meals will be distributed throughout the community. A portion will be made available through Mulerider Market, SAU’s campus food pantry, and the SAU Tech food pantry. Meals will also be shared with Stew Pot, Body and Soul Ministry at Asbury Methodist Church, and local school food pantries, helping provide food to students, families and individuals who may be experiencing food insecurity.

“September 11 is a day we will never forget, but remembrance can also be a call to serve,” said Kathy Gean. “This project gives us an opportunity to honor the lives lost by coming together to do something that will directly help others. We are taking a day remembered for tragedy and using it to create an opportunity for service, compassion and hope. These 25,000 meals will continue to make a difference long after the event is over, reaching students and families throughout our community.”