Meal packing offers service in honor of 9/11

For the fourth year in a row, the University of North Georgia (UNG) will use a somber day of remembrance as a reason to serve the community. From a grant through the 9/11 Day nonprofit and AmeriCorps, students, faculty and staff will pack meals that will go to local food banks through Feed the Funnel, set for 3-6 p.m. Sept. 10 in the Convocation Center at UNG's Dahlonega Campus.

This service effort will mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that killed 2,977 people. Sign-ups are available for two main shifts: 3-4 p.m. and 5-6 p.m.

Cleo Johnson, a senior from Kennesaw, Georgia, pursuing a degree in management, is Student Government Association (SGA) president for 2026-27 and is also a cadet. Johnson appreciates the unity that Feed the Funnel can bring at UNG and beyond.

"I love the teamwork it represents," Johnson said. "It's important that we're turning something so tragic in our history into a good cause."

In its first three years of Feed the Funnel, UNG has packed more than 250,000 meals for surrounding communities.

The Georgia Mountain Food Bank (GMFB) distributes the meals from UNG's 9/11 National Day of Service to those who need them most. Distributing through a network of pantries and distribution sites across Lumpkin, Dawson, Forsyth, Hall, and Union counties, GMFB fights hunger in north Georgia.

"It's important that we come together and remember the sacrifices made that day," said Emily Harris, assistant director of leadership and community engagement. "This reminds our UNG community that despite our differences, service and community can bring us together."

Angelica Pascual Jose, a sophomore from Cornelia, Georgia, pursuing degrees in accounting and finance, took part in last year's event thanks hearing about it through her membership in the Building Outstanding Leadership Development Program. She was grateful for the opportunity and looks forward to participating again this year.

"It helps a cause that I really care about, which is fighting hunger," Pascual Jose said. "Not only are you giving back, but you also get to connect with other students you may not know. We are all united as UNG students. It's a lot of community that we're able to feel."

The Popeyes Foundation, a partner in the event, supports organizations working to combat food insecurity through its Food Love Grants Program. Food Love Grants provide funding to nonprofit organizations that serve meals and food assistance to individuals and families in need through programs such as onsite feeding initiatives, mobile kitchens, homebound food delivery, out-of-school meals, and disaster-related food support.