Latter-day Saints and Friends Gather to Pack Meals for Others on September 11 Anniversary

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By Eastin Hartzel, Church News

Latter-day Saints joined with friends and neighbors in a massive nationwide effort to transform an anniversary of tragedy into a day of service and hope. One signature project, organized by the nonprofit 9/11 Day and in coordination with JustServe, saw volunteers in 24 cities pack more than 9.4 million meals for people facing hunger.

At Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, more than 1,200 volunteers gathered on September 11 to assemble meals for the North Texas Food Bank. Working in two shifts, they packed over 400,000 nutritious meal packets in a single day for individuals and families in need.

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“JustServe is proud to have partnered with 9/11 Day to help volunteers find this event,” organizers noted in a social media post, emphasizing the spirit of unity behind the effort.

Daniel Torres, event manager for the nonprofit Kids Around the World, which helped facilitate the project, summed up the feeling in the stadium: “We are still people who care about one another.”

Read this related article from the Church's Newsroom. 9/11 National Day of Service Observed in Park City, Utah

Missionaries in Denver Reflect on the Serving

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Latter-day Saint missionaries from the Colorado Denver North Mission who participated in packing meals described the Denver, Colorado, event as a highlight of their ongoing efforts to serve.

For Sister RaceaJade Finch, who wasn’t yet born in 2001, the day held special meaning.

“Today was so amazing. I love being able to recognize the events that happened 24 years ago, even though I wasn’t there,” she said. “It was such an amazing experience to unify and do service on such an important day.”

Other missionaries noted the joyful atmosphere and sense of unity they felt while serving. Elder Dominic Cosme said: “I love service. It’s absolutely so amazing. When we’re serving other people, we’re only in the service of our God.”

He said he felt that on a day when “everyone needs a little bit of help,” coming together to serve “God and serve the people” was a great way to honor 9/11.

Sister Riley Johnston was impressed by the diverse turnout.

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“It’s so cool seeing all these different people gathered on 9/11 to give back in any way they could,” she said, adding: “This room was absolutely filled, and it’s just so incredible to see everyone working so hard but also smiling so big.”

Sister Lexi Lamb added that serving was a meaningful way to pay tribute to those who protect and sacrifice for others. “9/11 was a really tragic experience,” she said. “We’re grateful for all of the military, firefighters and police officers who serve us as well. This is one way we can give back — with a smile on our face.”

Leaders and organizers expressed gratitude for the volunteers and the impact of the day.

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“It’s really just meant to be a day when we remember and rekindle the way we all felt and the way that we all behaved in the immediate aftermath of the attack,” David Paine, who co-founded 9/11 Day and serves as its president, told the Associated Press.

By day’s end, more than 27,000 volunteers across the nation had rolled up their sleeves in the 9/11 Day projects — neighbors, co-workers, students, first responders and missionaries, all united in remembrance and service.

After the event, 9/11 Day posted on social media saying, “Together, we honor those we lost, and keep our promise to ‘never forget’ by remembering the good.”

Read this related article from the Church News How 9/11 service benefited communities, individuals across the country