Chicago volunteers pack 500,000 meals for day of service on 9/11
Volunteers gathered Thursday to pack 500,000 meals for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, in the spirit of unity in which Americans everywhere engaged after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
A total of 1,800 volunteers turned out at Union Station beginning at 9 a.m. for the event.
"It means everything," said Camerin Mattson, communications director for the Greater Chicago Food Depository. "I mean, those of us who have memories of 9/11 and remember what a shocking and horrifying day it was — how inspiring is it that there's going to be 1,800 volunteers here today making a difference and turning this into a day that is something that's positive, that's giving back?"
Mattson emphasized that food insecurity is a serious problem right now, affecting one in five U.S. households and one in four with children.
"We're not OK with that. We can do better," Mattson said. "And so it's a big problem, and it's going to take all of us working together, and today goes a long way in helping make a difference."
Among the corporations whose staffers turned out to volunteer Thursday was the professional services Marsh McLennan. Volunteer and Marsh employee Kate Kenny noted that the company lost more than 350 members of its staff from the New York City offices on Sept. 11, 2001.
"We around the country do a day of service just to remember those colleagues and people that we lost," Kenny said.
Jacob Jenkins, volunteer program manager for Serve Illinois, worked well ahead of time on recruiting support staff for the event.
"We're really excited. We're pumped up, fired up, and ready to go," Jenkins said ahead of the event Thursday. "We're ready to remember the good, and in doing that, we carry out the express wishes of the families who put this whole thing together."
Ahead of the meal packing, a total of 29,000 pounds of oatmeal alone were delivered to Union Station on pallets — along with 10,000 pounds of sugar, about 1,500 pounds of dehydrated apples, and another 1,500 pounds of cinnamon fortified with 21 vitamins and minerals.
The apple cinnamon oatmeal ingredients arrived at the train depot on forklifts in the middle of the night.
Each visitor received a bag with six meals.
Kimyada Wellington was deployed to Afghanistan more than 20 years ago because of 9/11. The veteran volunteered to pack meals Thursday.
"I normally come and volunteer at this event on 9/11 just so that I'm doing something that means something on 9/11, but today meant so much more because I was asked to ring the bell for the moment of silence," she said.
Veteran Charles Whittington rang the bell for the second half of the volunteers.
"If you look at the ages that come out here, there will be folks that when 9/11 was happening, they were little kids in school. So they're standing next to someone who can help them understand the significance of the event. It's generational bridge. And by the way, it's for a really good cause," he said.
Serve Illinois said 1,800 volunteers will pack 500,000 meals by the end of the day. The first batch of volunteers packed more than 210,000 meals. They hope the next round of volunteers will finish the job.
"It's a reminder of who we are as Americans. This gives us a chance to be our best selves," Jenkins said.
Similar meal pack events are held across the country for 9/11 Day, which was created shortly after the 2001 attacks. Cofounders David Paine and Jay Winuk wanted something good to come out of the horrific losses in the attack — which took the life of Kay's younger brother, Glenn, an attorney and firefighter who was killed at the World Trade Center.
The website for 9/11 Day notes that Sept. 11 has become the largest day of service in America, with more than 30 million people participating around the country.
