The following story was published by The State Journal-Register on Sept. 11, 2025.

Students and staff at the University of Illinois Springfield assembled care kits for active-duty military Thursday afternoon.

A grant from 9/11 Day of Service helped the community give back in the form of care packages for active-duty veterans.

“It just seemed very fitting to be able to honor our military, those that you know, a lot served our country as a result of 9/11 and are still in service protecting our freedoms for today,” Jill Hawkins, UIS’s Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center director, said.

Read the story online.