The following story was published by the Illinois Times on Sept. 13, 2026.

University of Illinois Springfield students, faculty and staff assembled food packets Sept. 11 for Midwest Mission Distribution Center to commemorate the National Day of Service and Remembrance.

Across the country, groups took part in service projects and marked the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

On the UIS campus, volunteers measured and poured ingredients into a medium-sized bag, sealing the packets and placing them into a box.

“The whole goal of this day is remembrance, but also turning grief into good,” said Jill Hawkins Wright, the director of the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center at UIS.

Read the story online.