{"id":220326,"date":"2025-09-12T07:49:15","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T07:49:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/220326\/"},"modified":"2025-09-12T07:49:15","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T07:49:15","slug":"north-texas-volunteers-give-back-during-9-11-national-day-of-service-in-arlington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/220326\/","title":{"rendered":"North Texas volunteers give back during 9\/11 National Day of Service in Arlington"},"content":{"rendered":"

For many in America, Sept. 11 is a day of remembrance of those who lost their lives in the 9\/11 terrorist attacks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To the 1,300 volunteers gathered at Globe Life Field Thursday morning, the day was devoted to honoring the fallen through serving the local community.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 24 cities across the country, 30,000 volunteers spent the day packing meals for their local food banks as part of the 9\/11 Day service project. In North Texas, volunteers packed over 380,000 meals for the North Texas Food Bank.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cToday is the day where we remember the fallen, may we never forget, but today is the day of service we honor,\u201d Darin Kinder, a former Secret Service agent who was on the ground during the attacks, told the volunteers. \u201cI want to, from this day forward, honor those lost by living a life of service and sacrifice, and that\u2019s exactly what you\u2019re doing today.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2009, Sept. 11 was proclaimed the National Day of Service under the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act<\/a>. Years before the proclamation, the 9\/11 Day nonprofit was created and commemorated the anniversary by finding ways to serve the country through acts of service on the day each year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

About 60 organizations from across the North Texas area participated in the event, either helping coordinate or pack meals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"(MariaVolunteers from around North Texas pack 380,000 healthy meals to be donated to the North Texas Food Bank during North Texas Meal Pack for 9\/11 Day in Arlington on Sept. 11, 2025. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

Irving resident Gerardo Gonzalez, who works at the Arlington General Motors plant, said he heard about the event through the company\u2019s volunteer program.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Gonzalez spent the morning moving bags of rice and lentils back and forth from piles to packing tables.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Gonzalez said he felt the need to help.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s good to help and see others help you bring the community together,\u201d Gonzalez said as he dumped a bag of rice into a box. \u201cWe are all living here, we\u2019ve all gone through our own hardships. Everybody\u2019s gone through the same thing; we just want to help the community.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Arlington resident Latasha Lofton said she remembers the exact feeling she had on Sept. 11, 2001, and it pushed her to volunteer.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt so devastated, for the country and for everyone,\u201d Lofton said. \u201cThis is my way of paying it forward, giving hope, caring, building community and being available to help everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Across the country, officials estimate that the 9\/11 Day events will lead to 9 million packed meals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"(MariaRice, lentils and vegetables are packed into shelf stable bags during North Texas Meal Pack for 9\/11 Day at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Sept. 11, 2025. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

Events providing food assistance are immensely important for the Fort Worth-Dallas area, said Chloe Robertson, the senior food donations specialist for the North Texas Food Bank.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing people more than ever come seek assistance from the North Texas Food Bank, because we\u2019re seeing higher prices of things like groceries, rent and utilities,\u201d Robertson told volunteers. \u201cThe work you\u2019re doing here today helps us make sure that our community can thrive.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The food bank currently sees around 744,000 people in need of food assistance, Robertson said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThat could fill Globe Life Field over 18 times,\u201d Robertson said while pointing toward the field.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Across the lobby area, volunteers talked, packed meals, laughed and danced while music filled the stadium.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"(MariaVolunteers from around North Texas pack 380,000 healthy meals to be donated to the North Texas Food Bank during North Texas Meal Pack for 9\/11 Day in Arlington on Sept. 11, 2025. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

When volunteers first walked into the building, organizers told them the point of the event was to turn the tragic day into something better for the community.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt means hope. It means community,\u201d Lofton said. \u201cIt means love for our fellow mankind.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chris Moss is a reporting fellow for the Arlington Report. Contact him at chris.moss@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At the Arlington Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n

Republish This Story<\/p>\n

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