Hundreds of NDSU students, faculty and staff, including Braeden Courts, a freshman mechanical engineering major from Shakopee, Minnesota, center, volunteered during Fargo's Feed My Starving Children effort to pack millions of meals for malnourished children.
Volunteerism was at the top of students minds as they came back from winter break. At least 600 NDSU students, faculty, staff and administration recently volunteered during a single day as part of Feed My Starving Children effort to pack millions of meals for malnourished children around the world.
In the course of less than two hours, volunteers packed 514,512 meals, which will feed 1,409 kids for a year.
Robert Jones, assistant director of student involvement and leadership in the Student Activities Office, said the NDSU group made up one of the largest meal packing sessions in the history of the local Fargo-Moorhead chapter of Feed My Starving Children. The meals that were packed will be distributed throughout the world. Many other NDSU representatives also participated in during the 10-day effort to pack 10 million meals.
“It is truly amazing seeing the Bison community come together to help people around the world,” Jones said.
Braeden Courts, a freshman mechanical engineering major from Shakopee, Minnesota, said he chose to volunteer because he has loved volunteering with Feed My Starving Children in the past. Learning about the number of people across the world who are affected by hunger and malnutrition through the nonprofit was eye-opening to Courts.
“It’s definitely heartbreaking to hear,” he said. “In the day to day it’s so easy to forget about the struggles other people face around the world. It’s a good reminder and it’s cool that we get to actually do something to make it better.”
Courts said knowing that he was able to give back fills him with gratitude. Volunteering also allowed Courts to connect with other students who wanted to help out with the cause.
“I think it was a good way to connect with others. I went with a couple of my friends and we shared a work station with another group of friends. We definitely got to know each other a little, all while giving back,” he said.
In general, Courts said he sees a lot of volunteering opportunities at NDSU in addition to Feed My Starving Children that students can participate in.
“I would say there is definitely a lot of volunteering opportunities around NDSU, and they do a pretty good job at conveying those opportunities to students,” he said.
To find more volunteering opportunities on campus, connect with the NDSU’s Volunteer Network on Instagramand myNDSU.
Apply now to join the NDSU community or schedule a visit to explore what NDSU has to offer.
