Miami and Ohio State Universities Pack 21,800 Meals Ahead of Cotton Bowl
Fans, alumni, students and others from the universities spent the morning volunteering at North Texas Food Bank.
Before meeting in this week’s Cotton Bowl, the Ohio State University Buckeyes and University of Miami Hurricanes put their rivalry aside to pack 21,800 meals for neighbors facing hunger in North Texas.
The teams joined forces at North Texas Food Bank where around 100 university leaders, alumni, students and fans volunteered during the morning of December 30. Together, they sorted and packed food, including for NTFB’s Nourish the Future programs targeting child hunger. Brutus Buckeye even signed some of the boxes packed for area school pantries.
“We’re grateful that you would spend the morning supporting neighbors in our community,” NTFB President and CEO Trisha Cunningham told those who participated. “It’s a hands-on way to make an immediate, meaningful impact for the more than 744,000 people in North Texas who are struggling with food insecurity.”
Before volunteers got to work, members of the Ohio State University band played. Along with Trisha Cunningham, OSU President Ted Carter and Dallas Canes Community President Alana Dombrosky also spoke.
The volunteer experience marks the 26th year that Ohio State’s Office of Student Life has organized a bowl-related service activity to benefit the community where the football team is playing. Tuesday’s event was the second time Miami joined Ohio State to volunteer. The two teams also gave back ahead of the Fiesta Bowl in 2003 at the St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix.