Nazareth awarded grant to lead 9/11 Day service project benefiting Oak Tree Food Pantry
Nazareth University has been selected to receive $2,500 in funding through the 2026 national 9/11 Day Grant Program. It is using the money to buy a commercial freezer for Oak Tree Food Pantry, the university’s campus food pantry that serves students and employees experiencing food insecurity.
The grant, administered by the nonprofit 9/11 Day in collaboration with AmeriCorps and the Popeyes Foundation, supports community-led service projects across the nation commemorating the 25th anniversary of 9/11.
Nazareth will also honor the 9/11 anniversary by asking students to sign a 9/11 Pledge to Serve, committing them to volunteering at the campus food pantry or other volunteer organizations.
Since opening in 2018, the Oak Tree Pantry has been an important resource for Nazareth community members — providing accessible food and essential items in a welcoming and confidential environment. Demand has increased significantly in recent years, and it has a limited ability to offer frozen food options.
“Once the new freezer is installed, the university will organize a campus and community frozen food drive to stock the unit with nutritious frozen meals, vegetables, proteins, and other frozen food items for students in need,” said Brian McGahan, Nazareth’s senior director of campus operations.
Nazareth’s 9/11 Pledge to Serve has been an annual campus tradition since 2017. The pledge will be part of Nazareth’s campus-wide Engagement Expo, where students, staff, and faculty can commit to volunteering for the Oak Tree Food Pantry or one of the many other volunteer organizations present at the event.
“With more than 100 million Americans now having little or no personal memory of September 11, 2001, Nazareth commits to its 9/11 Day to Serve pledge to ensure future generations remember not only the tragic events of that day, but also the extraordinary compassion, courage, selflessness, and spirit of unity that emerged in its aftermath,” said Adam Lewandowski, director of the Weider Community Engagement Office.
About 9/11 Day Grant Program & AmeriCorps Support
Nazareth University is among a select group of organizations awarded funding through the 2026 9/11 Day Grant Program. Principal grant funding is provided by AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, in partnership with 9/11 Day and the Popeyes Foundation.
AmeriCorps invests in local initiatives to foster the next generation of civic-minded leaders, providing opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds to address the nation’s most pressing challenges, strengthen local communities, and unite through volunteer service.
About 9/11 Day
Founded in 2002, the nonprofit 9/11 Day led the successful effort to establish September 11 as a federally recognized National Day of Service and Remembrance. Each year, tens of millions of Americans observe the day by performing good deeds in honor of those who perished, were injured or sickened; the survivors; the first responders; and all who rose to serve in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Learn more at 911day.org.
Contact
Julie Long | Chief PR Officer | jlong2@naz.edu | (585) 389-2456 | (585) 781-8186 (cell)
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.
