FAIRFIELD, Conn.—Sacred Heart University volunteers raced to pack more than 20,000 meals during an annual day of teamwork, positivity and friendly competition aimed at battling hunger in the area.
The Hunger Project brings volunteers together to prepare meals for those in need within their local community. The yearly tradition started in 2018, and it is one of the final activities of SHU’s Social Justice Week, which was created to bring positive change to the world.
SHU’s mission and culture staff run the Hunger Project in collaboration with the University’s first-year programs, graduate student life and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. This year’s beneficiary was nOURish Bridgeport, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending food insecurity and scarcity in Bridgeport.
Volunteers gathered in the lobby of Pierre Toussaint Hall for the annual event, where they found energetic music, hair nets and hand sanitizer. They split up at a half dozen tables with the goal of packing as many meals as they could in the time allotted.
Students and staff bonded with one another in the race to pack meals, creating a uniquely united atmosphere. Annie Johnson, SHU’s director of community engagement, was noticeably proud of the student volunteers and the energy they brought to this year’s project.
“Engaging with the Greater Bridgeport community, students gain real-world experience by applying the content they are learning in the classroom to nonprofit and school-based organizations,” Johnson said. “These experiences increase their sense of civic responsibility and bridge the gap between higher education institutions and the local community, fostering trust and building relationships with local leaders.”
Tori Vacca, associate director of first-year programs at SHU, said packing meals for the Hunger Project has long been a cornerstone of University life. “I vividly remember this event from my time here as a student, so it was full circle to be introducing it to a new generation of students,” she said. “Events like this are so special because you see everyone come together for a cause larger than themselves and demonstrate that sense of community that we associate with SHU.”
About Sacred Heart University
As the second-largest Catholic university in New England, and one of the fastest-growing private doctoral institutions in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus. Sacred Heart also has a campus in Dingle, Ireland, and offers online programs. More than 10,000 students attend the University’s eight colleges and schools: College of Arts & Sciences; School of Communication, Media & the Arts; School of Social Work; School of Computer Science & Engineering; College of Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development; the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology and the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing. Sacred Heart, a Laudato Si’ campus, stands out from other Catholic institutions as it was established and led by laity. The contemporary Catholic university is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, and at the same time cultivates students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives, professions and in their communities. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 390 Colleges: 2025 Edition, and Best Business Schools: 2024 Edition. Sacred Heart is home to the award-winning, NPR-affiliate station, WSHU Public Radio, a Division I athletics program and an impressive performing arts program that includes choir, band, dance and theatre. www.sacredheart.edu