Cowley College ACES Packages 20,000 Meals for Local Food Pantries

The ACES program at Cowley College, in partnership with the local Rotary Club and Central Christian Church, recently held the James Fry Annual Food Packaging Event, continuing a longstanding tradition of fighting food insecurity in the community. This event, originally started many years ago by James Fry, was renamed in his honor following his retirement from ACES this past year.

The event brought together 80 community members and college students to package 20,000 meals for local food pantries. The meals were distributed to Manna Ministries, Sheila’s Giving Closet, Winfield Commodity distribution, Northside Baptist Church, Calvary Chapel, St. Paul United Methodist Church, Angels in the Attic, and Joseph’s Store in Burden.

A special acknowledgment goes to the Cowley Upward Bound students, who not only assisted with loading the boxes but also took the time to write positive messages on the deliveries, encouraging those receiving the meals. Several civic organizations and student groups were crucial in making this initiative possible, including the Optimist Club of Arkansas City, the Early Bird Lions Club, Soroptimist, and the Fresh Ideas Cafeteria.

The funding for this event was made possible through a collaborative effort. The ACES program funded half of the project through proceeds from its fall Pork Dinner sales and contributions from various organizations, while the Rotary Club generously covered the remaining half.

“The James Fry Annual Food Packaging Event is a testament to the power of community service and collaboration,” said a representative from the ACES program. “We are grateful to everyone who participated and helped continue James Fry’s legacy of service to our community.”

For more information about ACES and future service projects, please contact Roxanna James, Director of Cowley IMPACT/ACES.

Hunter Ferguson | Integrated Communications Specialist
Cowley College
125 S. 2nd Street
Arkansas City, KS 67005
hunter.ferguson@cowley.edu