Regent Freshmen Pack 57,000 Meals for Disaster Relief

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (Aug. 15, 2024) – Regent University’s incoming class of freshmen yielded the largest emergency meal packing event in Operation Blessing history.

This record-breaking feat was accomplished largely due to Regent welcoming over 500 new freshmen this fall semester, the largest freshmen cohort in the school’s 47-year history.

With ‘70s and ‘80s pop music wafting through the hall, the students packed 1,584 emergency meal kits, totaling 57,000 meals, during Regent University’s Welcome Week orientation event.

“These boxes are going to feed a family of four three meals a day for three days,” said Drew Friedrich, Chief Operating Officer at Operation Blessing International. “So, in the immediate aftermath of a storm, when they don’t know where their next meal is coming from, these boxes will be a lifeline and a source of hope.”

Each kit consists of pop-tops or canned items like cereal, rice, granola bars, and baked beans, in the event that the disaster victims are without power.

Incoming freshman Daniel Zimmerman summed up the spirit of this festive giving moment. “I’m dancing over there. Everyone is having a great time. We’re all enthusiastic about helping out. It’s just been awesome!”

If you are interested in supporting Operation Blessing’s relief efforts or volunteering your time, visit ob.org/donate or email volunteer@ob.org.

About Regent University

Founded in 1977, Regent University is America’s premier Christian university, with more than 13,000 students studying on its 70-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and online around the world. The university offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study, including business, communication and the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. Regent University has been ranked the #1 Best Accredited Online College in the United States (Study.com, 2020), the #1 Safest College Campus in Virginia (YourLocalSecurity, 2021), and the #1 Best Online Bachelor’s Program in Virginia for 12 years in a row (U.S. News & World Report, 2024).

###