Five hundred students, staff and alumni from The Ohio State University gathered last night to pack 175,000 meals for those in need in the Mahoning Valley.

The Office of Student Life put on this large-scale project in cooperation with OSU Extension and Ohio State University Athletics.

To help get the meals delivered, the official Ohio State Football equipment truck was there to provide the food.

"I can tell my children, that when you work hard and have success, you want to turn around and give back. Sometimes folks really need a helping hand," said Kenneth Blair III, President of Circle Express. (Circle Express drives the Ohio State Equipment truck)

Agencies will get these meals to the limited resource families they serve throughout the Mahoning Valley.

OSU Extension organized the assembled meals to local non-profit organizations to be distributed in Mahoning, Columbiana, Portage and Stark Counties.

Inside the meal, boxes included rice, canned produce and beans.

"We had looked at the numbers and one of the numbers we saw the Mahoning Valley, especially in the Youngstown area were the second-highest in food insecurity in the county," said Tracy Stuck, Director of the Office of Student Life.

The Office of Student Life and Ohio State University Athletics has delivered food to areas in need for the past five years.

On Thursday, they delivered their one-millionth meal to YSU today.