4-H Giving Back, One Pound At A Time

With everything going on in today’s society, I know there are many who wonder what the future will look for the next generation. However, when I look at the youth in our 4-H programs, I am assured that we have great leaders with big hearts that will continue to make a positive impact wherever they go. While there are many needs not only in our local community but globally, the 4-H Junior Leader officers identified one way that they could commit to something bigger than themselves. They put others needs before their own and embodied the 4-H pledge and all it stands for. This is the heart of the 4-H program.

On behalf of the Montgomery County 4-H Junior Leaders, Junior Leader Vice President, Miranda Crowe, wrote a grant for $500 through Youth as Resources. The goal with this grant money was to purchase food items to donate to our local FISH Food Pantry. Thanks to Youth as Resources, the 4-H Junior Leaders were awarded this grant and were able to donate 554 pounds of food to FISH Food Pantry!

After talking with Ellen Simpson from our local FISH Food Pantry, she stated that they have an average of 40-50 people that utilize the food pantry each day it is open. Therefore, 4-H members wanted to help in any way they could. With this grant money, 5 of the Junior Leader officers (from left to right: Miranda Crowe, Cole Rhoads, Caleb Chastain, Kylee Reeves, and Clair Simpson) went food shopping to help re-stock FISH Food Pantry. They also want to encourage other to reach out to FISH Food Pantry and ask how they can help or what items they are in need of. The 4-H program is all about giving youth the opportunity to enhance life skills and identify how they can “make the best better.”

4-H enrollment is still open! Visit https://v2.4honline.com to enroll today! The cost for Mini 4-H (youth currently in grades K-2nd) is free and the cost for regular 4-H (youth currently in grades 3rd-12th) is $15/child. If you have any questions about 4-H or want more information about programs offered, please contact Abby Morgan at the Purdue Extension-Montgomery County office.

Abby Morgan is the 4-H Youth Development Educator at the Montgomery County Purdue Extension Office. She can be reached at [email protected] or 765-364-6363.