By Blake Jackson
Good news for Missouri communities! Eleven dedicated FFA chapters have been awarded 2024 Drive to Feed Kids grants from the Missouri Farmers Care Foundation. This marks the fourth year of this impactful partnership, empowering young leaders to address local food insecurity.
The Missouri FFA chapters receiving 2024 Drive to Feed Kids grants are:
- Ballard FFA, Butler
- Cass County Career Center FFA, Harrisonville
- Climax Springs FFA, Climax Springs
- Concordia FFA, Concordia
- Farmington FFA, Farmington
- Newburg FFA, Newburg
- Otterville FFA, Otterville
- Pleasant Hill FFA, Pleasant Hill
- Pilot Grove FFA, Pilot Grove
- Union FFA, Union
- West Platte FFA, Weston
"Missouri agriculture is proud to support these FFA members in living out their 'Living to Serve' motto," says Ashley McCarty, Executive Director of Missouri Farmers Care Foundation. "Through these grants, funded with support from ADM and Brownfield Ag News, these youth are equipped to make a real difference in their communities."
The grant recipients, spanning the state from Ballard to Weston, will receive $250 each and utilize their creativity and dedication to develop service-learning projects tackling hunger. They'll raise matching funds or secure in-kind contributions to fuel their initiatives, embodying the FFA spirit of "Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve."
"These grants offer invaluable opportunities for our members to learn, do, and serve," says Keith Dietzschold, Missouri Agriculture Education Director and State FFA Advisor. "They'll not only impact their communities but also gain valuable life experiences. We're grateful to Missouri Farmers Care for their continued support."
The Drive to Feed Kids initiative goes beyond individual grants. Every August 13th, during the Missouri State Fair, Missouri Farmers Care and Missouri FFA join forces for a Food Drive Tuesday and Missouri FFA State Day of Service. Last year, this collaborative effort yielded an astounding 1,200,389 meals for Feeding Missouri, a testament to the power of collective action.
So, let's celebrate these eleven Missouri FFA chapters and their commitment to fighting hunger. Companies, organizations and individuals interested in joining the Drive to Feed Kids can find details and a link to give at www.mofarmerscare.com/drive. All donations support the Drive and the work of Feeding Missouri network food banks who work daily to alleviate hunger.
Photo Credit: missouri-state-fair
Categories: Missouri, Education, General