FFA: Food For All grants help fight hunger

Great news! We  have awarded more than $320,000 in grant money through our FFA: Food For All program, which provides local FFA chapters throughout the U.S. funding to support year-long service-learning projects focused on developing and implementing sustainable hunger programs.

The initiative provided up to $2,500 to 132 chapters in 42 states this year to help local FFA chapters with their programs. All of the projects will rely on FFA members for implementation. In addition to providing food for local residents in need, FFA members will provide helpful information regarding the care, preparation and preservation of food.

Apply now for life-changing trip to Burkina Faso

On June 20, 2013, six upper-level collegiate FFA members will gather to begin a nineteen-day experience learning firsthand about the challenges of life and agriculture in one of the world’s poorest countries, Burkina Faso, as part of the FFA Global Outreach: Africa program (FFA GO: Africa).

Junior-level and above collegiate FFA members (as of fall 2013) are eligible to apply for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Download the FFA GO: Africa application.

Following an orientation in Washington, DC, the team and their adult leader will fly to Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, to learn about the life-sustaining development work that Catholic Relief Services and its partners are doing throughout the country.

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in the heart of the Sahel region of Africa. With most of the economy engaged in mining and agriculture, especially cotton, Burkina Faso’s economy is highly susceptible to fluctuations in world commodity prices and natural disasters. Since most farmers engage in subsistence farming, recurring prolonged droughts and severe floods have led to widespread food shortages. In addition, current instability in Mali has led to an influx of refugees, adding to the populations’ already vulnerable state. Coupled with limited access to health care and education, it is difficult for most Burkinabé to meet even their most basic needs.

Please join our “Feeding the World – Starting at Home” initiative

Hunger effects everyone.

It causes suffering, creates conflict and prevents us from moving forward.

As future agricultural leaders, we are uniquely positioned to make a difference and make hunger a thing of the past.

Please watch this video, to learn more about how you can help end hunger with FFA:

FFA chapter’s Community Calf Project will feed the hungry

Agriculture students and FFA members at Hanover Southwestern High School in Indiana will soon provide ground beef for member of their community who are struggling to put food on the table.

The students and their advisor stopped by The National FFA Center today to share some details of their Community Calf Project which was funded in part by an FFA: Food for All grant.

According to the Madison Courier, the students will raise and care for calves until the animals reach maturity and can be taken to a processor. Once the animals are slaughtered, the meat will be given to the Gleaners Food Bank at Southwestern.

Agriculture teacher and FFA advisor Greg Schneider said the need for such a program exists in their community. At Southwestern, 54 percent of the student body is on free and reduced lunches.

“I really think we’ve got a great thing in the works,” he said, adding that he has not heard of any school with a similar program. “I think this really has the opportunity of being a pilot program that other communities can incorporate.”

World Food Prize ceremony highlights global learning opportunities for ag students

On February 19, the World Food Prize Foundation hosted USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack at their Hall of Laureates. He was there to sign a formal Memorandum of Understanding  scaling-up the Wallace-Carver Internship program over the next five years.

The event featured young agriculture students and future leaders who will benefit from this program.

Trisha Collins, a former agricultural education student and FFA member at Pleasantville High School, opened the ceremony, welcoming everyone to the event and introducing Secretary Vilsack and Ambassador Kenneth Quinn, President of the World Food Prize Foundation.

Florida FFA chapter works toward sustainability, hunger relief

Fort White High School in Florida was recently featured by their local news station, WCJB-TV in Gainesville, because of their unique agriculture curriculum.

FFA members there cultivate Talapia in an aquaponics lab at their school. The fish, in turn, fertilize plants, thus creating an economical and sustainable food system.

11th grader Tiffany Murrow explains it this way:

“You have protein and vegetables all in one space, and you are not using a lot of resources or water so you can produce a lot in a little space. It’s all right here.”

Once they harvest the Tilapia, they donate them to the needy in their community.

The project is funded, in part, by an FFA: Food for All grant awarded to them by National FFA last year. They also receive support from research professors at the University of Florida.

Check out the full story with video on the WCJB-TV website.

Can-Do!

Looking for a great FFA Week chapter activity? Contact your local Tractor Supply Co. store and ask about their Can-Do! Chapter Design Contest.

It’s a great chance for you to get creative, connect with the community and fight hunger!

Rules and information are available here: https://www.ffa.org/documents/ffaweek_can_do.pdf

Get out there, and get your “Out Here” cookbook

This fabulous Out Here Cookbook is now available in Tractor Supply Co. stores nationwide. It’s full of great family recipes submitted by readers of their Out Here magazine.

Proceeds from the sale of the cookbook will benefit the National FFA Organization’s Feeding the World-Starting at Home initiative to fight global hunger. The cookbook costs $4.99, and $1.99 of each sale goes to FFA! (Maximum donation is $50,000.)

So get out there to your local Tractor Supply Store and pick up your copy today!

 

Sample recipe: Autumn Gold Pumpkin Cake

New York FFA urges you to help fight hunger

In this eye-opening video, New York FFA officers, explain how people can become food insecure in the aftermath of disasters like Hurricane Sandy, challenge commonly-held beliefs about hunger, and tell you how you can help.

3 days, 10,000 volunteers, 1,000,000 meals

Last week, 10,000 FFA members packed 1,000,000 millions during the FFA Rally to Fight Hunger. American Family Insurance was there, and put together this great video to explain what it meant to lend a hand…