By HANNAH SPANGLER
FarmWeek
Illinois 4-H selected 14 youth-led projects to receive funding from the 2024 Food Advocacy Grant program. The grants are designed to invest in the next generation of food access leaders, supporting projects that take on the challenge of food security in their communities. The selected applicants will receive a grant of $500-to-$1,000 based on the project’s budget.
This year’s recipients include the following 4-H groups: Clay County 4-H Federation and Dismal Creek Critters, Johnson County 4-H Eagles, Hilltoppers 4-H Club, Wayne County 4-H Ambassadors, Blue Ribbon 4-H Club, Funny Farmers 4-H Club, Edgar County 4-H Federation, Casey Achievers 4-H, Sangamon Valley and Cisco Clovers 4-H Clubs, Hancock County Youth Leaders Academy and Teen Teachers, Kankakee 4-H Lepra’ Club, Urban Adventurers 4-H Club, Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, and Trinity Trailblazers 4-H Club.
“Since the 4-H office started offering this grant in 2020, we’ve really been able to take advantage of it and get several kids involved,” said Lora Ford, a leader of the Trinity Trailblazers 4-H Club in DuPage County.
This year, the club is working with DuPagePads, an organization working to end homelessness in the county, through a new project led by 4-H member David Wiewiura. After meeting with Erica Whelan, the DuPagePads grants manager, Wiewiura and other club members decided on a project to reach those who need more help this time of year.
During a December 15 service learning event, the club will pack meal gift bags to help people who are single and homeless during the holidays. The event also will mark the launch of “Food Advocacy Heroes,” a new service-learning 4-H SPIN club that will help more youth become involved in fighting food insecurity.
“We just want to encourage the kids to raise their voice and think about the community where they live, and what they can do to make everything better,” DuPage County 4-H Coordinator Nancy Reppe said.
In Edwards County, the Blue Ribbon 4-H Club saw a different need in their community and wanted to help. The Edwards County Senior Citizens Lunch Program, organized by club member Chloe Isle, will help the senior center in Albion provide pork and hamburger to more than 100 people.
“It doesn’t matter how old our members are, they can make a difference,” said the club’s leader, Debbie Fearn.
Mark Becker, Illinois 4-H food systems specialist, said the program was launched to help teens play a key role fighting food insecurity. Teens are less likely to access the services meant to help them because of the shame they can associate with not having access to food. The program gives youth leadership opportunities to address the problem while showing them that they don’t have to figure it out alone.
“Since its inception, we’ve been able to fund $80,000 worth of projects led by youth,” Becker told FarmWeek. “That’s for about 85 projects in 50 counties.”
Last year, eight people applied for a grant and this year there were 26 applicants. Becker expects the program to continue growing.
“The 4-H has programming in all 102 counties,” Becker said. “So the goal moving forward, we’re at 50 counties…we want to see a program in every county.”
This story was distributed through a cooperative project between Illinois Farm Bureau and the Illinois Press Association. For more food and farming news, visit FarmWeekNow.com.