4‑H Youth Voices

Alexa Mitchell, Virginia

Alexa Mitchell, a 16 year old from Fairfax, VA, first learned about food insecurity—and what she could do to help combat it—through her 4‑H club. It was there that she first took part in projects like donating garden-grown veggies to food pantries, volunteering in soup kitchens and raising money for homeless shelters. “I saw that access to basic needs can transform a person’s life, and that sometimes providing those basic needs can be as simple as volunteering my time,” she explains. ​

This realization inspired her to search for even more sustained opportunities to help people in need. When she was 14 years old, Alexa found the perfect way to blend her interest in computer science with her passion for helping those in need. She discovered the MEANS Database, an organization that connects excess food with people in need, and secured a summer job improving their database and website. As the youngest person on the team, Alexa had to learn quickly on the job. Eventually, her responsibilities grew to include operational support, donor outreach and food logistics. She even led sessions to familiarize older team members with how to use JavaScript, one of her areas of expertise. ​

Alexa believes some of her success at MEANS can be traced back to her experience in 4‑H, where she leads her club’s engagement in STEM topics, including computer science and robotics. In addition to helping her develop leadership skills, her 4‑H experience has taught her the value of hard work, to ask for help when she needs it, and to always volunteer to pick up slack. “I tried to make myself as accessible and flexible as possible to maximize my impact on the nonprofit’s system. Because MEANS Database is small, everyone has to put in extra effort to keep it moving. Since this is something I’m used to in my 4‑H club, I am very comfortable in that type of environment,” she says. ​

Since COVID-19 has struck, Alexa has spent even more of her time working with the MEANS Database. She explains, “The virus has left people food insecure and distributors are struggling to meet their increased need. I feel the need to do all I can to help, including taking the initiative to make calls to potential donors and work with the outreach team to help facilitate larger donations on top of my normal duties. During the pandemic so far, we have successfully moved approximately 200,000 pounds of food.”​

Daisy Buenrostro, Quincy, Washington

Daisy, a 4‑H’er from Quincy, Washington, has been helping connect adults in her community to important digital tools for over three years as part of the 4‑H Tech Changemakers program. Her focus has been on empowering people with skills that will improve their lives, like learning how to order medications online to video chat with family.​

As soon as COVID-19 struck Washington state, Daisy knew it was going to have a big impact on her work and her community. She realized that digital skills were going to be more important than ever before.​

Around 75% of the residents in Quincy are Latino and many are native Spanish speakers. So while many of the local grocery stores started offering online ordering to allow for social distancing, the materials to teach people how to use these tools were only being offered in English. ​

Daisy saw an opportunity to fix this. “I want our community to be safer, so I recreated a video in Spanish by the most popular local grocery about ordering groceries online,” she explained. “This way, our whole community can utilize this great resource. Just because COVID is happening doesn’t mean we stop serving our community.”​

Inspired by the success of her first project, she is looking to find more ways to help by translating additional videos and resources where the need arises.

Janya Green, Georgia
Youth in Action Agriculture Pillar Winner

Growing up on her family’s farm, Janya Green learned first-hand about agriculture and the challenges America’s farmers face. Her interest in agriculture channeled into a passion for service when she met Sam X, her 4‑H mentor, who not only exposed her to a budding community garden initiative but also opened her eyes to a world of opportunities through 4‑H. That was four years ago. Now, Janya proudly serves as the garden’s manager, working to provide free produce to fight obesity and meet the nutrition-related needs of her community, while also teaching classes to youth and adults, urging them to learn how to grow their own produce at home in the event of a future food shortage. She just didn’t realize how soon that future food shortage would hit. ​

During the COVID-19 crisis, grocery stores across the country face shortages and are unable to keep their shelves stocked. “In a crisis like this, we’re in need of food, and the stores are running out of vegetables. That’s why we’re here,” Janya said. Her work at the garden is more important than ever and is playing a significant role in helping people overcome nutritional challenges. ​

Janya is seeing the fruit of her labor to educate her community as youth, parents and other adults begin to build their own gardens and raised beds, using the techniques that Janya teaches at the Village Community Garden. Janya is thrilled to see youth and adults working together and learning from one another.  “A lot of youth-adult relationships are being built, which leads to the youth trusting the adults more and more,” said Janya.  ​

In addition to inspiring so many at-home gardens, Janya is also still tending to the Village Community Garden. While adhering to social distancing requirements, Janya visits the garden with her mask in hand to tend to its needs and pick up produce. From there, she distributes the produce to elderly community members’ porches, ensuring they have enough to eat. ​

Janya is also providing virtual classes via the Fort Valley State University 4‑H Youth Development Program page to teach community members important techniques like how to freeze fresh vegetables for future use.  When asked how she feels to see her work making such a difference in her small town, Janya said, “It makes me feel wonderful, because I actually see what I’m doing playing its part – I see it happening before my eyes. And that’s all I want to do, is help people.” 

Jordyn Maloy, Maine

Jordyn Maloy and her 4‑H team from Maine have an ambitious goal: create a comprehensive mental health curriculum, for kids by kids. Each lesson is designed to be relatable, relevant and teachable by and for middle through high school aged students. Jordyn and the team are in the third year of this ambitious six year project, called EmpoweringMEandYou , and are currently focusing on the topic of managing stress and anxiety with a ‘Stress Less’ workshop. All the course materials including live online workshops are available to anyone online Since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, Jordyn and her team have seen their project take on new meaning and importance. At school, kids are facing a whole new set of stresses and anxieties as they transition to online learning and social distancing, and grapple with grief, fear, loss and other emotional effects of living through a global pandemic.

Jordyn sees her team’s project as a way for these young people to develop emotional tools to cope with some of these issues, while also building social connections during a period of isolation. Even beyond students, Jordyn believes anyone would benefit from these lessons. “With the anxiety levels that people across America and our world are undergoing right now, I think our project can effectively help a lot of people that may not have easy access to other forms of help,” she said.

Jordyn first discovered her passion for addressing mental health issues as an attendee of the 4‑H Healthy Living Summit in 2018. There, she became excited about the idea of helping other kids navigate some of the same issues she had been facing herself. “As someone who has struggled with my own mental barriers, I found it exciting and therapeutic to explore the things that worked well for me and then put them into action to help others,” she explained. In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, Jordyn and her team believe that sharing strategies for maintaining mental health is more important than ever.

Amelia Day, Fort Valley, GA
Youth in Action National Winner

When Amelia Day accompanied her father to an appointment at a veteran’s hospital in 2012, she didn’t know that the visit would spark an idea for a 4‑H service project that would reach far beyond her hometown. At age 13, she sensed a need for encouragement and support for our nation’s veterans, so she put the leadership skills she’d learned in 4‑H into action and Operation: Veteran Smiles (OVS) was born. Initially, the program provided handmade cards of encouragement to veterans at her local hospital, but soon she expanded to
provide care packages and musical therapy in addition to cards. Her program has reached more than 21,000 veterans in 17 states over the past 8 years.

Due to COVID-19, VA hospitals are currently unable to receive visitors or care packages, so Amelia is taking her project back to its roots and empowering youth across the country to create encouraging cards for veterans. Her goal: to provide handmade cards of encouragement to veterans in all 50 states. During these challenging days, the cards are especially meaningful and uplifting for our nation’s most vulnerable veterans. With an online “how-to” guide on the Operation: Veteran Smiles Facebook page, youth are encouraged to make a card, then contact OVS for a pre-paid shipping label for distribution. Amelia is excited about the opportunity to bring smiles to all 50 states. “Together, there’s no telling how many veterans we can impact with the power of a smile!”

Maria Lonneman, Cleveland, Ohio

Throughout early 2020, Maria Lonneman was hard at work to launch her 4‑H sewing project, “Heavy Hugs Weighted Blankets”. In January, she held a small event for 4‑H’ers to learn to make weighted blankets for youth with autism and was looking forward to hosting a larger, state-wide service event for 4‑H’ers in March. But as COVID-19 swept the country, the course of her project drastically changed.

No longer able to meet with a large group of youth, Maria wasted no time to change course. Both of her aunts work in healthcare, which inspired her to take action to address the country’s most pressing needs using her sewing skills. While many around the country focused on making masks for adults, Maria turned her attention to sewing masks for another vulnerable population: children in hospitals and pediatric centers.

To date, Maria and her sewing team have created hundreds of masks for children at Pediatric Partners and St. Luke’s in Cleveland, Ohio. “I enjoy thinking that I might possibly have saved a parent or grandparent because a child had their face covered by one of my masks,” Maria said.

Maria’s interest in sewing was sparked at the very beginning of her 4‑H career at just 5 years old. As a junior in high school, she’s now been involved in every sewing project Ohio 4‑H offers, but she has a particular interest in service projects. “4‑H prepared me for this work by teaching me to give back to my community, by using my hands for larger service,” Maria said. “A community service project has always been a part of my sewing experience.”

In her community, Maria’s masks are in high demand. The Akron Children’s Hospital reached out asking for her to make masks for them. Though these masks will be for adults, Maria is glad to know she’s making an impact. “One mask can stop the spread of infectious droplets that could impact a lot of people,” she said. “I want others to know that everyone can make a difference; even the things that might seem small can make a big impact on the lives of others.”

Cade McMunigal and Ian Jackson, Monroe County, West Virginia

Cade McMunigal and Ian Jackson, high school seniors in Monroe County, West Virginia, are answering the call to help medical workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. In March, they heard that healthcare workers were running
low on critical personal protective equipment, or PPE, that allows them to treat COVID patients without becoming sick themselves. This issue, they learned, is even more acute in rural areas like theirs, where existing stockpiles of PPE are low and strained medical systems can’t afford to lose workers to illness. Desperate to lend a hand, they leapt into action when the Mayor of Union, WV, Caroline Sparks, reached out to their award winning 4‑H robotics team for help.

Right away, Ian and Cade led the club to figure out how to make an impact. First, they reached out to the Monroe Health Center and learned they were facing a shortage of face shields. Next, the group designed a prototype that was quickly
tested and approved by the hospital. After that, Cade, Ian and the rest of the club leapt into production. They borrowed four 3D printers from the Monroe County School system, and distributed them to club members to streamline the
process. The boys credit 4‑H for preparing them to succeed in this project “in more ways than you would expect.” In addition to teaching them technical skills like 3D design, printing and custom fabrication, they also learned important organizational skills. “In 4 H, we learned about the importance of community service, how to write a business plan, how to fund raise to reach our goals, and how to manage projects on tight timelines,” explained Cade.

So far, the group has produced over 200 masks for hospitals and medical centers in their community. They plan to expand to first responders and nursing homes in the near future. Despite running all four printers day and night, they are limited by how long each headband takes to print. They also need to cut each face shield to size by hand. Despite these challenges, they intend to keep producing shields until the need is met or they run out of materials. “Our small community has supported our robotics endeavors for six years, so we were happy to be able to give back in this small way,” Ian added.

Addy Battel and Pearl Daskam, Cass City, Michigan

Cass City, Mich., seniors Addy Battel and Pearl Daskam have long been committed to addressing food insecurity in their hometown. Cass City became a food desert when the girls were in middle school, and at just 12 years old they launched Meating the Need for Our Village, a program designed to fight hunger through agriculture. Five years later, with the help of grants and overwhelming community support, the program has made an economic impact greater than $63,000 by donating more than 10,000 pounds of meat, 3,200 gallons of milk, 330 dozen eggs, 400 pounds of cheese, 140 pounds of butter, and 350 pounds of produce. ​

The onset of COVID-19 generated new challenges for Meating the Need for our Village, but high school seniors Addy and Pearl have adapted and found new ways to make an impact. Since mid-March, the two have worked to supply masks and delivery boxes for food pantry volunteers and have donated 280 gallons of milk and 60 pounds of cheese to the community in need. “4‑H has taught me how to work together to overcome difficulties and the importance of doing what you can to help when times are tough, while having hope that things will get better,” said Pearl. ​

As of April 22, a donor who heard about the incredible work Addy and Pearl are leading is looking to help the teens disseminate $2,000 worth of meat, milk and cheese to the Michigan Thumb Region within the next two weeks. This donation will allow the teens to more broadly support the food insecure in their region. ​

The 4‑H’ers work regularly with two different food pantries and are seeking to meet their individual needs during the crisis. One food pantry, Revive Ministries, is still operational, and Addy and Pearl have donated 140 gallons of milk and 40 pounds of cheese to the pantry since the onset of the pandemic. However, the other food pantry, St. Agatha’s, needed to close their open-pantry pickup process and moved to a delivery-only system. Since St. Agatha’s could no longer receive the milk and cheese Addy and Pearl normally deliver each week, the teens adjusted their plans and instead donated 140 gallons of milk to their local school system’s meal delivery program. ​

Determined to continue supporting St. Agatha’s, Addy and Pearl worked to understand their new needs and connected with local sewing groups to provide masks for the pantry’s volunteers who are delivering non-perishable items to clients. “Many food pantry volunteers are elderly and immunocompromised, while customers tend to have less access to healthcare,” Addy said. “Definitely prioritize hospitals, but food pantries can use masks, too!” In addition to masks, Addy & Pearl are securing boxes for the food pantry’s porch deliveries. ​

“The need is greater than ever, and I’m privileged to be able to help,” said Addy. ​

Hunter Williams, Lake Butler, FL

With school out of session, restaurants closed, and tourism at a standstill, supply chains for farmers all across the country have been disrupted. The problem is so bad that farmers are plowing thousands of acres of fresh produce back into the ground because they can’t afford to harvest it without buyers lined up. Millions of gallons of milk are being poured down the drain. Livestock and poultry are being euthanized. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t demand for these products. In fact, families across the country are desperate for fresh produce, meat and dairy. ​

The bitter truth is that this sudden inability to match supply with demand is hurting everyone. Farmers across the country are missing out on the revenue from this year’s harvest at the same time that millions of Americans are struggling to put food on their tables. ​

That’s why Hunter Williams, a 17-year-old high school junior and 4‑H Florida State Officer in Lake Butler, FL, decided to take action. Hunter grew up around farming and ranching his entire life, including serving as a 4‑H livestock ambassador in both Florida and Texas. When COVID-19 began to affect his community, he knew he had to do something that would help farmers in the area make ends meet– while also addressing food access issues for consumers. So, he decided to start a fresh produce box business that would connect farms with surplus crops to consumers who were looking for produce. ​

Hunter started his new business by reaching out to farmers in the area to understand what crops they had ready to sell. Then, with the help of family and a few friends, Hunter drove all around north Florida picking up crates full of crops– including green beans, squash, zucchini, onions, bell peppers, corn, cabbage, lettuce, kale, cucumbers, tomatoes, blueberries, and more– and packing them into 15-20 pound boxes for consumers to buy. Next, he spread the word on Facebook and through word-of-mouth and established three pickup points across north Florida. With that, Hunter’s initiative, called Save Florida Farms, was born. ​

Hunter sees this effort to help local farmers find buyers for their produce as an urgent priority in the age of COVID. “It’s always important to support our local farmers– but even more so during the current pandemic. If we are buying imported products because they are less expensive, it is literally taking money out of the pockets of our local suppliers. These local producers are struggling to move their produce and, in some cases, support their own families,” he explains. In fact, over the last several weeks Hunter has developed business relationships with nine different farms across Florida and has witnessed the impact of this disruption first-hand. ​

To Hunter, Save Florida Farms goes beyond the important task of matching supply with demand. It’s also a powerful way for him to raise awareness about the importance of supporting local farmers, whenever it’s an option. “After the pandemic is over, we need to continue to purchase from our Florida farmers to keep the industry alive. As the population continues to grow so will the demand. We cannot depend on foreign imports for our food. If we don’t support our local farmers now, they won’t be there when we need them,” Hunter explains. ​

So far, Hunter’s efforts have been successful. In his first week, Hunter sold about 150 boxes of produce. In his second week, he and his partners sold 500 and added 50 people to his waiting list. Now, he’s introduced online ordering and demand for his produce boxes is continuing to climb. As his business continues to grow, so does his ability to feed his community and keep local farmers in business at a time of crisis. He hopes to keep growing the business as long as he can make a difference.

Garrett Sander, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana 

Garrett Sanders, a high school senior and 4‑H’er in Tangipahoa Parish, LA, was looking for a way to meaningfully contribute to his community, even after he went off to college. He was searching for an idea that he could get off the ground, and that the community would embrace and sustain. After lots of deliberation, he came up with a concept to create spaces throughout the community where people with means could leave donations of critical staples like food and hygiene items, and people in need could pick them up. ​

The idea, Garrett explained, came from a desire to make helping people part of everyday life. “I feel that I have been so blessed in my life to have a roof over my head and food on my table, so I feel a need to give back to those less fortunate than myself. This has always been an important part of my life growing up.”​

To put his idea into action, Garrett worked with his mom, who is a 4‑H agent, and others in his community to design durable wooden pantries that would stand up to the elements and look inviting to passersby. For $150 in building costs, Garrett’s final designs include a sloped and tiled roof, bright green paint, and a plexiglass door with instructions printed on the front: Leave what you can, take what you need. With that, the “Blessing Box” was born.

After completing his design, Garrett worked with local officials to secure two permanent locations. After installing them, Garrett used his own money to make sure the boxes were stocked with $50 to $75 worth of groceries each week. At first, the boxes would empty out quickly and Garrett would restock them. But over time, as word spread throughout the community, other people began to leave goods in the boxes. After a few months, the supply and demand for goods nearly reached equilibrium, with Garrett only needing to top them off every once in a while. ​

Since the COVID-19 crisis hit, demand for the boxes has skyrocketed. Even though many people are still making contributions, Garrett has gone back to stocking large quantities of groceries each week. “Some people can’t afford to eat. Especially now in this time of uncertainty, they don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” Garrett said. “This just kind of reassures them that they do have something to eat tonight.” The power of the Blessing Box, Garrett explains, is to take that uncertainty out of people’s lives and give them something they can count on. ​

Garrett credits 4‑H and his mom for inspiring him and equipping him with the skills he needed to bring Blessing Boxes to life. “Throughout my 4‑H career, I have focused mainly on volunteering and service learning. My mom has always been one of the main inspirations for my 4‑H projects because she always strives to give back to others in any way she can. I simply want to follow in her footsteps,” he said. “All my experiences over the years have taught me the most effective ways to give back to my community, and this project is the result of that cumulative experience.” ​

With the help of his community, Garrett plans to keep the Blessing Boxes stocked throughout the crisis. In the next year, he also hopes to expand Blessing Boxes to other Parishes throughout Louisiana and establish a “leftovers program” at school, where leftovers from lunch are sent home with students in need.

SewWhat 4‑H Club, Nashville, NC

As COVID-19 swept the country, 4‑H clubs nationwide moved their efforts online and began exploring new ways to keep learning and keep projects going from a distance. When the local JOANN fabric store contacted SewWhat 4‑H Club leader Jane Tyson, to see if her Nashville, NC, club would be interested in sewing fabric masks, the 4‑H’ers didn’t hesitate to say yes and get involved. ​

“We were eager to learn a new project,” said Megan Garciga, a 17-year-old 4‑H’er. But it wasn’t always easy. “The first challenge was to learn virtually, over email. It was a bit of a learning curve at first, because I’m used to Mrs. Jane walking me through a new project!” ​

Despite needing to learn on their own, Megan and 12 of her fellow club members rose to the challenge and banded together to sew more than 1100 masks for local healthcare workers, policemen and firemen. “4‑H has given me a lot of advanced sewing skills,” Megan said. “I’ve been happy to help with this effort and to learn a new project, too!”

Mason McClintock, Georgia
Youth in Action Civic Engagement Pillar Winner

As young people around the globe cope with the drastic changes in their lives caused by COVID-19, 4‑H’ers are banding together to make an impact in their communities in large and small ways. Georgia 4‑H’ers and young alumni from the performing arts group, Clovers & Company are working together to share their music and provide a bit of hope to listeners. ​

“‘Stand by Me’” is a song about resilience and realizing that none of us are always capable of thriving in this life alone,” said Mason McClintock, Clovers & Co. alum. “It teaches us it’s okay not to be okay and encourages us to reach out when we need help.” Mason, along with 11 fellow company members and alums banded together to create a virtual, a cappella performance of “Stand by Me”. The 4‑H’ers previously performed the song in their 2018-2019 show, “I’m Still Standing.”​

Mental health is quickly emerging as an important area of consideration as youth and adults alike grapple with the realities of social distancing and a vastly uncertain future. “In this time of crisis when everything seems especially dark, my goal for this song is to b inspire a sense of hope, positivity and unity in all who hear it. We all need to be reminded sometimes that we are all citizens of this earth, and we all want to be loved and accepted. We truly are all in this together,” Mason said. ​

The Georgia 4‑H performing arts group, Clovers & Company, was founded in 1981 and features a cast of youth singers, dancers, instrumentalists and stage hands who annually perform a high energy show for 4‑H events, civic groups, and state and national conventions. Several alumni of the program have gone on to have careers in the music and entertainment fields, including Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, Hillary Lindsey and Nikki DeLoach.

4‑H Club, Illinois

As healthcare workers around the country face a shortage of personal protective equipment, 4‑H’ers on the Elgin, Illinois, “got robot?” FIRST Tech Challenge team are working together – separately – to produce 3D printed face shields for first responders. Using the team’s 3D printer and 9 other printers owned by team members or on loan, the 4‑H’ers, ages 12-17, launched “Operation got face shield?” in late March to produce PPE face shields for local hospitals, nursing homes, police stations, funeral homes, grocery stores, and more. ​

Early on, the team tested 3D printed designs and made several for evaluation. Though they could originally only print a single shield band at a time, the team’s mentor, a 4‑H alumnus, wrote a new code, allowing the 4‑H’ers to print 10 bands at a time and dramatically increase their output capacity. The Kane County Coroner’s Office agreed to test the face shields and were impressed with the simple design and ease of use. “These face shields are essential,” said Natalie Hall, Forensic Morgue Technician for the Kane County Coroner’s Office. “It takes the extra step to ensure that we are having the least amount of exposure possible.” As of April 28, the team has 3D printed just over 4000 face shields for 90 different locations in their hometown of Elgin, Ill., nearby Chicago., and states as far away as Georgia and Texas ​

“Being a member in robotics and 4‑H has taught me and many members on our team to look for opportunities to help our community,” said Evan Sass, a 13-year-old team member. Because the team has access to so many 3D printers, responding to the call for 3D printed face shields was relatively easy. “It is also a great way for the team to stay active and keep learning, while honoring the shelter-at-home order,” said a team leader. ​

Evan credits 4‑H with not only preparing him with the tech skills to create face shields, but also with the leadership and communication skills he needs to deliver them. “One of the biggest things I have learned in 4‑H is leadership and that has helped me with almost everything I do in day to day life,” Evan said. “When we deliver the face shields, I give a presentation about how to work with the headbands and how to assemble them. Doing community service projects in the past has helped me with learning to speak comfortably.” ​

Long committed to making a difference in their community, the “got robot?” team has collaborated with their local library for the last three years to raise funding for STEM Backpacks, which feature a range of STEM activities and topics (in both Spanish & English) for families to learn together. When the opportunity arose for the team to create a product to help the community stay safer during COVID-19, team members didn’t hesitate to join in the effort. ​

In addition to their own work, “got robot?” has mobilized 3 other local robotics teams by sharing files and best practices, and they’re glad to provide tips and support to other teams as they get started with the relief effort. ​

Joseph Huff, Utah
Youth in Action STEM Pillar Winner

Joseph Huff is no stranger to using 3D printing to help those in need. His dad, a stroke survivor, has limited use of his right hand. When Joseph realized he could 3D print prosthetics for youth who have mobility challenges, he leapt at the opportunity. For the past several years, he’s combined creativity with science to lead 4‑H’ers to create life-changing prosthetic hands for young people in need. ​

In light of the COVID-19 crisis, Joseph pivoted to creating 3D printed resources to meet needs for local hospitals and police. Though gaining access to the type of 3D printing materials needed to produce masks is difficult, Joseph has worked alongside his employer to create more than 50 3D printed masks for local police officials. ​

Using his own 3D printer and materials at home, he’s creating surgical mask tension relief bands for ear comfort for the University of Utah Hospital. “A family friend works at a hospital and talks about how painful it is on her ears to wear a mask all day long, so I looked for a way I could make a difference.” To date, Joseph has printed 21 bands. ​

Joseph encourages fellow 4‑H’ers with access to 3D printers to get involved with the effort to make mask tension relief bands. “They seem to be even more needed than masks at this time,” Joseph said.

Erin Kistner, Illinois

Like many Americans, Erin Kistner was unaware that a large proportion of her neighbors, friends and classmates were struggling to get access to three meals a day. After all, in high school this problem can be difficult to detect since many teens find it embarrassing or stigmatizing to talk about hunger issues. It wasn’t until she attended a Hunger Ambassador training put on by the Illinois State 4‑H Office in 2018 that she learned an estimated 2.3 million households in rural communities face food insecurity. She was shocked. And it got her thinking about her own community in Hillsboro, Illinois, and how many of her friends and peers might be going hungry without any help. ​

When she returned home, she got to work right away. First, she asked around to see if hunger was affecting people she knew. She quickly learned about a classmate who had been living without electricity for a month and another who didn’t have access to a functioning stove. “Hearing their stories really impacted me and inspired me to do something to help,” explained Erin. She realized there was no way these students could feed themselves properly under these conditions. From there, she decided to survey her high school to assess the extent of the problem. To her surprise, a whopping 25% of her classmates reported having food access issues.

Once Erin understood the pervasiveness of the issue, she turned to her local Extension 4‑H office to come up with a plan. Since many students rely on school meals for nutrition, they determined that they could make the biggest impact by providing nutritious ready-to-eat meals that could be picked up at school on Fridays and taken home for the weekend. Working with school administrators and her 4‑H mentor, she set up a private room at the school that she and her fellow 4‑H members would stock with bags containing a healthy breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Participation was private, and students could take as many bags as they felt they needed for the weekend. She worked with local churches and businesses to make sure she had enough donations to keep the program running. ​

When COVID-19 hit her community and schools closed, Erin knew that food access issues would only get worse. “When school closed on March 15, there were so many students depending on us as a food source, I knew I had to do something. I worked with Extension staff and the school administration to see how we could continue to feed these students,” Erin recalled. Together, they adapted the program to deliver eight meals each week directly to students at their homes on school buses.​

But keeping the program running in the era of COVID has not been easy. As her traditional sources of funding and food donations have been disrupted by COVID, Erin has had to navigate finding new partners and new ways to raise funds. It’s been a constant balancing act of finding organizations that are in a position to help despite facing their own challenges. She has also had to adjust to the new reality of needing to run her program without the help of volunteers, since social distancing won’t allow for them to prepare and pack kits together. Yet despite these challenges, Erin has been successful in maintaining her program. “Because of a great outpouring of support from our community, we have been able to provide meals each week since the school shut down,” she said. ​

Erin credits her experience in 4‑H for equipping her with many of the skills she uses to keep this program running. “I developed a passion for community service and helping others as a result of my 4‑H involvement. I have organized numerous food pantry collections, food packaging events, supply drives and many other service projects with my 4‑H club and Youth Leadership Team. Organizing the Weekend Food program uses many of the same skills,” she explained. 4‑H has also helped her develop communication skills that have proved vital in making her program successful. “ As a member of the Illinois Speaking for 4‑H team I enjoy talking with legislators, service clubs, and funders about 4‑H. So it was easy for me to meet with school administrators and teachers to help develop the framework of the program, then meet with organizations to obtain donations for the program.”

​Erin hopes to be able to maintain her food delivery program throughout the COVID crisis, and is already planning to scale her in-school program to other districts. Ultimately, Erin hopes to inspire large-scale action to combat hunger issues. “I hope to raise awareness of youth food insecurity issues in small rural counties, so others will join the fight against hunger. I also want to create a sustainable nutrition program in my community so that no high school student goes hungry on the weekends. This issue is all around us, and I hope my program can be a blueprint for success in other locations.”​

Hana Pfeiffer, Idaho

Hana Pfeiffer’s hometown in rural Idaho is facing an ongoing shortage of donated blood to perform life-saving procedures at the local hospital. Inspired by her experience as a 4‑H leader in civic engagement, she decided to take matters into her own hands. After some careful planning and calling around, she was able to forge a partnership with the American Red Cross and the Minidoka Memorial Health Care Foundation to host a blood drive. ​

What struck Hana vividly about her experience is that the same healthcare workers who were battling the COVID inside the hospital were also the ones taking time out of their days to donate live-saving blood. Since many of these workers had either been caring for COVID patients, Hana and the hospital had to take special precautions to make sure everyone was able to stay safe. Despite the challenges this caused, the turnout and enthusiasm to help was spectacular: Over 60 healthcare workers came to donate over the course of two days, donating enough blood to save 125 lives.​

Hana’s experience has opened her eyes to the incredible role healthcare workers play in keeping the rest of us safe every day. “This service project and pandemic have shed new light on how truly amazing health care workers are. With COVID-19, they have worked countless hours, taken many precautions, and risked their lives to protect us—and now over sixty of these individuals donated blood on top of that. This experience has opened my eyes to how very fortunate we are to have these amazing people in our communities.”​

Hana is eager to keep helping, and is already planning her next blood drive. For other people interested in finding ways to help out in their communities, she offers, “My best advice is just to ask! Contact local shelters, foundations, or movement organizations and ask how you can get involved. Also, 4‑H extension coordinators are great resources for finding service projects near you. There are usually plenty of people who are always looking for a helping hand.”