Making an impact on food insecurity in the community

BY JO MAHLUM

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

LUXEMBURG – The Luxemburg-Casco FFA program is a student-leadership-based organization with many aspects of community involvement, including addressing food insecurity.

FFA students have various opportunities to be strong leaders, gain knowledge in future careers and gain skills to be successful in any future path they choose.

Through leadership opportunities, students can plan various events to give back to people who are in need.

A recent event put on by the students to give back to their community was Meals of Hope, which involves packaging meals for people in need.

The FFAs responsibility was to fundraise a little over $4,000 to host the event.

Following the event, the students are in charge of the distribution of the meals.

“We delivered over 12,000 packaged meals (fortified chicken-flavored vegetable and rice soup) to the local community around Kewaunee County, Green Bay, and various places where we got donations from,” FFA Advisor Justine Selk stated.

“This event started when I took eight students to the FFA Washington Leadership Conference in D.C. in the summer of 2022.

“The students loved that they got to participate at this FFA on such a national level, they wanted to bring it to our local chapter.”

Meals of Hope was planned by FFA President Savannah Bailey and a few of her officer team members.

“As an individual who participated in the organization and execution of this event, I would say the result and impact is extremely rewarding. By planning this event, I had the opportunity to experience every step of the process from booking the facility to delivering the meals. I was amazed by the enthusiasm and dedication our members had in the participation of this event including fundraising, setting up the supplies, and packaging the  meals,” Bailey stated.

“Our Meals of Hope packaging event gave us the opportunity to package and provide over 13,000 meals to those in need. By planning this event and demonstrating the effect not just one individual but an entire community can have was the greatest experience I could ever receive.

“This event and other experiences like it, are only some that the FFA offers. I am eternally grateful for this organization and the impact has had on me and my peers.”

In addition to leadership opportunities, FFA provides other benefits.

“The biggest benefit I feel FFA gives to students is truly learning how to believe in themselves. If students go out of their comfort zone and compete in various events it gives them a different perspective on who they are as a person. Creating confidence, gaining leadership skills and empathy for others,” Selk said.

Students also have the opportunity to travel and meet other students.

“I have seen students gain many friendships from students in other cities and even states. These friendships will last a lifetime,” Selk added.

On a national level, FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.