Local 4-Hers Receive Grant to Combat Food Insecurity and Period Poverty in East Baton Rouge & East Feliciana Parishes
The 4-H Lead to Change experience prepares youth to develop an action plan to address a local community challenge.
Baton Rouge, La. – In a rapidly changing world, 4-H teens are the next generation of leaders that will solve systemic challenges in global food production, sustainability, and equity. Here in East Baton Rouge and East Feliciana Parishes, a team of local teens are hard at work after being awarded $2,000 to address a community issue after attending the Ignite by 4-H Summit hosted by the National 4-H Council.
The youth, Ke’Niah Collins, from Zachary High School; Briana Cleary, from Baker High School; Christal Hawkins from Zachary High School; and Taylor Holden, from Slaughter Community Charter School, aim to reduce short-term poverty by combating food insecurity and period poverty, through their Youth Transient Poverty Program (YTPP). Their goal is to provide 250 emPOWER Packs equipped with food and period poverty items for youth in their local communities.
The three-day Ignite Summit experience in Washington D.C. challenged the teens to be bold and holistically address pressing challenges in their communities. Teens representing over 40 states were able to grow their skills in workshops led by industry leaders and build community with other 4-Hers.
Together with adult mentors, teams developed a plan and then pitched their ideas, live, to a team of mentors from the ag industry. A total of 15 winners were selected out of 38 project applications this year to receive the $2,000 grant, with the opportunity to apply for a second round of $5,000 in the fall.
No one should have to miss out on school or other activities because they are unable to afford the material requirements they need to survive. Food and menstrual hygiene products are not luxuries, as they are essential to thrive.
Approaches to decrease food insecurity and period poverty are ever-evolving through food banks, pantries, nonprofit organizations, and Pink Tax Exemptions with legislation. Ultimately, there is more work to be done to combat these issues in our local, Louisiana communities. As these 4-Hers extend their hands to larger service for local communities, the country, and the world they are challenging the community constituents to join them as they aim for equity to provide donations to assist in creating emPOWER Packs for underserved youth. Additional information on donation drives for the Youth Transient Poverty Program will be available in the coming weeks.
About 4-H
4-H, the nation’s largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for careers tomorrow. 4-H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4-H is the youth development program of our nation’s Cooperative Extension System and USDA and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3,000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4-H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4-H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.
For additional information on the Youth Transient Poverty Program or the Southern University Ag Center’s 4-H programs, contact Kiyana Kelly at kiyana_kelly@suagcenter.com.