BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The 4-H pledge concludes with “my club, my community, my country, and my world.” Packaging 20,000 servings to be shared right here in our communities, is certainly a good start to create change!
Join us on Saturday, April 7, as Livingston, McLean & Woodford County 4-H band together at the McLean County Fairgrounds Mini Expo building to help address food access and hunger in our communities. It is one small step that we can take as a 4-H family & community to help families who do not have the resources to nutritious, healthy foods. Hunger is closer to home than many people realize. According to a 2011 report published by Feeding America, Illinois ranks 26th in the nation when it comes to the number of children facing food insecurity.
Last September, we successfully packaged over 20,000 servings with your help, therefore, Livingston, McLean, and Woodford County 4-H programs have accepted the challenge to continue addressing hunger in our communities by packaging another 20,000 servings for area food banks. We are excited to hold our second event in our community and are able to through the support of various community members, local businesses and 4-H Club donations as well as a grant received from the Illinois 4-H: 4-H Feeding and Growing Our Communities program.
We have various shifts available from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to work the actual event on April 7, so if available and interested, please sign up for one or all shifts all individually online at go.illinois.edu/4HMealPackaging or contact 4-H staff at the McLean County Extension Office at (309) 663-8306. Clubs or individuals may also contribute financially. A donation of $30 will feed 216 people, and a donation of $10 will feed 72 people. Checks may be made payable to the McLean County Extension Service Foundation, marked specifically MPE for the meal packaging event.
To respond to this reality, Illinois 4-H is continuing to address this hunger challenge through the 4-H Feeding and Growing Our Communities program. Statewide, 4-H members have packaged over 750,000 meals in the past three years. We are eager to join with our fellow 4-H members and leaders across the state to continue contributing to the program with this second event.
Food Access and Food Insecurity is just one of the major issues and initiatives that the University of Illinois Extension is addressing throughout the state. We know our 4-H Youth and Leaders make a difference in their clubs – this is one way to demonstrate how we make a difference in our communities, country, and the world.
For more information on the 2018 4-H Meal Packaging Event or how you can get involved in 4-H in your area, please visit go.illinois.edu/LMW or contact the McLean County Extension Office at (309) 663-8306.
— University of Illinois Extension
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