Agricultural News
'FFA Rally to Fight Hunger' Planned for 2012 Convention
Fri, 25 May 2012 09:42:35 CDT
The National FFA Organization announced plans for an "FFA Rally to Fight Hunger" at the 2012 National FFA Convention and Expo, Oct. 24-26, to help feed children and adults suffering from food insecurity. Launched as part of the organization's "Feeding the World-Starting at Home" initiative to fight hunger, the rally will engage as many as 10,000 FFA members from across the country and local volunteers. Their goal is to package one million meals at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to combat hunger.
Working with Kids Against Hunger, a humanitarian food-aid organization, FFA members from across the nation will assemble meals and gather additional supplements to provide relief from hunger and malnutrition. Approximately half of the meals will be distributed in the Indianapolis area. Others will be shipped to designated locations domestically and internationally.
Distributing a portion of the meals in Indianapolis has special significance. "Part of our purpose is to thank Indianapolis for seven years of solid support as the host city of our national FFA convention," said Dwight Armstrong, CEO of the National FFA Organization. "We believe no one is better positioned to address hunger than the FFA members preparing to be tomorrow's leaders in providing food and nutrition for a growing planet."
During the rally, as many as 10,000 FFA members will take part in hour-long shifts over the three-day period. In addition to packaging meals, members will learn about the causes and issues of hunger, and they will receive information on how to conduct their own hunger-fighting efforts in their home communities.
The "FFA Rally to Fight Hunger" will launch the organization's "Feeding the World-Starting at Home" initiative to combat hunger in the U.S. and around the globe. FFA chapters across the country are developing sustainable hunger-related projects that provide assistance to local residents. FFA members receive hands-on experience in production agriculture and agribusiness while assisting the communities in which they live. They are involved in all facets of these service projects, from planning and design to implementation and marketing. "Feeding the World-Starting at Home" is an initiative of the National FFA Organization and sponsored in part by Farmers Feeding the World and Tractor Supply Company through the National FFA Foundation.
Through "Feeding the World-Starting at Home", agriculture students will understand the issues and effects of hunger and then take action to support the human right to safe, affordable and nutritious food. The initiative will leverage FFA programs that develop leadership, personal growth and career success to fight the root causes of hunger. These include student and advisor workshops, global experience opportunities, hunger-fighting grants, internships and educational resource networks. "Hunger is the right issue for FFA, and it's fully aligned with our values and vision," said Ryan Best, 2011-2012 National FFA President. "What FFA members learn in Indianapolis at the rally will prepare them to continue fighting hunger in more than 7,500 local communities. Hunger is a battle that we must win."
Additional information about the "FFA Rally to Fight Hunger" will be made available in the coming months describing how FFA members and community volunteers can register to participate in this exciting and impactful event.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI
Top Agricultural News
More Headlines...
