Mulhollem Cravens and Kentucky FFA Foundations Award $10,000 in Grants to Help Agriculture Students Fight Hunger

In a year that has shone a spotlight on the food insecurity faced by many Kentuckians, the Kentucky FFA Foundation has awarded FFA chapters $10,000 in the form of ten $1,000 grants. Each grant will be used to help agriculture students combat hunger in their own communities.

Since 2014, the Foundation has awarded 76 Better Days Through Better Ways Grants with the goal of helping school-based agriculture programs implement service-learning projects focused on one of two categories:
 

• Developing and implementing sustainable food production programs that address hunger in the local community.
   
• Develop and implement sustainability programs like recycling, waste reduction or composting for the school or community.

This year’s projects all focus on food production, with projects ranging from creating a home poultry processing unit that can be checked out by community members, to hosting workshops about growing potatoes using homemade compost and recycled tires.

Grants were awarded to the FFA chapters at Carroll County High School, Franklin-Simpson High School, Franklin-Simpson Middle School, Greenup County High School, Madisonville North Hopkins High School, Pulaski County High School, Royal Spring Middle School, Scott County High School, Taylor County High School, and Warren East High School.

The Better Days Through Better Ways grants are funded by the Mulhollem Cravens Foundation through a partnership with the Kentucky FFA Foundation.

“Contributing to food needs is the central goal,” said Valerie Cravens, “but how much is learned in the process is just as important. Students should gain skills in any or all of the areas of communication, marketing, production or management.”

“The Mulhollem Cravens Foundation gives to causes that make an impact in communities. Kentucky FFA chapters do have a positive effective in counties across Kentucky, and their true partnership has moved the needle to causes relating to hunger, food waste and awareness in our state. We are so grateful for the support.” said Sheldon McKinney, executive director of the Kentucky FFA Foundation.

The Kentucky FFA Foundation cultivates partnerships which support the FFA vision to grow leaders, build communities, and strengthen agriculture. Kentucky FFA Foundation initiatives impact nearly 14,500 FFA members in 161 FFA chapters across Kentucky. Learn more about how you can support the mission of the Kentucky FFA Foundation at kyffa.org/ways-to-give.