Fueling the Drive to Feed Kids — Mighty Eagles 4-H Club
Mighty Eagles 4-Hers Focus on the Drive to Feed Kids
Youth from the Fordland and Rogersville communities in #AgriReady Webster County come together as members of the Mighty Eagles 4-H Club. Building over nearly a decade of experiences and memories, Mighty Eagles members have been engaged in a wide variety of farm and rural-based projects including beef, poultry, goats, beekeeping and agricultural mechanics.
Beyond their project work, 4-H members are encouraged to develop leadership skills and be engaged in community service efforts. Among the plethora of opportunities and options for community projects, the Mighty Eagles members and adult leaders have prioritized their participation in the annual 4-H Feeding Missouri service project during the past four years.
4-H Feeding Missouri encourages local groups to tailor their efforts to the abilities of their club members and the needs of their local communities. This project autonomy led the Mighty Eagles to learn about and engage with Missouri Farmers Care Foundation (MFCF) and their Drive to Feed Kids.
According to Liz Garber, a leader of the Mighty Eagles Club, the club’s efforts in the project are seen throughout the year.
“Our club and kids have worked hard every year sharing about food insecurity, collecting donations at basketball games, producing an internet broadcast, hosting breakfasts and more. These are all wonderful experiences that help to balance what can become a somewhat self-focused life,” said Liz Garber, an adult leader of the Mighty Eagles club.
For the recently concluded 2022 Drive to Feed Kids, the Mighty Eagles 4-H Club was the sole Missouri 4-H club listed as a statewide partner of the Missouri Farmers Care program. Through a variety of avenues, the Mighty Eagles worked in their local communities to raise awareness about food insecurity, spent hours in building public awareness of needs and raised $617 to fight food insecurity which they chose to invest in #FuelingtheDrivetoFeedKids.
This year builds on years of contributions to the Drive to Feed Kids, MFCF’s statewide food insecurity effort. Mighty Eagles members have spoken at statewide conferences to promote the Drive and hosted an MFC leader as a guest on their unique community outreach project known as “4Htv”. In 2021, the club purchased two hogs which were fed out, harvested and donated to a local food bank as part of the MFC Hogs For Hunger campaign. The club’s efforts were recognized in a 4-H update during the 2021 Governor’s Conference on Agriculture. Mighty Eagles club member Lucas Alexander has been a guest speaker on the MFC Stand For Ag podcast and at the FFA Day of Service at the Missouri State Fair.
As Mighty Eagles members continue to add experiences and memories to their history, they plan to continue their positive relationship with MFCF and the Drive to Feed Kids. MFCF and Missouri 4-H again plan to offer mini-grants to 4-H clubs across the state to coincide with the annual 4-H Feeding Missouri effort in concert with the Drive to Feed Kids. All Missouri youth ages 8-18 are welcome to join 4-H! The 4-H New Year begins October 1st; contact the local University of Missouri Extension office for more details.
