With rural areas perhaps being hit hardest during the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s where the 4-H members in Winston County focused its efforts to ensure students in the community had healthy meals over the Christmas break and the weekends.
The 4-H students and 4-H leaders teamed up with First Methodist in Louisville to provide Backpacks of Hope to local students over the holidays and over weekends.
Backpacks of Hope has been providing school children locally with healthy weekend meals that are skillfully packed in a sturdy backpack that can be carried home.
The idea of this unique program is to provide local youth in need with wholesome weekend meals that extend their free, daily school lunches. These are balanced meals for consumption at home on Saturdays and Sundays.
In most cases, underserved local children are now getting a well-balanced serving of breakfasts and lunches that include fresh or canned fruit along with a fortified grain product, a wholesome snack.
As the winter break began, Jean Harper and the other 4-H leaders enlisted the student members to pack the backpacks.
Harper noted the group has handled over 20 projects over the past year often teaming up with other groups in the community to make sure persons are being helped.
“The 4-H program encourages youth leaders to give back to their communities,” Harper noted.
The 4-H Program is designed for middle and high school students who are looking to develop their leadership abilities and awareness in civic engagement. The goal is to empower students to serve with compassion, lead with humility and inspire others through integrity.
For more information on joining a 4-H program contact the Winston County Extension office.
