WASHINGTON, Jan 8, 2009 – Honoring creative and caring efforts to help the hungry in communities around the country, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer has congratulated volunteers in the Fight Hunger Initiative whose involvement has also shown how rewarding and practical it is to help their neighbors. Schafer launched the initiative patterned from efforts that raised 80,000 pounds of food bank donations in his home state of North Dakota by volunteers to “fill the dome” of a local sports arena.

“The biggest barrier keeping Americans from helping their neighbor in need isn’t a lack of desire, but a lack of knowing just how to help. Our Fight Hunger Initiative encourages specific ways to match the great need for support with really great people who want to help,” said Schafer. “Noble efforts by these community groups are an inspiration to all of us to lend a helping hand of kindness to a neighbor.”

Schafer initiated the Fight Hunger Initiative with a USDA.gov website of specific examples and resources of how to organize a food drive, provide help to the elderly, sponsor feeding programs and find a local volunteer opportunity. Schafer said he hopes the next Agriculture Secretary will adopt the initiative at www.usda.gov/secretary with its toolkit of resources.

In letters of recognition, Schafer specifically highlighted contributions by community volunteers in Montana and New York, and 4-H Clubs in Maine and Kentucky:

Farm-To-Table in Glendive, Montana, a project of Community Giving Assistance Towards Employment, for a community garden and cooperative to help farmers and ranchers market their food products.

Venison Donation Coalition, Inc. in Bath, New York, for coordinating a statewide donation by hunters of venison processed and distributed in one pound packages for local food banks and their partner organizations.

Coastal Clovers 4-H Club in York, Maine, for planting a large community garden to donate more than 2,000 pounds of fresh produce to local food banks and food pantries.

Kentucky 4-H Youth Development Program in Lexington, Kentucky, for their State Fair canned food drive to collect more than 280 canned food items and over 1,000 4-H food and horticulture products donated to a local harvest organization.

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Gov. Steve Beshear and State 4-H President Matt Ledford visit during the 2008 State Fair Commodities Breakfast

You may think you know what a friend is, right? Webster’s dictionary defines a friend as one who supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group, cause, or movement. I define a friend as someone who always has your back, is there for you in a time of need, and someone who listens to you when you need to talk you are a friend of Kentucky 4-H.
Friends of 4-H support this program with more than a handshake and a pat on the back, you support the program with your monetary as well as in-kind donations. Let me tell you about some of the projects that your money is benefiting in Kentucky 4-H.
With your help were are able to sponsor a Bath House Blitz at all Kentucky 4-H camps, which benefit over 9,000 youth annually. With this blitz we were able to give Kentucky’s youth nicer, cleaner facilities to enjoy while learning values that will carry them throughout the rest of their lives.
4-H has been teaching these values since 1909, but it has come a long way from just cookies and cows. We have moved into the 21st century by successfully implementing the Science Engineering and Technology Program in over 40 counties across the Commonwealth in only 2 years. The S.E.T program teaches many technology related programs such as global positioning systems, robotics, rocketry, and technology programming, to hundreds of Kentucky youth to help them succeed in a complex and ever changing world.
Your donations and support also help send 26 Kentucky 4-Hers, including myself, to National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, Georgia this November, along with many other programs in the Commonwealth and in partnering states.
The programming options are endless and I cannot forget to mention Health Rocks, shooting sports, Country Ham Project, Livestock shows and judging, animal sciences, communications events, and plant studies and horticulture, sewing, arts and crafts, dog projects, and cooking. All of these programs and many more can be offered because of your support.
Being in 4-H is just as simple as using your head to challenge yourself to make conscious decisions in everyday tasks; your heart to sort through emotions and ideas to decipher what your life’s priorities are; use your hands to get involved in learning new skills – don’t just talk about making a change; focus on your health and learning to balance friends, school, and family – set a goal to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. It truly is all about the 4-‘H’s. 4-H’s purpose is to enable young people to acquire knowledge, develop life skills, and form attitudes that allow them to become self-directing, productive, and contributing members of society.
As Kentucky 4-H moves into our 100th Anniversary in 2009 we’re still upholding the core values on which 4-H was founded. We invite you to celebrate 4-H’s 100th Birthday with us as friends and as a 4-H family. Thank you once again for your support of the 4-H program and helping make the best better here in the Commonwealth. Once again, thank you for being a friend of Kentucky 4-H.

Sincerely,

Matthew J. Ledford
President Kentucky 4-H