Spotlight on 2023 Food Partner Challenge Project: 4-H Dairy Farmers Pledge Far-Reaching Community Service
In Sherburne County, Minnesota, the Otsego Four Leaves 4-H Club has been making a difference in their community. The club, which is part of the University of Minnesota's 4-H dairy project, recently embarked on a project titled "Pledging Our 4-H Dairy Farming Hands to Larger Service."
This project was an idea submitted to the Food Partner Challenge, a program where innovative ideas can be proposed and potentially receive funding for community projects. The club's submission was successful, and they received a $500 grant to bring their idea to life.
The project aimed to address a specific need identified by Community Aid of Elk River (CAER). CAER's biggest need was a healthy snack-sized dairy item for their Kids Weekend CAER Package, a service that provides essential items to families in need.
The Otsego Four Leaves 4-H Club took action by reaching out to CAER to understand their dairy product needs. In response, Ellsworth Creamery, a local dairy, generously donated an additional 70 pounds of cheese to support the project.
The club members, who produce milk on dairy farms, purchased two-ounce snack-sized cheese curd packages from Ellsworth Creamery. They then donated 39 cases of cheese curd to CAER, ensuring that the children in need would have a nutritious and tasty snack.
The club expressed satisfaction in seeing the outcome of their project, which they believe taught them valuable lessons in planning, communication, teamwork, and serving others in the community. This initiative not only provided a much-needed resource to CAER but also fostered a sense of community spirit among the club members.
The Otsego Four Leaves 4-H Club continues to make a positive impact in their community, demonstrating the power of youth engagement and collaboration in addressing local needs.
The Otsego Four Leaves 4-H Club, with their focus on dairy farming and community service, decided to tackle a project addressing a healthy snack need identified by Community Aid of Elk River. To fulfill this goal, they collaborated with Ellsworth Creamery, donating 39 cases of two-ounce cheese curd packages to help provide a nutritious food-and-drink item for CAER's Kids Weekend Package, thus improving the lifestyle and wellbeing of children in need. Furthermore, the club's home-and-garden project also included redecorating and maintaining their community center to provide a warm and welcoming place for meetings and events, enhancing the overall lifestyle of their community members.
