FFA Chapter Receives Building Our American Communities Grant
The Ste. Genevieve chapter of FFA was chosen to receive a grant from the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s 2020 Building Our American Communities (BOAC) grant program.
In total, 21 youth organizations from across Missouri — including FFA chapters and 4-H clubs — were bestowed grants through this program for their community service projects this year.
“Missouri FFA and Missouri 4-H do a great job of fostering a spirit of service within their local chapters,” said Chris Chinn, director of the Department of Agriculture. “There is nothing more important than teaching young people to take care of those around them. We hope that the BOAC grant program is the encouragement these young people need to initiate their own service projects.”
Each of the 2020 awardees will receive $500 toward their projects, which may include upgrades or additions to existing facilities, grounds or buildings, such as fairgrounds, parks or community centers used by local organizations.
The Ste. Genevieve Chapter of FFA will use this funding to plan and create a landscape for the front of Bloomsdale Elementary’s gymnasium. Agriculture teacher and FFA co-advisor Hannah Fritsch-Donze’s landscaping class will plan the design and install it this spring.
The Building Our American Communities program has been supporting youth projects since the 1970s.
Each year, youth organizations throughout Missouri submit proposals for consideration for the grants that support specific projects within each community.
The Ste. Genevieve 4-H Swine Club also received a grant.
Other FFA programs to receive a grant were: Brookfield (Linn County), Bucklin (Linn County), California (Moniteau County), Versailles (Morgan County), South Harrison (Harrison County), Carthage (Jasper County), El Dorado Springs (Cedar County), Warrenton (Warren County), and Fredericktown (Madison County).
(Information from releases from the Ste. Genevieve R-II School District and the Missouri Department of Agriculture.)