East Central FFA Chapter Receives Living to Serve Grant from National FFA Organization

East Central was the only chapter in the state of Indiana to receive a yearlong grant.   

(St. Leon, Ind.) - The East Central FFA chapter in St. Leon, Indiana has been awarded a Yearlong Living to Serve Grant in the amount of $3000. The nationwide program provides grant money to local FFA chapters to support yearlong service-learning projects that address needs related to community safety; environmental responsibility; hunger, health and nutrition; and community engagement. East Central was the only chapter in the state of Indiana to receive a yearlong grant.   

The East Central FFA plans to help address accessibility to gardening by constructing 30 handicapped accessible raised garden beds and distribute them to local community gardens and individuals/families that have the need for one.  Many elderly individuals also have physical limitations that prevent them from traditional gardening.  By completing this grant project members of the community will be able to increase physical activity and improving healthy habits to promote physical and mental well-being while gardening.  FFA members will be constructing all raised beds in the East Central High School agriculture shop.   

Isabelle Leurck, East Central FFA Chapter president said this about this opportunity.  “For the aging and disabled people in our community, these accessible raised garden beds allow them to easily continue on with a long lasting hobby or to venture into a new one.  In making these raised beds, East Central FFA members are able to learn new skills and feel accomplished in that they are doing something for the community.” 

East Central FFA will be working with Shyra Tedesco, director and co-founder of the Southeast Indiana (SEI) Community Gardens to find locations for the raised beds.  

The program provided over $176,590 to FFA chapters in 29 states. The 2024-2025 FFA Yearlong Living to Serve Grants are sponsored by Cargill and Tractor Supply Company. For more information and a complete listing of sponsors, visit FFA.org/livingtoserve.  

The National FFA Organization is a school-based national youth leadership development organization of more than 1,027,200 student members as part of 9,235 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.