News
National FFA members continue living to serve during the pandemic
Thousands of FFA members across the country are serving their communities by participating in the National Days of Service.
Michele Sullivan, senior manager of local engagement, says the National FFA Organization had to reimagine what days of service could look like with a virtual convention.
“We decided that you can serve anywhere at anytime so why not take an event that just happens in Indianapolis or our host city and make it a nation-wide event,” she says.
Sullivan says last year nearly 2,800 FFA members participated in the National Days of Service at 17 locations in the greater Indianapolis area. The students created an estimated economic impact of nearly $200,000. This year, there are 245 chapters representing 42 states participating in the National Days of Service.
She tells Brownfield community service is more important now than ever.
“When service looks very different trying to be thoughtful and appropriate during the coronavirus pandemic, but there are still and will always be needs that need to be met,” she says.
Sullivan says there are chapters across the country doing amazing projects. For example, she says, Alexander FFA in Ohio built dividers for the classrooms to help protect students from COVID-19 and Lawrence Free State High School in Kansas gleaned local gardens and farms and then donated the produce to the local food pantry.
The National Days of Service runs through the month of October.
Audio: Michele Sullivan
