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Illinois announces new FFA grants to promote mental health
Sixteen FFA chapters across Illinois are receiving $1,000 in funding through the new “Bend, Don’t Break” grant program.
Mindy Banselmeyer, executive director of the Illinois FFA Center, said the goal is to promote mental health…
“This is to encourage farmers and friends in the agriculture industry to understand and look for the signs of mental health issues and concerns,” she says. This is a great opportunity for our FFA chapter. ”
Banselmeyer told Brownfield that each chapter plans to host a variety of events.
“Some of them are just food, and some of them just provide an opportunity to connect. Another one is doing ‘Farm Nights Under the Lights,’ and it’s a 5K. She said, “Another FFA chapter will be renting an entire movie theater to show movies that focus on mental health and bring greater awareness.”
She says the program helps chapters fill in important elements of FFA…
“Many FFA chapters do many community service activities throughout the year,” she says. “And they’re doing really great work, but this grant specifically asks them to look back at their own communities and see where their needs are” in closing the mental health gap. ”
The “Bend, Don’t Break” program announced Thursday is a partnership between the Illinois Foundation FFA, the Illinois Department of Agriculture and the SIU School of Medicine’s Farmer Resource Initiative.
FFA chapters receiving grants are: Arcola FFA Chapter. Calhoun FFA Chapter; Cambridge FFA Chapter; Edwards County FFA Chapter; Galva FFA Chapter; Marois-Forsyth FFA Chapter. Newark FFA Chapter; Odin FFA Chapter; Olympia Middle School FFA Chapter; Pecatonica FFA Chapter; Shelbyville FFA Chapter; Shiloh FFA Chapter; Stanton FFA Chapter; Sterling FFA Chapter; Streeter FFA Chapter; & Vandalia FFA Chapter.
