The second paragraph of the FFA creed is ringing true for many chapters across the United States. In the wake of recent natural disasters, including multiple hurricanes and wildfires, FFA chapters are looking to help their fellow members get back on their feet.
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands suffered damage from the hurricanes. National FFA has made contact with state staff and is working to develop a plan of action for supporting those chapters. If your chapter would like to help, please contact Local Program Success coordinators.
California has several chapters which have lost their school farms, including livestock and crops, due to the wildfires. Atwater California agriculture teachers have organized relief efforts for these suffering FFA chapters. They are collecting livestock feed and non-perishable items (clothing, food, personal care items, gift cards, etc). Vintage FFA Advisor, Emmalee Casillas, spoke with RFD-TV about how her chapter has become a safe haven for displaced livestock due to the fires. Casillas told RFD-TV that the students prepared the pens and are caring for the animals. She also explained the wildfires have been an eye-opening experience for her students.
Southeast Texas and the Gulf Coast have suffered severe flooding from Hurricane Harvey. Many roads, homes, schools, farms, and cities have sustained damage. The next steps are to rebuild, and the Texas Team Ag Ed has reactivated the “A New Day: Texas Agricultural Education Disaster Relief Fund.” This program allows for those chapters and programs affected to apply for funds to rebuild.
If you would like to stay up-to-date on disasters and the chapters affected, please reference the National FFA Crisis Relief page. National FFA has said, “This is a starting point for others looking to help in various ways. We also encourage those among us – our student members, advisors, alumni and supporters – to help local FFA chapters during their times of need.”
