The Porter County 4-H Junior Leaders placed their first micro food pantry at Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church in Valparaiso on Thursday evening.
“We are very excited that Porter County 4-H and Junior Leaders will be able to make a lasting impact for our community members,” said Jennifer Myers, Porter County 4-H Youth Development Educator. “Good Shepherd Church was happy to be a part of it.”
“It is great that we were able to pull the micro food pantry off so we can provide food for those in the community experiencing food insecurity,” said Myers.
The pantry itself was built in December, entirely by the 4-Hers at one of their meetings. The builders included Lilie Dippo, Aiden Dippo, and Genene Engels, and painted by Ben Taylor.
Funding for the pantry was from a grant from the Indiana 4-H Foundation YES Grants for Community Engagement, applied for by former Junior Leader President Kaitlyn Whitaker. The YES grant is intended to give youth-led projects the financial boost they need to get off the ground and start making a difference, according to the grant website.
On Thursday evening, Junior Leaders and parents met at the church to help assemble the micro pantry on a stand on the corner of Sturdy Road and Evans Avenue next to the church’s Little Library.
The first food donations were made possible by the Purdue Extension Homemaker clubs, according to Myers.
“We are going to be getting the word out about it through the Facebook page and through promotions in our club to the community,” said Heather Cox, 18, Junior Leader and president of the Morgan Husting Hoosiers 4-H Club.
Heather Cox, left, and Haley Casbon, right, both 4-H Junior Leaders in Porter County, organize food donations for their micro pantry in Valparaiso on Thursday, April 18, 2024. (Deena Lawley-Dixon/for Post-Tribune)
“There are going to be sign-ups for the clubs to take turns restocking the pantry,” said Audrey May Ferguson,14, 4-H Council Representative for the Junior Leaders.
The 4-Hers hurried to beat the rain and get the micro pantry stocked with canned goods and boxed items like cereal. Myers and the parent volunteers were working on making sure that the pantry was braced properly.
“4-H is all about bringing the community together and there is no better way than making sure people have access to food when they cannot afford it,” said Haley Casbon, 15, Junior Leader Historian.
In 4-H, Junior Leaders are members in grades 7-12 who assist adult 4-H volunteers with activities and clubs. They also mentor and serve as role models to younger members by sharing their experiences. For more information, contact the Porter County office at 219-465-3555 or extension.purdue.edu
Deena Lawley-Dixon is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
