May 31, 2024
AgGeorgia Farm Credit recently awarded $55,000 to twelve local non-profit organizations as part of the cooperative’s Community Mission Fund. The grant program was established in 2023 to support endeavors that further the future of agriculture and enhance life in rural Georgia. Forty-eight grant applications were received, and awards of up to $5,000 per application were distributed in the fourth quarter.
Lakeview Fort Oglethorpe High School FFA was selected as a recipient and used the funds from the grant to purchase processing supplies and materials to stock and build a chicken coop. The FFA Chapter plans to start a school-based enterprise raising chickens for the community. The chapter will work with the Communities in Schools program to donate a portion of the meat to their students and families in need and sell the remaining to teachers and community members. “The majority of our students are not exposed to how their meat is raised and processed. This project will give them real-world experiences and skills in processing, production, and marketing, which will help serve as Supervised Agricultural Experience programs for multiple LFO agriculture students,” said Jordyn Cockburn, FTO Agriculture Teacher. “This dual-purpose project is going to have a positive impact on our community members and students.”
AgGeorgia Farm Credit will accept applications for the 2024 Community Mission Fund until June 30, 2024. For more information and to apply, please visit the AgGeorgia Farm Credit Community Mission Fund page.