Aiden Lacey, Vermillion County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Open Air Student Lounge

“I will be partnering with my school to assist in the build-out of an Open Air Student Lounge at South Vermillion High School. There is a population of students in our school that would enjoy outdoor time during breaks and lunches that don’t have an area where they feel included. The majority of the outdoor areas are utilized for outdoor sports and games and these activities interfere with those who prefer a quieter outdoor experience. The Open Air Lounge will include dedicated seating for reading, relaxation, conversation and community gathering. My support of the project will include two benches that will invite any student to enjoy some time to themselves or with friends. Every student should feel included. The two benches will be carved with the “To make the best better” 4‑H Foundation theme.”

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Brooke Kitch, Marshall County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Baby Basic Bundles

“The Marshall County Junior Leaders propose creating Baby Basic Bundles to support needy families by providing essential infant care items. These bundles will include diapers, baby wipes, baby wash, and baby lotion—key necessities for maintaining a baby’s hygiene and comfort. The initiative aims to assist families facing financial hardships and ensure they have access to the fundamental resources required for their baby’s well-being.”

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Kaylee Wales, Madison County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Paw Pals

“I wanted to find a way to create care kits to help our 4‑H Rabbit members get started with the items they need for basic grooming. While trying to come up with an idea of how to apply it to community service, I decided to look at local animal shelters in our county that are less popular, and also take in other small animals such as rabbits. We chose the Animal Protection League, in Anderson, Indiana. This shelter takes in dogs, cats, and other small animals such as rabbits, pot-bellied pigs, and goats. We will be making four different kits: a dog kit, a cat kit, a rabbit kit, and a small animal kit.”

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Carter Bixler, Hancock County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Changing Footprints in Hancock County

“My project proposal is for Changing Footprints of Hancock County. Changing footprints realizes the need for everyone to have shoes as a protection from disease and a path to education. They collect all kinds of shoes from all over, and they then clean them and revamp them if needed with shoe polish and new shoe strings. Each person who comes in for shoes also leaves with new socks. I would work with the board of directors to help determine what the biggest need is whether it be shoe strings, laundry detergent or even new shoes.”

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Elise Rumschlag, Adams County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Community Cares Lock-In Event

“The Adams County 4‑H Junior Leaders are planning a lock-in event centered around Community Service. This event will begin at our local fairgrounds, but all of the Junior Leaders will be on the move from the time they get there, as our officers will have various stations set up with different community service activities and events to complete, which include Bingo prizes for nursing home residents, birthday kits for the local food pantry, and hospital kits.”

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Collin Brennan, Jefferson County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: 4‑H Food Pantry Garden

“In 2024, the Homegrown 4‑H Club, Purdue Extension, and the Madison Community Grocery Project partnered to install two raised garden beds at the Extension Office, creating a Food Pantry Garden. Extension Educators and Homegrown 4‑H volunteers used the garden as a hands-on teaching tool, helping youth members learn how to grow their own food. Parents, members, and volunteers worked together, using a sign-up sheet to take turns watering and weeding the garden on a set schedule. Thanks to their efforts, the garden produced impressive tomato plants and yielded 75 lbs. of fresh produce, which the club proudly donated to the House of Hope Food Pantry in Madison, Indiana. Looking ahead to 2025, Homegrown 4‑H plans to expand this project: installing a third raised bed and purchasing essential supplies for garden maintenance.”

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Lucy Mohr, Posey County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Mt. Vernon Diaper Bag Bonanza

“I will buy supplies to fill ten diaper bags for expecting parents who are in need of assistance. This will include diapers, wipes, onesies, pacifiers, rash cream, toys, burp clothes, and more. I will sort the items out into the bags, and give them to a non-profit organization called the Trotter House, located in Mount Vernon.”

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Trinity Lies, LaPorte County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Reins of Life Trail Repair

“Our 4‑H club would use the money from this grant to repair wooden posts, paint, fix a windchime station, and anything else they need fixed on the sensory trail at Reins of Life. By helping Reins of Life revitalize their sensory walking paths we can help children with motor skill development, brain development, and cognitive engagement. They can also improve mood, reduce stress, and enhance attention. Helping students who have sensory sensitivities and allow them a safe space to explore their senses can increase their willingness to approach life using more of their senses.”

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Audrey Hoffman, Lawrence County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: 4‑H & Our 4-Legged Friends

“Our club officers decided as a group that they would like to help our local animal shelter. We went to them to discuss different service projects that would benefit them. They said that they are always in need of food for the shelter animals, as well as supplies such as bleach, paper towels, soap, shampoo, etc. We felt that the money requested would help give them a good supply of these items.”

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Brady Howard, Allen County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Ready to Read

“We would love to purchase new books to donate to children within the Allen County community. Fort Wayne Community Schools serves a very large percentage of Allen County. The literacy rate for FWCS is only about 26% for elementary students. That means only 26% of students are reading at or above grade level. Distributing books to children within Allen County can help to improve literacy.”

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Holly Howard, Allen County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Slippers for Seniors

“We propose to provide warm, comfortable slippers for seniors in nursing homes. The slippers we would like to provide are from a brand called Snoozies. The slippers are soft and somewhat socklike, allowing foot swelling without discomfort. They are non-slip and completely washable.”

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Marisa Rund, Lake County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Clover Stem Table

“Our goal is to build a STEM table based on the First Lego League Challenge guide so that we can increase access to STEM and specifically Robotics in Lake County. This will increase the awareness that 4‑H has STEM-based projects and also increase interest and enrollment in Lake County 4‑H.”

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Claire Donaldson, Lake County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Lake County 4‑H Wash Pack Table

“The Lake County 4‑H Junior Leaders plan to build a wash pack table to donate to the Purdue Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources Department for use in the new High Tunnel as part of their urban agriculture project. The wash pack table will serve as an educational tool for local farmers, demonstrating efficient methods for handling their harvests. Our goal is to showcase how farmers can construct an affordable wash pack table that allows them to wash and pack produce directly on their farms. After washing and preparing the produce, we will donate it to the food bank. We aim to incorporate this wash pack table into our demonstration garden to educate the community about produce safety, proper harvesting techniques, and the importance of donating clean produce to those in need.”

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Caleb East, Owen County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Owen County 4‑H Puzzle Library

“We would use this funding to create a box designed to hold puzzles for the purpose of delivering old, used puzzles into the hands of new jigsaw enthusiasts. Similar to a blessings box food pantry, this project would be constructed where community members could donate old puzzles and/or get new puzzles for them to assemble. This would allow community members to utilize more puzzles, therefore allowing them to hone cognitive function. This puzzle box would be located at the Purdue Extension Owen County office, which is located just off the square in downtown Spencer. This is an easily accessible location for the local community and would allow this project to be utilized by many community members.”

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Lucinda Belt, Hamilton County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Feminine Hygiene Care Packages

“Period poverty is a serious problem in all communities. Women in lower economic status often have to choose between feeding their family and feminine hygiene products. As community service project leader in my local 4‑H club, my plan is for us to make care packages for women in the community who are struggling. We will also be making basic hygiene product bags for all genders and we will tie-dye the reusable bags that the baggies of care packages will be placed into. These bags will be distributed in local food pantries in our community.”

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Emma Welborn, Hancock County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: EmpowerHER Pouches for Hancock County

“EmpowerHER pouches for Hancock County is a community service project that aims to provide pouches with the essentials for young teen girls starting their first menstrual cycle at school. Each pouch contains the essentials a young lady may need when that time comes as well as a note of encouragement and a small piece of chocolate to help make that first time seem a little less scary. Once the pouches are assembled, they will be dropped off at local middle schools with the school nurse, so that she has them on hand to provide to the students who may be in need. If a young girl starts her menstrual cycle in class all she would need to do is go tell the school nurse and the nurse would give her a pouch.”

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Eva Ringwald, Martin County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Encouraging Social Connections and Camaraderie in Our Community

“We plan to acquire additional games for the Junior Leaders to run during the upcoming 4‑H Fair. Over the past several years, we have organized various games; however, we have observed that many of these activities do not engage the interest of most participants. To address this, we propose the purchase of supplies necessary for creating and running new and exciting games, such as yard games including Connect Four, mini golf, and three-legged race. Investing in these new games will not only improve the overall experience of the fair but also encourage more young individuals to get involved in our programs, fostering a sense of community and enjoyment. Even though the 4‑H Fair is our main mission, these games will be utilized at other 4‑H and community events.”

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Kinzie Poore, Madison County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Say Yes to Trap/Neuter/Return!

“Two years ago my sister and I created KK Cat Rescue, a feral cat rescue, when we saw the overwhelming need to control the feral cat population in rural areas and on farms. Ferals find safe harbors in barns, and unfortunately overpopulate at a rapid rate. These overpopulated cat communities create conditions resulting in starvation and spread of diseases. To combat this epidemic, we began to trap/neuter/return to help control the population. However, many of the cats needed extra care due to illness and injuries, causing increased vet bills and causing us to keep them for rehabilitation. During this process we have trapped over 40 feral cats, and adopted out 25. We plan to fund surgeries, vaccines, flea and tick treatments, medications, food and litter.”

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Hannah Crain, Monroe County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Plant it Forward

“I will create Plant it Forward garden kits containing everything needed to grow a tomato or bell pepper plant. Each kit includes a plant of choice (tomato or bell pepper), a bag of potting soil, a 5-gallon fabric planting bag, tomato cage, plant food packet, and a custom made plant care infographic. These kits will be provided at no cost to guests of Pantry 279. The garden kits will reduce food insecurity, give the community the opportunity to learn gardening skills, and have access to fresh healthy food throughout the growing season.”

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Liza Browning, Johnson County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Comfort in a Basket

“While completing a community service project for Clarity Pregnancy Center, we were able to tour and connect with the volunteers. During the tour, a volunteer shared a need for an overlooked area of their outreach: clients who have been unable to carry their babies to term. The resources collected at the facility cater to moms-to-be but, unfortunately, some of the clients suffer a miscarriage leaving the facility limited on aid/outreach for these women. We plan to make approximately 9 baskets that would have comforting items in their time of need. Each basket would include a heating pad, tissues, a journal, fuzzy socks and a sweet treat. These items would be packed by our 4‑H club and given to the Pregnancy Center for distribution when they have a client in need.”

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Anna Fritch, Morgan County
Grant Award: $1,000
Name of Project: Fire Safety 2.0

“44% of house fires start in the kitchen and 45% of these fires are started with cooking oil. As the youth lead my goal is to increase the awareness of how to prevent house fires and to help people stop them as quickly as possible with fire blankets. I am asking for $1,000 to help protect the lives of the residents of Morgan County. With the $1,000 I will purchase 155 fire blankets to pass out at the Morgan County Fair. I will pass them out next to Farm Bureau, who will be a sponsor of the day at the Morgan County Fair. I also plan to present to a class of 4th graders and teach them about the importance of fire safety in the kitchen and give them each a fire blanket.”