The South Rowan Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter has been awarded $2,500 as part of the FFA: Food For All program.

The nationwide program provides grant money to local FFA chapters to support year-long service-learning projects that address local hunger needs. This is the fifth year that the South Rowan FFA Chapter has received this grant.

The South Rowan FFA plans to help fight hunger by raising chickens for egg and meat production and growing various fruits and vegetables on the agriculture department’s land laboratory. The fresh eggs, poultry meat and fresh fruits and vegetables will be donated to Main Street Mission in China Grove and to the Unity Mobile Meals program at Unity United Methodist Church.

FFA members will care for layers and collect their eggs, raise and process broilers, and plant, raise and harvest fruits and vegetables in an effort to provide fresh, healthy foods for local residents in need.

This year, the South Rowan FFA chapter hopes to donate at least 3,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables, 450 dozen eggs and 400 pounds of dressed broilers.

The FFA: Food For All grants are sponsored by Donaldson Foundation, Elanco, Land O’Lakes, Nationwide Foundation, Nutra Blend, Sealed Air, Tractor Supply Company and Tyson as a special project of the National FFA Foundation. The program provided nearly $360,000 to FFA chapters in 40 states and the Virgin Islands. In addition, the FFA: Food For All grant program is part of the National FFA Organization’s Hunger Home platform. More information about the program can be found at FFA.org/foodforall.

The National FFA Organization provides leadership, personal growth and career success training through agricultural education to 629,367 student members who belong to one of 7,757 local FFA chapters throughout the U.S., Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.