Project will provide ramps and accessibility for disabled individuals
While some teens were spending their summers chasing Pokémon, a group of youth from Texas visited Washington, D.C. to develop a community action plan at National 4-H Council’s Citizenship Washington Focus. Out of all of the groups that created plan, Farm Credit chose the plan developed by the city/county youth as the most impactful, and awarded the teen team with $500 to enact their project back in the community.
With many disabled individuals in Bryan/College Station impacted by lack of accessibility in their homes, the 4-H delegation from Texas has developed a community action plan to build ramps at the homes for people who need it. The youth plan on reaching out to Texas Ramp Project to partner with the organization, as well as local lumber yards and hardware stores for free or discounted supplies.
For more than 50 years, National 4-H Youth Conference Center has invited 4-H members from across the country to travel to Washington, D.C. and participate in civic workshops, committees, and field trips before returning home to make positive changes in their own communities. During CWF, youth experienced a behind-the-scenes look at the nation’s capital while meeting with members of congress to learn more about how their government works. At the end of the program, youth drafted step-by-step action plans to address important issues in their communities.
“The action plan developed by the teens from Texas is a great example of how youth are taking the skills they are learning in 4-H and applying them to real world issues,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4-H Council. “These teens exemplify the confidence, independence, resilience and compassion that develop in our 4-H’ers across the country.”
“A big part of Farm Credit’s mission is to help rural areas grow and thrive by providing farmers and ranchers with the capital they need to make their businesses successful,” said Ben R. Novosad, CEO of Bryan-based Capital Farm Credit. “But we’re also proud to help build the next generation through our support of programs like the Brazos County 4-H. By supporting projects like this one, we’re helping invest in the vibrancy of the Bryan/College Station community.”
Since 2011, Farm Credit has provided scholarships for diverse and underserved youth to participate in CWF. The partnership has allowed Farm Credit and 4-H to positively impact approximately 60 youth annually. To learn more about CWF and projects like this, please visit
