The Alpena FFA chapter has received a $3,000 Yearlong Living to Serve Grant from the National FFA Organization, funding an expansion of its effort to help address hunger and food insecurity in Alpena.
The chapter’s current Little Food Pantry is located at the back oval of Alpena High School. It is available to any community member in need, including Alpena High School students and families.
How the pantry will expand
Alpena FFA plans to build an additional pantry at Alpena High School and broaden what it provides. The expanded project is expected to include personal hygiene items as well as vouchers for meat or produce from area businesses or local farms.
The chapter also plans to host free workshops for community members. Those sessions will focus on how to grow and preserve fresh herbs and vegetables, adding an educational component to the pantry’s food-support work.
More than 1,300 pounds distributed last school year
During the previous school year, Alpena FFA members distributed more than 1,300 pounds of food through the Little Pantry project. The effort included “Meals in a Bag,” for which members researched recipes and packaged the ingredients needed to prepare complete meals serving four or more people.
Community members and area businesses, including Meijer, donated food for the project. The pantry also received support through a spring Living to Serve Grant sponsored by the National FFA Organization.
Part of a nationwide service program
The Living to Serve program provides grants to local FFA chapters for yearlong service-learning projects addressing community safety, environmental responsibility, hunger, health and nutrition, or community engagement.
The program awarded more than $158,500 to FFA chapters in 30 states. The 2026-2027 FFA Yearlong Living to Serve Grants are sponsored by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, Cargill and Tractor Supply Company.
The National FFA Organization is a school-based youth leadership development organization with more than 1,042,245 student members across 9,407 local chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More information and a complete list of sponsors is available at FFA.org/livingtoserve.