Before the school year began, Suwannee High School (SHS) Future Farmers of America (FFA) officers met to plan their Program of Activity (POA) with hopes of earning a national award. Initially considering a food drive, the group pivoted to a more timely and impactful idea - creating hurricane preparation kits for the community, especially with hurricane season approaching.
This initiative, which began before Hurricane Debby, required time to gather donations, making the timing and need for these kits especially pertinent. SHS student and FFA Secretary, Jordan Chauncey, was the chairperson of the committee and helped lead the efforts to decide what items should go into the hurricane preparation kits. To gather the necessary supplies, the group created an Amazon wish list, applied for donations from large companies, and spread the word through social media and word of mouth. Contributions poured in from various local businesses, larger corporations, and student donations.
The hurricane preparation kits included essential items such as baby wipes, non-perishable food, water, flashlights, coloring books for children, work gloves, first aid kits, and other useful items.
After the donation period ended, FFA members prepared the kits and distributed them to the community on Monday, August 26. Although the initial goal was to prepare 50 bags, the group ended up making 61 kits, with over 30 handed out on the first distribution day. Larger families received more than one bag, and the remaining kits will be distributed at a later date.
SHS FFA Advisor Buddy Coleman emphasized the importance of student involvement, stating, “The benefit is that we are trying to get the students more involved, and we are letting this program be a youth-led organization. This helps get them involved in the community.”
Jordan Chauncey added, “It felt good to help people and make sure they had what they needed. It was fun reaching out to companies, going shopping, and putting the preparation kits together.”
If you are interested in contributing to this cause, please reach out to SHS at (386) 647-4000 and ask for Buddy or Deborah Coleman.