National 4-H Council Awarded $4.25 Million to Support 4-H National Mentoring Program and 4-H Health Rocks!® Mentoring Program

CHEVY CHASE, Md., Dec. 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has awarded $3 million to National 4–H Council in support of the 4–H National Mentoring Program.  The grant builds on 4-H's partnership with OJJDP to continue the national effort to strengthen, expand and implement youth mentoring activities. These mentoring activities provide meaningful relationships for thousands of youth classified as at-risk, high-risk, or underserved, including youth affected by the opioid epidemic.  In addition, a program in its second year, 4-H Health Rocks!®  Mentoring Program, has been funded for $1.25 million.

These generous grants will provide funding to facilitate 4–H mentoring programs in 38 states to keep kids safe, improve academic outcomes and prevent youth delinquency, whereas the 4-H Health Rocks!®  Mentoring Program will provide mentoring to youth in rural Appalachia in an effort to prevent opioid abuse.  These programs, led by Cooperative Extension and its network of 100 colleges and universities, were developed in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Children, Youth and Families at Risk Program, which sparks innovation in community-based educational programs for children, youth, parents and families.

"As kids face a fast-paced and quickly evolving world, the support of caring mentors helps to provide the guidance and tools they need to grow skills they need for their life and career," said Jennifer Sirangelo, president & CEO, National 4-H Council. "Thanks to this significant grant from OJJDP, 4-H program staff have the opportunity to implement proven mentoring programs in underrepresented communities across the country."

As of 2019, the 4-H National Mentoring Program has served more than 64,000 youth, resulting in significant outcomes in areas such as family relationships, perceptions of social support, and social competence.

About 4–H

4–H, the nation's largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4–H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. 4–H is the youth development program of our nation's Cooperative Extension System and USDA and serves every county and parish in the U.S. through a network of 110 public universities and more than 3,000 local Extension offices. Globally, 4–H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4–H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.

Learn more about 4–H at www.4–H.org, find us on Facebook at WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/4–H and on Twitter at HTTPS://TWITTER.COM/4H.

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SOURCE National 4-H Council