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Hey everyone! If you haven’t learned yet, I am what you might describe as a “lifelong 4-Her.” My mom worked with 4-H in Ohio, so I grew up attending fairs, judging contests and going to club meetings. During college, I volunteered as a club adviser and later moved to North Carolina to begin working with 4-H. I spent nearly a decade working with this wonderful organization that helps kids and families in my community.
One of the biggest challenges I faced as a 4-H professional was lack of funding. Though the program is supported by county, state and federal governments, the county budget was too small to support our program completely. So, in addition to managing the 4-H program, I was also in charge of fundraising and obtaining grants. My small budget was a barrier to growth in many ways.
Above all, finding money for camp was a constant battle year after year. North Carolina is home to three amazing 4-H Camping Centers: Eastern Center, Betsy Jeff Penn, and Millstone. Each year, hundreds of youth, both 4-H members and non-members, immerse themselves in a week of camp songs, canoe activities, arts and crafts and new friendships. If you’ve ever been, you know 4-H camp is a magical place where the worries of every day are left at home and replaced with a better sense of self, responsibility, and confidence.
Every summer, I would load up a 12-passenger van to the brim with 10 campers and all of their luggage. And every summer that was my number: 10. Though I wanted to give this experience to more children from my county, I was limited by space to transport them. When I researched the cost of renting a bus, I was discouraged to find that it would cost over $3,000.
I wish a program like Growing Clover had been around when I was working in 4-H. I’m sure there were many people who would be willing to help more children go to camp, but I didn’t know how to spread the word or manage a crowdfunding campaign. The staff at Bloom not only will build your campaign page, they will also provide guidance and cheer you on along with way.
Basically, raising funds with Growing Clover allows you to dream bigger. In a few short weeks you have the potential to raise enough funds for whatever you need. So, if funding is holding you back from finding quality volunteers, providing substantial scholarship money, or obtaining transportation for youth to attend events, consider running a Growing Clover campaign today. We look forward to helping you raise awareness and money for such a wonderful cause.
