The Missouri 4-H Foundation board of trustees has announced a $250,000 matching gift challenge to support 4-H Youth Futures: College Within Reach, a successful long-term mentoring program that prepares underserved youths to succeed in college.
The goal is to secure permanent support for the Youth Futures program by establishing a $2 million endowment, which will provide the $100,000 in annual program funding needed to sustain the program. To help meet this goal, the Missouri 4-H Foundation will match funds raised to support Youth Futures dollar-for-dollar up to $250,000.
"Sustaining 4-H programming is becoming increasingly challenging, and Youth Futures is a high priority for the Missouri 4-H Foundation," said Bill Crouch, Missouri 4-H Foundation trustee, in a news release about the gift. "We hope the foundation's commitment to Youth Futures will encourage others to partner with us to secure this important program."
4-H Youth Futures: College Within Reach was established in 2002 by the University of Missouri Extension 4-H Center for Youth Development and Lincoln University Cooperative Extension. It was designed to help first-generation college students and minorities - who have historically lagged others in college enrollment and degree attainment - to go to college and stay in college by guiding them through an extensive program that includes ongoing local mentoring and an on-campus college orientation conference.
"We recognize the significant impact of Youth Futures in helping underserved and minority youths overcome obstacles on the path to obtaining a college degree," said Cheryl Reams, Missouri 4-H Foundation executive director, in the news release. "This challenge gift reflects the Missouri 4-H Foundation's dedication to ensuring Youth Futures continues to benefit all of the young people who need it."
Celebrating 64 years of service to 4-H youth, the Missouri 4-H Foundation secures and manages funds for the MU Extension 4-H Youth Development Program, provides higher education scholarships, and recognizes 4-H volunteers. MU Extension 4-H is a community of 276,921 youths from across Missouri learning leadership, citizenship and life skills. For more information, go to http://4h.missouri.edu/foundation.