Minnesota 4-H statewide service project

November: Mental health and kindness

For November, the Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors are addressing mental health and wellbeing through kindness. 

At-home service project ideas for your club or family

This month, you’re invited to complete 10 acts of kindness that you can do in your community, including:

• Spend time with loved ones.
• Write a note to someone you care about.
• Smile at five people.
• Give someone you love a hug.
• Show your body gratitude and stay hydrated.
• Pick up some trash on the ground.
• Hold the door open for someone.
• Give someone a compliment.
• Make someone laugh.
• Say thank you to someone who goes unnoticed.

Learn more about this month's service project topic.

December: Mental health and loneliness

For December, the Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors are addressing loneliness for mental health and wellbeing. 

Combat loneliness this December with letter writing to seniors

The state ambassadors are excited to launch a letter-writing initiative for 4-H’ers to spread kindness and warmth to seniors in your communities. 

You’re invited to to write heartfelt notes, sharing messages of care, encouragement and warm wishes. 

These letters can brighten the day of elderly residents who may experience loneliness and isolation, creating meaningful connections across generations. 

By participating, you can make a positive impact and brighten someone’s day through the simple yet powerful act of writing a letter.

Five easy steps to join the letter-writing initiative

1. Connect with a facility: Reach out to local assisted living or senior care facilities to get permission and details about their specific needs. Confirm the number of residents and any guidelines for the letters (e.g., preferred themes or formats).
    
2. Write the letters: Gather a group of friends and family to write thoughtful, uplifting letters. The letters should include warm wishes, words of encouragement and personal stories or jokes that can brighten someone's day. Remind youth to avoid including personal information like full names, addresses or phone numbers for safety and privacy reasons.
    
3. Prepare the letters: Once written, ensure the letters are properly signed and addressed (if needed). Consider adding a personal touch, like drawings or creative decorations, to make them extra special.
    
4. Mail or drop off: Package the letters and either mail them to the facility or arrange a drop-off. Follow any specific delivery instructions the facility provides to ensure the intended recipients receive the letters. 
    
5. Follow up: After the letters are delivered, reach out to the facility to check on the impact of the letters and see if any additional help is needed to establish a lasting relationship for future volunteering opportunities.

Learn more about this month's service project topic.

January and February: Mental health and food insecurity

For the months of January and February, the Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors are addressing mental health and wellbeing through food insecurity. 

Address food insecurity by hosting a collection drive

This winter, the 4-H State Ambassadors invite you to connect with a local food shelf or food bank to organize a collection drive. 

Below is a step-by-step plan for organizing and putting on a food drive.

Step 1: Set your goals and plan

• Define your objectives: Decide what you hope to achieve—whether it's collecting a certain amount of food, helping a specific group (e.g., local families, shelters, food banks) or raising awareness.
• Choose a timeline: Determine how long your food drive will last (e.g., one week, one month) and the start/end dates.
• Set a target: If you're aiming for a specific amount of food, set a goal to keep things focused and measurable.

Step 2: Partner with local organizations

• Find a local donation site: Contact local food banks, shelters or community centers to partner with and find out what food they need most. Use the Food Shelf Finder tool to view local food shelves in your area. 

  • A phone or email script to help you connect with members of your community: Hello! My name is [name here], and I am a part of [4-H, your club, etc]. I/My club and I want to collect and donate food or supplies for your organization. Do we have your permission to collect items on your behalf? What items are you most in need of? When would be the best time to deliver our donations? Thank you!

• Ask questions: Confirm where donations can be dropped off, what food items are in the highest demand and any restrictions (e.g., no expired items or glass jars).

Step 3: Promote the drive

• Create a marketing plan: Use social media, flyers and word of mouth to spread the word. Highlight the cause, the dates and the most needed items.
  • Social media: Share posts on social media with hashtags like #FoodDrive or #GiveBack.
  • Flyers: Print and distribute flyers at club meetings, community centers, local stores, churches or schools.
  • Emails and newsletters: Send out information to your network, including friends, family or colleagues.

Step 4: Organize collection points

• Choose locations: Set up easily accessible collection points at local businesses, schools, churches or other high-traffic areas.
• Create collection bins: Use labeled boxes, bins or carts for food donations. Make sure they’re visible and easy for people to access.
• Organize club members: Have volunteers assist with monitoring the collection points, helping to sort donations and keeping everything organized.

Step 5: Collect, sort and distribute

• Regular collection: Set up a schedule to collect donations from your collection points. Depending on the size of your drive, this might be daily or weekly.
• Sort donations: Sort the food by category (e.g., canned goods, pasta, grains, etc.) to make it easier for your partner organization to distribute.
• Deliver donations: Once the food has been collected and sorted, deliver it to the chosen organization. Some organizations may offer pick-up services if needed.

Learn more about this month's service project topic.

March: Mental health and mindfulness

For the month of March, the Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors are addressing mental health and wellbeing through the topic of mindfulness.

Share and promote mindfulness as a service project

There are several ways you can share mindfulness and promote it this month.

Add a "Mindfulness Moment" in your 4-H club meeting agenda

Lead a mindfulness-related activity at your next 4-H club meeting.

Mindfulness coloring stations

Set up a mindfulness coloring station at local libraries, community centers or schools. Design or print coloring sheets with positive affirmations, calming patterns or nature scenes. This allows others to engage in a relaxing, mindful activity while promoting mental health awareness.

Self-Care kits

Collect items like journals, calming teas and other stress-relief items to assemble self-care kits to keep or share with others.

Create a gratitude wall or positive affirmation board

Set up a physical or digital gratitude wall where youth and community members can post things they're thankful for or positive affirmations. This fosters a culture of appreciation and support while raising awareness about the importance of mental wellbeing.

Learn more about this month's service project topic.

April: Physical and mental health

For the month of April, the Minnesota 4-H State Ambassadors are addressing mental health and wellbeing through the topic of physical health and the outdoors! 

 

 

Physical and mental health are very much intertwined. 

Being physically active releases chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. 

Being active outdoors is also directly linked to a number of benefits, both physically and mentally. 

From a walk in the neighborhood or the wilderness, time in nature improves attention, lowers stress and even increases empathy. 

Clean your local green space

This month, we encourage youth to spend time being active outdoors and to take an active service role in upkeeping your local green spaces. Partner with your local park board, school district or senior center to plan a green space cleanup project, so they can help direct and guide your efforts.  

Taking care of your parks and local green spaces is a great opportunity for you to spend time outdoors and make a better space for the community to restore their mental health. 

Project ideas

• Picking up trash
• Clearing walking paths
• Maintaining or “waking up” garden plots
• Cleaning playground equipment
• Planting flowers or trees
• Repainting park benches or other features 

This project benefits 4-H members by providing hands-on experience in environmental stewardship, teamwork and physical activity. The broader community benefits from a cleaner, safer park, which encourages outdoor activity for people of all ages.

A few important notes as you plan your project

• Safety is the primary goal. Work with your local 4-H educator to review risk management policies and practices to ensure you are planning a safe event for all.
• Make sure to contact your local park board or planned place of cleanup before planning your service project. You can use this example email/call script: "Hello, My name is [your name here], and I’m a member of [your 4-H club name here]. We’re interested in organizing an environmental clean up at [place] on [proposed date]. Our group would focus on tasks like [select any/all: trash removal, cleaning equipment, clearing paths and planting flowers]. Would you be willing to host our group? Thank you for considering!"
• To recruit volunteers, you can use a simple phone or email script: “Hi, I’m [your name here] from [your 4-H club name here] and we’re organizing an environmental clean-up on [date] at [place]. 4-H members and families are invited to help clean, plant and restore the park. It’s a great way to get active and make a difference! Can you join us?” 

Materials for the event would include trash bags, gloves, tools, paint, plants, water, snacks and a first aid kit. 

Learn more about this month's service project topic.