The Illinois 4-H Food Ambassadors is the only statewide youth leadership team in Illinois that is dedicated to strengthening your leadership as an advocate for food access for everyone in your community. We know that food security is an urgent issue for many families. You can be a part of the solution. With the support of the Illinois 4-H program, you will network with food advocacy professionals, academic experts, and other young leaders from the state, region, and around the USA. You will also have opportunities to educate yourself on issues of community health while you meet your specific leadership goals.
As an Illinois 4-H Advocacy Ambassador, you will network with career and academic professionals to provide leadership for Illinois youth on how to engage their community in food access and food justice issues. Members will spark their interest and educate themselves about the future of food systems, collaborate to develop new approaches to large-scale challenges, and gain skills in event planning, program development, and advocacy leadership.
Eligibility
For your application to be considered, you must:
- Demonstrate participation in community service/service-learning events.
- Be enrolled in, or have completed, your first year of High School. Must be 13+ in age.
- Submit the Illinois 4-H Ambassador Application form by December 31, 2025.
- Attend one Zoom meeting per month on a Sunday at 7 pm.
- Attend 1-2 in-person team meetings per year. Schedule TBD based on group schedule.
- Have a Reference completed by a University of Illinois Extension staff member, school staff person, or a professional youth worker, such as a youth pastor, teacher, or after-school program director.
Please direct any questions to Mark Becker at: mbbecker@illinois.edu
Benefits
Youth will learn the importance of partnering with others who share your goal of helping individuals and families by improving access to safe and nutritious food. As an advocate, you may be asked to speak in front of a stakeholder group on the importance of food access. You may be called upon to present your project to elected officials. You may need to ask for financial support from your community. All of these things can be uncomfortable. With the support of your team, you can challenge yourself to grow and achieve your leadership goals.
