Author: Kelly Burgess
Planning Unit: Allen County CES
Major Program: Kentucky Extension Homemaker Association
Plan of Work: Developing Human Capital
Outcome: Initial Outcome
In Allen County, only 14.6% (+/- 2.1%) of the population 25 years of age and older have a bachelor’s degree or more. With the median household income being estimated as $44,624, and a poverty rate of 17.3%, paying for a college education is a barrier to many families (Kentucky by the Numbers 2019 County Data Sheets). Allen County Extension Homemakers have a tradition of providing a $500 scholarship to an Allen County Scottsville High School student pursuing a Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS)-related major who meets application requirements, as well as the scholarship award for the Distinguished Young Woman competition. Funds are raised for the scholarship by hosting an annual event called Holiday Auction, which is typically a social event that brings the community together. The Allen County FCS Agent suggested that Homemakers use creatively pivot and host a Drop-In Silent Auction in order to still raise money for scholarship funds in a time of great need. The FCS Agent offered support through the planning process, met with committee members, contacted local health department officials to ensure all COVID-19-related guidelines were met, and created several Facebook Live video promotions to encourage community members to attend the event. The Drop-In Silent Auction was a two-day event ran by 8 Allen County Homemaker volunteers. All clubs and many members at-large participated by donating hand-made items and visiting local businesses to collect donations. The event was wildly successful, raising almost twice the money raised the previous year for a total of $1759.00! Because of the great success, the Allen County Extension Homemaker Council voted to provide 2 (two) $500 FCS Scholarships this year instead of one. The students were awarded their scholarships at the Allen County Extension Homemaker Annual Night celebration. The students and families expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity that the scholarship award provided. Because of this success, the Allen County Homemakers are considering adjusting traditional fundraising methods to continue supporting more students pursuing FCS education.
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