The Liberty Center FFA Service Committee presents the first backpacks of the 2025-26 school year. Pictured, from left: Mackenzie Keller, Alyvia Meyer, Maddie Sattler, Cole Bauman and Baxter Barrett. (Photo credit: Owen Gebers)
The backpacks look ordinary, just plain fabric bags lined up on classroom tables. But inside each one is something extraordinary: Hope.
Packed by members of the Liberty Center FFA Chapter in northwest Ohio, the bags contain meals, toiletries, socks and small holiday surprises that are ready to be delivered to families in need.
The project, known as “Blessings in a Backpack,” began when chapter officers noticed a growing need in their community.
“We realized there were families struggling to put meals on the table, especially on weekends and during school breaks,” says Liberty Center FFA Vice President Maddie Sattler. “We wanted to do something that would help in a tangible way.”
Since its launch, the initiative has become a tradition for the chapter and an example of the FFA motto, which includes “Living to Serve.”
“When you’re standing there with a backpack in your hands, you realize it’s not just stuff inside,” Liberty Center FFA Historian Alyvia Meyer says. “It is truly the chance to make someone’s day brighter.”
The effort begins with shopping trips, where members push carts through local stores, gathering prepackaged meals, canned goods, fruit/vegetable options, shampoo, toothpaste, socks and deodorant. Around the holidays, their carts also hold toys, coloring books or festive treats.
“We try to think about what a family really needs, but also what might bring a smile to a child’s face,” says committee member Mackenzie Keller. “That is what makes the whole project special.”
Liberty Center FFA Vice President Maddie Sattler and Historian Alyvia Meyer pack rice into the backpacks.
Back in the ag classroom the following morning, tables become assembly lines. Members carefully sort and pack each backpack, ensuring that each family gets exactly what they need. Members then pass the bags to their school’s guidance department, where they are distributed quietly, anonymously and respectfully to families across the community.
For advisors, the project reflects the heart of agricultural education.
“FFA is about more than contests and conferences,” says Liberty Center FFA Advisor Katherine Bell. “It’s about showing students that agriculture can be more diverse, including acts of service.”
This year, the officer team has made community service a top priority.
“We want members to see that wearing the blue jacket means putting others first,” says Liberty Center FFA Treasurer Owen Gebers. “Our goal is to focus on real impact in our community.”
FFA members who contributed to the production of the playhouse proudly present it to its new owner.
The chapter is already expanding its service efforts. At the end of last year, Liberty Center FFA partnered with Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit that builds homes for families in need, to build a playhouse for a local child. According to advisor Brandon Readshaw, the chapter plans to begin producing kits for these playhouses that can be distributed around the area.
“It was really rewarding to see everyone work together and create something that would actually make a difference for a child in our community,” says Liberty Center FFA Secretary Heidi Garretson. “It reminded us that even small projects can have a big impact when everyone contributes.”
Committee chair and chapter secretary Heidi Garretson introduces the playhouse to its new owner.
Through Blessings in a Backpack, the playhouse project and other initiatives, Liberty Center FFA shows that “living to serve” isn’t just a motto. For these members, FFA is more than an organization; it’s a platform to identify needs, take action and make a lasting impact in the small town they call home.
