Rooted in Action: Three FFA Members Address Local Food Insecurity
Did you know that, according to the Wake County Food Security Program, roughly one in eight people in Wake County, N.C., face food insecurity?
For Keeley Harding, the vice president of the Heritage FFA Chapter in Wake Forest, that statistic represents more than just a number. Dedicated to agricultural education and environmental resource conservation, Harding recently demonstrated her expertise by taking first place in the North Carolina FFA Agricultural Education Career Development Event (CDE). She also works with NC Ag in the Classroom, helping bring agricultural education to students and communities.
The opportunity to further this passion came through the Youth Food Security Summit, an event hosted by Wake County Cooperative Extension, along with several other partners, including the Interfaith Food Shuttle and the Poe Center for Health Education. The summit is youth-oriented and youth-driven, having a youth planning team that coordinates the event theme, speakers, logistics, and workshops.
Keeley Harding with her FFA Official Dress. Photo by Kaiah Johnson
The summit offered the ideal platform for Harding to turn her interest in education and sustainable resource management into real, local impact. “I wanted to use my leadership skills to make a difference beyond my school and help address an issue that affects so many people,” she said.
Service in Action
The 2026 Youth Food Security Summit explored the theme of “Rooted in Action,” highlighting how youth can make a direct difference in their communities. This is exemplified by the summit’s annual service project, with past projects including constructing local food pantries, packing wellness kits for the local women’s center, and creating meal bags for school pantries.
Joining Harding on the planning team is Sasha Tavva, the secretary of the Green Level FFA Chapter in Cary, N.C., who shares a similar dedication to community advocacy and food access. Tavva is actively involved in various agriscience and public speaking events through FFA, which she notes supported her decision to apply to the planning team. “Agriculture and food systems is a field that connects a lot of different community members who are all passionate about food security… One of FFA’s core principles is ‘Living to Serve‘ and that very mindset is essential to solving an issue like food insecurity,” she said.
Sasha Tavva in her FFA Official Dress. Photo by Green Level FFA
Harding and Tavva partnered with a local organization called “Pantry Pit Stops,” which hosts various small pantry stations across the county. A student-initiated project at heart, summit attendees not only supported the mission of the organization by crafting meal and recipe kits, but they also learned more about what it takes to start a project of their own.
“Through FFA, I have seen how agriculture and service can work together, whether through food drives, community service projects, supporting local food organizations, or educating others about where their food comes from,” Harding shared. “I believe FFA members have a unique opportunity to help address food insecurity because we understand the connection between agriculture and our everyday lives.”
Harding and Tavva’s work in planning the service project has already made a difference. The 200+ meal kits assembled during the summit have already been delivered to local pantries, offering immediate relief to families across the county.
A Legacy of Advocacy
While Harding and Tavva contributed as youth planners, another local FFA member supported the event through peer education. Eva Awasthi from the Millbrook FFA Chapter hosted a workshop on creating meaningful, service-oriented events. Drawing from her chapter’s experience hosting an Oxfam Hunger Banquet, Awasthi provided participants with a blueprint for launching their own hunger-awareness initiatives.
Eva Awasthi at the Youth Food Security Summit. Photo by Kessler Dickerson
Awasthi’s connection to this event, however, goes beyond the 2026 summit. She previously served as a youth planner for the 2024 summit and has been strongly involved with the summit and related programs ever since. “What motivates me to stay involved in the summit is seeing the inspiration and initiative that students gain from their day at the summit,” she said. “Students leave with ideas on how to create change in their community or with more awareness about food insecurity.”
Awasthi’s impact is not only a reflection of how the summit grows mindful leaders but also demonstrates the role of strong agriculture food systems in creating food-secure communities. The summit acknowledges this by partnering with organizations like Burkett Farm, which allows attendees to see the role of local agriculture in addressing these important issues.
From organizing service to teaching others how to serve, Harding, Tavva and Awasthi show what it means to be “Rooted in Action.” Their involvement in the Youth Food Security Summit demonstrates how FFA members can use their skills, experiences and voices to help build a stronger and more food-secure world.
Learn more about the Youth Food Security Summit and how these leaders shaped its impact here.
