Five New Hampshire 4-H Teams each received $1,400 grants from Cumberland Farms, administered through National 4-H Council. Grants focus on development and implementation of a youth-designed and youth-led strategy that address a community need, incorporating and fostering 4-H's essential elements with a focus on one or more of the following areas: Citizenship, Education, Environment, Healthy Lifestyles, Safety or Workforce Preparation in the out-of-school timeframe.

The 4-H Green Thumb Team will use their grant funds this summer for seeds and plants to help 300 youth and 35 volunteers participate in the 4-H Green Thumb Team program through a partnership with agencies that include the Manchester Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Girls Inc., YMCA, Latin American Center, Salvation Army and the Massabesic Audubon Center. The goal is to have over 1,000 pounds of produce directed to the Salvation Army's Kids Cafe and the NH Food Bank, with volunteer and staff help from the USDA Farm Service Agency.

Urban, underserved youth in Manchester and Nashua with limited access to outdoor education and nature experiences will be able to attend one of two days at Bear Hill 4-H Camp or Massabesic Audubon Center. Partnering with 4-H in this effort are the Appalachian Mountain Club, Massabesic Audubon Center and afterschool providers in Manchester and Nashua. This program, 4-H in Greater Manchester Explores the Outdoors, will be used as a springboard toward a full 4-H project. A follow-up project will take place using urban ecosystems and GIS investigations through 4-H club formation or as campers at Bear Hill 4-H Camp.

The NH 4-H Teen Council, who plans and runs the State Teen Conference, uses Bear Hill 4-H Camp for retreats and is aware it needs help to keep it a safe and affordable environment. This grant, State 4-H Teen Council Supports Bear Hill 4-H Camp, provides funding for the 2007 State Teen Conference group of at least 160 teens (ages 14-18) and 25 adults for about two hours of work for various projects at camp. Projects include painting buildings, cleaning and maintaining trails, cleaning and organizing buildings and supplies, and repairing/replacing screens.

4-H Get Up and Go responds to the need to combat childhood obesity by fostering healthy lifestyle choices through the 4-H Get Up and Go for WalkNH. It includes 1,500 youth, supported by a team of 50 teen/college and community mentors from all 10 New Hampshire counties. Dr. Susan Lynch, New Hampshire's First Lady, developed WalkNH - a walking program for schools coordinated by the NH Foundation for Healthy Communities. Youth are challenged to either walk 190 miles, the length of New Hampshire, or 70 miles, its width. This grant provides the out of school component for the initiative.

Souhegan High School 4-H Recyclers will involve Amherst and Mont Vernon in a community-wide recycling program in May, educating students about environmental benefits of recycling and their parents to its cost benefit. The kick-off activity, EarthCapades, a waste reduction production, will be presented to students from kindergarten through eighth grade, co-sponsored by Souhegan High School 4-H Recycling Team, Peabody Mill Environmental Center, Amherst PTA, Amherst Recycling and Waste Reduction Task Force, Boutelle Grant and this grant.