Growing Hope Cayuga seeks to foster empathy, compassion and shared purpose to accelerate an end to hunger and malnutrition around the world through positive youth development and collective action. 

Areas of Focus

Our History

The seeds of Growing Hope Cayuga were sown years ago when Cayuga County dairy farmers Dennis and Diane Eldred became involved in humanitarian projects in Mozambique and Madagascar through the Food Resource Bank, a nonprofit founded in 1999 by Ohio farmers Vernon and Carol Sloan, which later became Growing Hope Globally.

In 2023, a group of like minded individuals got together at the Southern Cayuga School District to discuss how to continue engagement with Growing Hope Globally through youth projects. An inaugural event was held March 8, 2024 at Cayuga County at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES and was well attended by area youth. Topics included food system careers, Cayuga Milk Ingredients expansion, Southern Cayuga FFA food projects, and reflections on the early days of Growing Hope. Ed Staehr led participants through a facilitated discussion about key takeaways and next steps; from that emerged a Growing Hope Draft Action Plan. The plan reflects input from Cayuga County FFA students, educators, business leaders and community supporters. Southern Cayuga FFA, Moravia FFA and Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES FFA students participated.

Growing Hope Cayuga, Inc. formed in 2024 to oversee implementation of the plan and future initiatives. The organization is a registered nonprofit corporation (501c3 status pending), governed by a Board of Directors including Lindsay Frye, Rich Kane, Tricia Kerr (President), Barb Sroka (Treasurer), Ed Staehr (Vice President), and Doug Young (Secretary).

The Cayuga County Youth Bureau awarded $25,000 to Growing Hope Cayuga in 2025 to support youth projects that address hunger and malnutrition. Thanks to the generous support of sponsors of Food Systems Career Day, we are able to offer even more. With this funding secured, we are actively seeking youth project proposals. Learn more.

Food Systems Career Day is annual event held at Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES for area youth and includes a range of diverse speakers on career pathways in the food system industry. Students learn about industry innovations, emerging technologies, sustainability and human nutrition. Growing Hope Cayuga and Growing Hope Globally projects are highlighted, reinforcing the vital connection between farming and food security.

Growing Hope Draft Action Plan