Community support is important in keeping local community resources. Share your good Extension experiences with your local & state government officials. Following are a few facts about the Sangamon-Menard Extension program.

FACT: When Extension loses local funding dollars, they also lose state match dollars granted from the State Legislature, a $20,000 cut at the local level means another $20,000 cut at the state level. Lost funding for the county.

FACT: Approximately 1500 4-H & Extension participants volunteer. The value impact of 1 hour of volunteer service at a cost of $20.25 an hour contributes $30,375 to the county.

FACT: 80 Adult Leaders work with traditional 4-H clubs. 4-H Leaders average 220 volunteer hrs each year. The impact of their volunteer service at $20.25 an hour contributes $356,400.

FACT: The science based 4-H school embryology program provides curriculum & materials to teachers reaching 1,258 students.

FACT: 4-H activities and programs reach 443 traditional club youth.

FACT: Extension contributes dollars to the county. A one day workshop averaging 150 attendees from outside the county contributes approximately $4,800 to the local economy.

FACT: The federal grant for the Family Nutrition Program (FNP) targeting low-income food stamp recipients brings $116,767 to the Sangamon-Menard Unit.

FACT: Extension contributes $16,000 to the Agriculture Education Partnership, a collaborative effort with Farm Bureau reaching 20,106 students.

FACT: Since 2000 Master Gardener Volunteers have participated in Plant a Row for the Hungry & collected 350,000 lbs of produce for Central IL Food Bank, for local food pantries & soup kitchens.

FACT: The value of 110 Master Gardener volunteers logging in approximately 5,500 hours of volunteer time at $20.25 contributes $113,375 to the county.

FACT: Master Gardeners kept 3,000 lbs of plastic pots out of the landfill by collecting the pots for recycling & reuse.

FACT: Master Gardeners were involved in the implementation of the Living History Heirloom Vegetable Garden at Lincoln Home National Historic Site.

FACT: In November 1995 Volunteers for 4-H & Extension worked hard on a tax referendum which was passed by the voters to support Extension.

FACT: Since the passage of the 1995 tax referendum Extension has received a flat rate of $200,000 and has never received an increase in funding.

FACT: Extension has requested small increases in county funding, never granted. Following is a chart requesting the CPI rate (Consumer Price Index) that was allowed under tax caps: