King County Ends 4-H Funding

King County can no longer afford to support 4-H, setting the nonprofit youth program scrambling to try to find funding for the 10,000 kids that participate in the organization, according to a story in the Renton Reporter and a post on the King County 4-H Facebook page.

As of Sept. 30, kids across King County will be without their local 4-H programs. The county was forced to cut the organization from its budget this year, and funding ended Monday, according to the Reporter. Washington State University’s Extension Program, which oversees 4-H programs in the state, will provide funding until the fall, partially using reserves from last year’s county contribution.

The Hs in 4H stand for “Head, Heart, Hands and Health.” The program offers clubs focusing on a variety interests ranging from raising sheep to farming and photography to robotics. Historically, 4-H has been the largest youth development organization in the nation.