(Westerose, Alta) Today 4-H Alberta is pleased to announce that it has received a $50,000 sponsorship from Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) and a group of local Alberta Co-ops in support of our organization and the invaluable programming that we bring to young people each year.

A key component of our new partnership will be the creation of the inaugural CO-OP Growing Leaders Program. The innovative and ground-breaking program is designed to remove barriers and provide easy access for youth who may have been curious about 4-H Alberta, but have never enrolled in a local club. Each year, 4-H Alberta supports 5,500 youth who participate in close to 300 clubs across our province.

“We are extremely excited about all the possibilities that come with this new partnership and

the opportunity to work with a like-minded community partner who values and supports

Alberta's youth as much as we do. What a great way to facilitate the engagement and

empowerment of youth in Alberta,” said Kurt Kinnear, CEO of 4-H Alberta. “Federated Co‑operatives Ltd. and the participating Co-ops understand and appreciate the importance of our young members who will become the future leaders in our communities.”

This generous investment and support will establish FCL and six Alberta Co-ops as one of 4-H Alberta’s top funders in the Gold Clover sponsorship category, with the following Co-ops participating in the CO-OP Growing Leaders Program: Arrowwood Co-op, Central Alberta Co-op Ltd., Cornerstone Co-op, Penbina West Co-op, Pincher Creek Co-op, and Westview Co-op.

“We are an organization that is committed to supporting people and places across our Co-perative system and across Western Canada,” said Trish Meyers, FCL, Associate Vice President Ag Solutions. “Our partnership with 4-H Alberta will build on that commitment as we work together to provide local youth with new opportunities that will ultimately lead to exciting and positive life experiences.”

"4-H Alberta’s new club year is just around the corner, and we look forward to welcoming many new young members to become future community leaders while teaming up with a strong partner like FCL and local Alberta Co-ops," said Kinnear.

About 4-H Alberta

4-H Alberta is the new streamlined youth development body that combines the former three-party organizations that operated 4-H in Alberta; the 4-H Council of Alberta, the 4-H Foundation of Alberta, and the 4-H Section of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.

4-H Alberta was developed after extensive consultation with Alberta's 4-H community. It involves a new governance, structure and operating model that is efficient and effective, and supported by a modernized constitution/by-law alignment to coordinate 4-H staff and volunteer roles, and build operational harmony for the growth of the 4-H youth leadership program in Alberta.

About Federated Co-operatives Limited and the Co-operative Retailing System

Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL), based in Saskatoon, is focused on providing more than 160 local Co-ops across Western Canada with strategy and leadership, wholesaling, manufacturing, logistics, operational support, business-enabling services and marketing support. Together, FCL and those local co-operatives form the Co-operative Retailing System (CRS). The CRS serves our members and communities with products and services that help build, feed and fuel individuals and communities from Vancouver Island to northwestern Ontario. Our total workforce of over 24,900 employees serve more than 2 million active individual members and many more non-member customers at 1,500 retail locations in more than 630 communities. We are a different kind of business – we are locally invested, community-minded and offer lifetime membership benefits including patronage refunds, quality products, quality service and fair prices. More information is available at www.fcl.crs and www.co-op.crs.