Chad Smith, NAFB News Service

The city of Indianapolis won’t get to experience a sea of blue jackets this fall because the National FFA Convention and Expo are going virtual. However, that doesn’t mean FFA won’t be giving back to the Indianapolis community. As a part of helping the host city, the National FFA Organization announced it is donating $10,000 to the Indiana Hospitality Relief Fund through the Indiana Restaurant and Lodging Association. “The Indianapolis hospitality industry always rolls out the red carpet for us each October,” says FFA CEO Mark Poeschl (PESH-uhl). “This unprecedented time has created hardships for many people. While we won’t see many of our friends around the city in-person, we want them to know we’re thinking about them.” The national convention and expo typically bring in more than 65,000 people to the city and have an annual impact of more than $35 million on the city. FFA members typically give back during the convention through National Days of Service. As this year’s convention is a virtual one, FFA will be giving back through National Days of Service in locations around the country. The National FFA Convention and Expo are scheduled for October 27-29.