MANSFIELD – Farm Credit Mid-America, Rural 1st® and Richland County Fair have partnered together to raise food donations to benefit Diamond Hills Baptist Church as part of a state-wide food drive contest.
Now in its third year, Fight Hunger, Stock the Trailer is a friendly competition that helps junior fairs raise food donations for local food banks across Ohio. The contest is one of many ways Farm Credit Mid-America and Rural 1st® give back to rural communities and support local agriculture.
“Fight Hunger, Stock the Trailer has grown from a pilot project to a state-wide initiative that encourages the local community to come out and help stock the shelves at local food banks,” says Evan Hahn a Regional Vice President of Agricultural Lending for Farm Credit Mid-America in Ohio.
“Last year, over 50 junior fairs across Ohio collected nearly 170,000 pounds of food that went on to benefit 74 local food banks. We’re very excited to see what the growth and impact will look like as the contest enters its third year this summer.”
Local community members may bring non-perishable food items to the Richland County Fair from Aug. 6 to 12. Food donations may be placed in the trailer behind the Junior Fair Office.
The total weight of all donations will be calculated at the end of the fair, with 1st, 2nd, 3rd place and cash prizes awarded to the fairs who raise the most food at the end of the summer.
“Our teams love seeing the creativity and drive of junior fair members to make a difference in their community,” says Robb Webb, a Financial Officer for Farm Credit Mid-America and one of the team members who leads the Fight Hunger, Stock the Trailer initiative.
“The most rewarding part of the contest is seeing the connection that kids are making with local foodbanks.”
Prizes include a $500 award for each county fair that contributes, followed by a $5,000 donation to the fair that raises the most food, followed by $3,500 for second place and $1,500 for third place. All prize money awarded will support local junior fair activities.
The Fight Hunger, Stock the Trailer contest is being hosted on a regional basis. To learn about which counties are participating in 2023, reach out to Farm Credit Mid-America and Rural 1st® at 419-747-4111
About Farm Credit Mid-America
Farm Credit Mid-America is a financial services cooperative that has served the credit needs of farmers and rural residents across Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee for more than a century. Farm Credit Mid-America provides loans for real estate, operating, equipment, housing and related services such as crop insurance and vehicle, equipment and building leases. For more information, call 1-800-444-FARM or visit www.e-farmcredit.com.
About Rural 1st
Rural 1st® is the leader in rural lending. With more than 100 years’ of expertise in rural financing, Rural 1st secures the future of rural communities by offering tailored lending options and a deep understanding of country living to consumers in Southern Colorado, South Dakota, Southern Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Eastern Kansas, Kentucky, Southeast Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming. Rural 1st products include lot, land, construction, and home loans (purchase and refinancing). Rural 1st is the rural lending division of Farm Credit Mid-America, a financial services cooperative, NMLS 407249. Rural 1st products are available to consumers within the territories of participating Farm Credit System Associations. For more information, call 1-844-GO-RURAL or visit Rural1st.com. Equal Housing Lender