Morgan County farmer and executive director of the Passavant Area Hospital Foundation, Pam Martin, has received a $2,500 grant through America’s Farmers Grow Communities, sponsored by the Bayer Fund. Martin will use the funds to support one of the Foundation’s initiatives to provide training for volunteer emergency medical services (EMS) in the Passavant service area.

“It’s a great match for putting the money to use out in the county, because building the capacity of first responders is so important,” said Martin. “Often, farm families have emergencies with accidents and the foundation has identified that as a need in our community — to help volunteers join those agencies.” The Foundation has pledged to give $10,000 to each of the 10 volunteer EMS agencies in the hospital’s five-county service area for volunteer training with the goal of removing barriers to becoming a volunteer. The EMS agencies include Alexander, Arenzville, Ashland, Chandlerville, Chapin, Meredosia-Bluff, Murrayville-Woodson, South Jacksonville, Waverly and Winchester.

America’s Farmers Grow Communities partners with farmers to support nonprofit organizations strengthening rural communities. To date, they have awarded more than $33 million to over 8,000 nonprofits across rural America.

“A better life is Bayer’s goal. Farmers are invested in their communities, they root for their neighbors and they know when and where there is a need,” said Al Mitchell, vice president, Corporate Engagement for Bayer.

Martin and her husband, Gary, operate M & G Farms in rural Morgan County.