🌱 Farming with Friends Newsletter | June 2026 🌱

Dear Friends,

For the past three years, Farming with Friends has been building a place where people of all abilities can work, learn, gain confidence, and find purpose through agriculture. We've poured our hearts, countless volunteer hours, and every available resource into creating a program that changes lives.

We had a plan for sustainability.

Our application to become a certified provider through the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD) was actively under review and represented a critical step toward securing long-term funding for our program.

Then everything changed.

Due to a statewide Ohio Medicaid enrollment moratorium, new provider approvals were halted, forcing us to withdraw our application. Overnight, a major source of future revenue disappeared through no fault of our own.

The reality is simple: this unexpected decision has left Farming with Friends facing a serious funding gap.

Without immediate support, the future of this program is at risk.

We are not giving up. The people we serve deserve better than that. But right now, we need our community to step forward in a big way.

We urgently need:

• Financial support and bridge funding

• Business and corporate sponsors

• Community partners

• Connections to funders and philanthropists

• Collaborative opportunities with provider agencies

• Anyone willing to help us keep this mission moving forward

This isn't just about saving Farming with Friends.

It's about protecting opportunities for individuals with disabilities to gain job skills, build confidence, create friendships, and be valued members of their community. It's about ensuring that a program built on inclusion, purpose, and belonging has the chance to continue growing.

Today, I am asking for your help.

Please donate if you can. Share our story. Introduce us to someone who may be able to help. Every contribution, connection, and conversation matters right now.

The mission is too important to pause.

The future of Farming with Friends is being written today, and we need your support to ensure this story continues.

We Need Your Help Now!

Click HERE to Donate NOW

Every donation, every share, and every connection brings us one step closer to keeping Farming with Friends alive and growing for the people who depend on it. 🌱💚

⭐ 2026 Farming with Friends Stats

59 unique volunteers,

1285 volunteer hours (equiv. $44,730)

11 tours to 18 guests

Presentations and outreach to 238 individuals

🤟Upcoming Events 🤟

Thank you, as always, for being part of what we’re growing together. Give us a call or email to get the ball rolling!

With so much gratitude,
Ginnette Simko
Executive Director
Farming with Friends

Empowering All Abilities to Grow Together 🌿