The Oklahoma Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture collected more than $110,000 in donations and matching funds to help spur recovery efforts in the aftermath of springtime wildfires in the state.
Donations were collected from late February through March 15. The foundation, Oklahoma Farm Bureau and Oklahoma Farm Bureau Insurance each offered $10,000 in dollar-for-dollar matching funds.
In total, more than $80,000 in relief donations were received, and the full $30,000 in matching dollars were contributed to the foundation’s fire relief fund, resulting in a total of more than $110,000 available for fire relief efforts to aid in recovery.
Donations were generously given by individuals, fellow agriculture organizations and even county and state Farm Bureaus from around the nation.
Money from the fund will support fire relief efforts, which included two rounds of fuel card donations in early march beginning just a week after fire swept through Ellis County. The gift card donations helped offset trucking costs associated with transporting donated hay to fire-stricken areas.
The foundation is planning to make donations to fire departments that assisted with the firefighting effort to help them replenish their depleted budgets after prolonged operations. The foundation will continue to monitor ongoing fre relief needs and will help support affected communities recover.
