Two Rockingham County-based nonprofits are each getting $21,875 from Gov. Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne Youngkin.
The Farm Ministry, located in Dayton, and the Rockingham County Fair Association, which just wrapped up its week-long annual county fair, are the recipients of Youngkin’s salary for the first quarter of the fiscal year.
Youngkin, whose net worth is in the area of $500 million, has made it a point to donate his $175,000 annual salary to nonprofits across the state.
That’s a function of $175,000 being chump change when you’re hanging half a billion on the ol’ scoreboard.
That’s good news, in the here and now, for The Farm Ministry and the Rockingham County Fair, two local groups that, like so many in the do-gooder nonprofit sector, can use all the help they can get.
“We are honored that The Farm Ministry has been chosen for the generous salary donation on behalf of Gov. Youngkin and the First Lady,” said Keith Turner, the founder of The Farm Ministry. “Their support has allowed us to advance our mission of providing people in need with local fresh wholesome meat and dairy products. With this donation, we will be able to expand and strengthen our operation to reach even more people in need.”
Turner launched The Farm Ministry in 1993, with the mission being to purchase food items from small farmers to help them on the business side, then get the food that it buys to food banks and local pantries to distribute to those in need.
In 2023, the nonprofit distributed 23,008 pounds of beef, 13,779 pounds of cheese, and 2,727 pounds of ham, providing a quarter pound of protein for 158,056 meals.
And it does all of that on a shoestring budget: $127,984 in fiscal year 2023.
The Rockingham County Fair Association is a bit bigger in scale – its FY 2023 budget was $2.1 million, with a focus on the annual county fair and a schedule of agricultural events throughout the year.
“Our fair’s 4-H and FFA livestock numbers continue to grow, which is amazing. However, this growth requires our fair board to make decisions on how to handle these large numbers of show animals,” said Rebecca Holloway, the fair association’s general manager. “We, the Rockingham County Fair Association, are extremely honored and grateful for Gov. Youngkin and the First Lady’s donation for our newest barn to benefit our 4-H and FFA Market Animal Show. The support received from Gov. Youngkin and the First Lady for the Rockingham County Fair, 4-H, and FFA is absolutely amazing and deeply appreciated.”
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Chris Graham
