By TIM ALEXANDER
Illinois Correspondent URBANA, Ill. — AgrAbility Unlimited of Illinois, a program that offers a “hands-up” to farmers with disabilities by providing them with guidance and technology that allows them to continue their farm operations, is in need of assistance of its own in order to continue operating.
Established in 1991 and now in its 20th year of helping farmers, AgrAbility – a collaborative partnership between the University of Illinois Extension and Easter Seals – will have exhausted operating funds provided by the Illinois Department of Agriculture by the end of June. With no funding appropriated by the Illinois state legislature for the 2010-2011 fiscal year, AgrAbility is currently seeking private support for the program, which has assisted hundreds of Illinois farmers who have suffered from accidents or experienced medical problems that impeded their ability to continue farming.
AgrAbility’s program director, Robert Aherin, said that the group – which formerly operated on a state-provided budget of $180,000 to $200,000 per year – is currently seeking $300,000 in support from corporations, businesses and individuals in order to extend their services beyond the summer. “We have so far raised about $100,000 towards our goal,” said Aherin. “We’ve gotten some private support from farmers. The Illinois Farm Bureau, GROWMARK, Illinois Farm Services Agency and the Ullrich Foundation of Decatur have also provided funds. In addition, Illinois FSA has provided $25,000 in support over the last three years.”
Aherin, the seven staff members and 80-or-so “ambassadors” comprising AgrAbility are bracing to operate on a budget of $100,000 per year in donations for the next three years or so, or until new grant opportunities through USDA arrive. “We have an opportunity this year to apply for some USDA funds, but there are only three projects available for funding,” said Aherin. “There will not be any opportunities for USDA funding the following year, but in three years or so (USDA) will be able to fund around 14 projects. We’ll be trying to compete for those funds when they become available.”
AgrAbility helps Illinois farmers suffering from medical problems or injuries to assess all available sources for financial assistance from agencies such as the Illinois Department of Vocational Rehabilitation Services. They also offer stress management referrals, low-cost loan referrals, a one-on-one peer support network and technology expense assistance for farmers who don’t qualify for other financial assistance.
In addition, AgrAbility provides funding for the purchase of farm equipment or specialized accessories for use by disabled farmers, such as Herb Lange, of Washington County. Lange had suffered for years from an ill-fitted prosthetic lower-left leg. After his insurance company refused to provide an upgrade, AgrAbility contacted the state’s rehabilitative services office and Lange was provided with both a light-weight prosthetic leg and a Kawasaki all-terrain vehicle in order to allow him to continue to farm.
Another beneficiary of the program is Jeanne Helm, an Oreana farmer afflicted with polio who was provided a new leg brace – allowing her to continue to operate her 140-acre cattle farm with her husband, Ron. “We’ve helped hundreds of farmers,” said Aherin, “and our goal is to continue to help farmers maintain their livelihoods and provide for their families. We try to give farmers a hands-up to get them going again.”
When the University of Illinois Extension established Illinois AgrAbility 20 years ago, the program was modeled on similar initiatives in place at Purdue University and the University of Iowa. As of 2010, universities in 24 states had established programs similar to Illinois AgrAbility. Originally established through private donations, Illinois AgrAbility eventually secured funding from USDA grants. The relationship lasted around 14 years before funding was pulled in 2004. The loss of funding resulted in the Illinois state legislature’s passage of the Illinois AgrAbility Act, which established state funding for the program’s services and salaries. That funding came to an end last year when the general assembly slashed millions of dollars in line items from Illinois’ budget.
“We were told that for the 2010-2011 fiscal year there would be no funding for special ag appropriations, including AgrAbility,” said Aherin. “We now have sixty to seventy thousand dollars which we must make last until the end of June.”
Illinois AgrAbility has established a 501 c/3 account at the University of Illinois, designated specifically for the AgrAbility program. Private and corporate donations are welcomed, but those who can’t contribute financially can help in other ways, according to Aherin.
“We currently have 80 to 85 volunteers who we call our AgrAbility Ambassadors,” he said. “They are community volunteers who help us promote the program in different ways. Our ambassadors serve as the eyes and the ears of the program.”
Aherin may be contacted directly at 217-333-9417. For more information, go to www.agrabilityunlimited.org |
