Bureau County Farm Bureau and COUNTRY Financial recently announced the recipients of the 2026 Community Impact Grants. Stronger You Bureau County, a year-round community wellness initiative, and Barker Farm Outreach, a nonprofit produce farm that provides produce to underserved people in the community, received $2500 each to support their programs.
Bureau County Farm Bureau has been awarding Community Impact Grants since 2021. Applicants must be based in Bureau County and have operations in the county. Grants are awarded to projects that will have a lasting, multi-year impact.
Stronger You Bureau County promotes various dimensions of wellness, including physical activity, mental health awareness, social connection and suicide prevention in Bureau County and surrounding areas.
“With the funding received, Stronger You will be able to continue their Steps that Connect Walking Program, as well as host the 2026 Bureau County Stronger You Wellness Experience on June 9 in Princeton,” said Stephanie Morris, community educator at Stronger You. “Additionally, Stronger You will be looking to host a suicide prevention walk in the fall or winter of 2026, as well as
continue to provide wellness signs for the Zearing Park walking path.”
Barker Farm plans to use the Community Impact Grant funding to support the construction of a greenhouse.
“With this facility, we can start seeds and grow seedlings more affordably, maximizing our resources to better serve those in need,” said Kathy Barker, founder and executive director at Barker Farm Outreach. “The greenhouse symbolizes hope, growth, and the opportunity to provide more fresh, healthy food to our rural neighbors who might otherwise go without. We are sincerely grateful to the Bureau County Farm Bureau and COUNTRY Financial for supporting our mission and helping us make a meaningful impact.”
COUNTRY Financial donated $2500 of the $5,000 grant funding.
“Partnering with the Bureau County Farm Bureau has been a great way for us to be able to give back to our communities. The projects that we are able to identify and support are so impactful, and it’s just a privilege to be able to help through our annual community grants,” said Dan Kniss, district leader at COUNTRY.
For more information, call the Bureau County Farm Bureau at 815-875-6468 or visit their website here.
