The milestone case took place near Selfridge, ND, where Farm Rescue volunteers assisted the Froelich family with spring planting efforts. Rancher JW Froelich and his wife, Alisha, reached out for support following a series of difficult life events, including a death in the family, the arrival of a newborn, and a medical diagnosis that had significantly impacted day-to-day ranch operations.

“This takes a lot of weight off my shoulders. I’ve been able to enjoy life,” said JW Froelich. “With everything going on, having people step in to help means more than I can explain.”

Alisha Froelich said accepting help during difficult times can be challenging for many farm

families. “You have to be strong to get through it, but take the help when it is offered,” she said. “You think you can do it all by yourself — you don’t have to.”

Volunteers assisting with the milestone case included Mark Baumgarten, Steve Satterthwaite, Tom Richards, Wade Peterson, and Mike Youngblood. Many of the volunteers have dedicated years of service to Farm Rescue’s mission.

“To realize it is up to 1,300… it is fantastic growth,” said Mark Baumgarten, a 15-year Farm Rescue volunteer.

“Wow, that is a lot of cases,” added Steve Satterthwaite, an eight-year volunteer with the organization. “I am so glad Farm Rescue has been able to expand and help even more families.”

Since its founding in 2005, Farm Rescue has provided free planting, haying, harvesting, and livestock feeding assistance to farm and ranch families experiencing major injury, illness, or natural disaster. What began as a grassroots effort has grown into a multi-state nonprofit serving families across 11 states, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Montana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and Missouri.

“This milestone represents far more than a number,” said Tim Sullivan, Executive Director of Farm Rescue. “It represents 1,300 families who were able to keep going during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. We are incredibly grateful to our volunteers, donors, partners, and supporters who make this mission possible every day.”

Over the past two decades, hundreds of volunteers from across the country have helped keep family farm operations running during times of crisis. As the need for assistance continues to grow, Farm Rescue remains committed to expanding its impact while preserving the neighbor-helping-neighbor spirit that agriculture is built on.

To learn more about Farm Rescue, request assistance, volunteer, or donate, visit farmrescue.org.