The Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation and Iowa Select Farms are proud to launch Farm to Frontline, a new program supporting first responders, including firefighters, police officers, and emergency personnel in Iowa’s rural communities where Iowa Select Farms operates.
As part of the launch, Deb and Jeff Hansen presented a gift of $30,000 to the Iowa Falls Fire Department on Wednesday, September 23. The department is among the first to respond when farm fires, accidents, severe weather, and other emergencies occur and has been critical to supporting Iowa Select Farms and employees.
“This donation is going to have a very practical impact for our department. It will allow us to purchase tools, equipment and supplies that our firefighters rely on when they answer a call,” said Scott Eisentrager, Iowa Falls Fire Chief. “We’re thankful to the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation and Iowa Select Farms for investing in the Iowa Falls Fire Department and helping us make sure our crews have what they need to do their jobs safely and effectively.”
The Foundation also plans to provide gifts to additional fire departments in communities where Iowa Select Farms operates. Many of these rural departments have responded to emergencies at the company’s facilities, providing critical care when it mattered most.
Farm to Frontline reflects the Hansen family’s longstanding commitment to giving back to the Iowa communities where they live, work, and farm.
“When our neighbors need help, they don’t ask whether the farm is big or small or if they know the person inside. They simply show up. That’s what makes rural Iowa so special,” said Deb Hansen, co-founder of the Deb and Jeff Hansen Foundation. “These firefighters give their time, energy, and sometimes safety to protect their neighbors. We are incredibly grateful for the men and women who answer that call, and we want them to know that their communities are standing behind them, too.”
Jeff Hansen said Farm to Frontline is a natural extension of the Foundation’s commitment to strengthening Iowa.
“Our farms depend on the communities around us, and those communities depend on the people who are willing to respond when there’s an emergency,” said Hansen. “They have shown up for us and more importantly, they show up for their neighbors. Farm to Frontline is our way of investing in the people and equipment needed to keep rural Iowa safe and strong.”
For Iowa Select Farms, the initiative also reflects the company’s broader commitment to Community Care and its belief in doing the right thing to help strengthen the communities where its employees, contractors and partners live and work.