Hagerstown State Farm Agents Join Forces to Donate Over $6,000 to Adam R. Barnhart Inclusive Athlete Fund

Hagerstown, MD State Farm Insurance agents have collectively donated $3,050 to the Adam R. Barnhart Inclusive Athlete Fund, one of the newest funds created with the Community Foundation of Washington County MD, Inc. In the coming months, State Farm’s corporate office will match this contribution, bringing the total to $6,100.This collaborative giving was spearheaded by Hagerstown State Farm Agent Tom Breidenstein, who proudly says that “this goes along with State Farm’s motto; that ‘like a good neighbor’, we’re truly there for our community.”When asked how Tom, who has known the Barnhart family for several years, motivated other local agents, he said, “I reached out to one, then another, and by the time I was making those final asks, it was easy to motivate them to give based on how many others I had already received a donation from.”The Adam R. Barnhart Inclusive Athlete Fund was been created with the Community Foundation of Washington County MD, Inc. by family members just last month, following the loss of Adam in 2020. Its mission is to provide support and opportunities to individuals with intellectual or developmental disability (IDD) who live in Washington County, Maryland and who seek to participate in inclusive, competitive athletics.There's a strong movement whereby athletes with IDD are included, respected, and equal to able-bodied athletes and it's the vision of this fund to support that.Born in 1995, Adam R. Barnhart grew up in Washington County, Maryland, with two brothers, Michael and Andrew. At the age of 3, he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy and a developmental disability. Leg braces and wheelchairs quickly became a familiar and necessary part of his life. Machines to assist with breathing stood by his bed and eventually his body gave way to a deteriorating muscular system. He passed away at the age of 25 last year."With his teammates and his coaches, the unified athlete experience created the space and place for Adam and other disabled athletes to be out of the stands and in the game.  This fund in Adam’s memory will act as a catalyst for building more bonds between abled and disabled individuals in non-segregated athletic activities," says his proud mother JoEllen Barnhart, Ph.D.To make a contribution to this fund, donors can visit our website cfwcmd.org and click "DONATE NOW" at the top of our page, then specifying (or selecting from the drop down menu) the Adam R. Barnhart Inclusive Athlete Fund. Checks with the fund name written in the memo section may also be mailed to:Community Foundation of Washington County MD, Inc.37 S. Potomac St., Hagerstown, MD 21740