America’s coal-producing communities are fundamental to the growth and success of the country but are too often overlooked for the support they need. For this reason, Ramaco Resources said it formed the Ramaco Foundation, a philanthropic organization that will invest in the regions where its employees work in West Virginia, Virginia and Wyoming through grant-making and partnerships with local nonprofit organizations.
As part of its launch, the Foundation has awarded grants worth $100,000 to organizations fighting childhood hunger in Wyoming, and supporting education and workforce development in West Virginia.
“The regions where our staff and their families live are the backbone of this country, and deserve far, far more investment and attention than they receive,” said Randall Atkins, chairman and CEO of Ramaco, who also serves as the chairman of the Foundation’s board of directors. “We are proud to be a member of these communities, and for this opportunity to give back and support their success.”
The Foundation’s activities will be focused on southern West Virginia, southwestern Virginia, and Sheridan County, Wyoming, where the company has operations. Its first major donations are a $50,000 grant to The Food Group Wyoming, which fights childhood hunger in Sheridan County, and a $50,000 grant to Jobs for West Virginia’s Graduates, which provides professional development and educational support to high school students.
Both organizations will receive $25,000 in 2022 and another $25,000 in 2023. The grants will benefit the organizations’ operating funds, program development and other identified needs.
“The Ramaco Foundation is dedicated to building meaningful philanthropic relationships in these regions, and strengthening the local social and economic fabric,” said Evan Jenkins, president of The Ramaco Foundation and a member of its board of directors. Jenkins was formerly both the U.S. Congressman from Southern West Virginia and the Chief Justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court. “The organizations receiving these grants are results-driven and have proven records of success, and we look forward to partnering with them and expanding their very valuable work.”
In addition to Atkins and Jenkins, the Foundation’s board of directors includes two other members: Patrick Graney III, the founder and president of PCG Inc. of Charleston, West Virginia and a long-time civic leader in the state, and Debra Wendtland, a prominent Sheridan, Wyoming based attorney and one of the nation’s leading adoption specialists.
