Several meetings have been announced for ways for everyone to support a new venture with a non-profit organization.

Greene County Development Corporation recently received a US Department of Agriculture Rural Development Grant for close to $100,000 for a new Multicultural Family Resource Center. GCDC Executive Director Ken Paxton talks about the reason for this new center.

“The purpose of that center is to make Jefferson and Greene County a welcoming county for new employees, for a new residence, for anybody, for anybody who is moving into the county. We want to be able to support them and help them get acclimated to our community.”    

Paxton points out a director will be hired and housed in two locations, including the Greene County Career Academy and Jefferson City Hall. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio the director will assist individuals and families as they make transitions to move, live and work in Greene County, and the director will also work within the school district and with employers as well. 

Paxton notes that the grant helps to fund the center and director position for one year and GCDC has scheduled some upcoming meetings for businesses and the public to learn more about it and consider supporting it financially for the next three years. Other entities GCDC is also approaching include the Greene County Board of Supervisors and the City of Jefferson for financial assistance.

“Our main hope is that our local businesses and our community will help support this. We’re asking for a three year donation. We have some rough ideas of donation level (including) platinum, gold, silver, that kind of thing.”   

The first meeting will be held on Monday, September 18th at 5:30pm at the Career Academy, in room D101. Attendees are encouraged to park in the north parking lot and enter through door N5. The next two meetings are the next day, Tuesday, September 19th via zoom at 7:30am and 12:30pm. Reservations are appreciated and can be done by contacting GCDC at 515-386-8255, email at development@greenecountyiowa.com or by scanning a QR Code below on a mobile device.