Greene County Development Corporation (GCDC) continues its efforts to receive donations and pledges for the new Multicultural Family Resource Center.

GCDC recently announced that they have received over 60-percent of its $300,000 goal for funding of the new initiative. At the center of the Multicultural Family Resource Center is going to be a director that will help get new people, including those with different cultural backgrounds, to work and live in the county. The $300,000 goal is to fund this program for years 2-4. 

While the first year of the initiative is funded through a US Department of Agriculture grant of nearly $100,000, one of the main components is the Greene County School District. Superintendent Brett Abbotts says their cultural landscape continues to shift, including 31 new students that recently enrolled this year and 22 of them are needing English language assistance, the director will be used as a liaison between the families and the student’s education. He tells Raccoon Valley Radio that the district is also paying part of the director’s salary, with a pledge of $51,000 over the next three years, but that the district is also going to be the one hiring that individual.

“We also have kind of the means to be able to do that. We can post through Iowa WORKS and then of course we can post on our own recruiting and hiring software. So we have the ability to be able to facilitate that and support that here at the school. So that is another one that we have agreed to. We’ve also agreed to put the person in an office space and provide a landline phone with access and then giving one of our Chromebook computers as well.”     

GCDC has also secured some of its largest pledges of $15,000 over the three years from area businesses, including Wild Rose Casino and Resort and Home State Bank. They have also received other donations from individuals who have Greene County roots including Iowa Food Bank CEO Michelle Book and retired Iowa Lottery Director Terry Rich. 

The USDA grant funds became available this past October 1st and so the actual donations and pledges that are being raised currently will not start until October 1, 2024. GCDC may also look to the city of Jefferson and the Greene County Board of Supervisors to help at some level at some point.

The committees that did some initial work to help newcomers to Greene County will be re-organized and are planning to be announced after January 1st, 2024. For more information or to help volunteer, contact GCDC at 515-386-8255 or email them at development@greenecountyiowa.com.