Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) unveiled the My Community Matters program on January 28th in Jefferson City at the Capital Building. The program, which is a partnership with MMSC and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Rural Community Development Initiative grant, will help community-based development organizations promote economic development in low-income, rural communities.
The targeted communities include Brunswick, Butler, Concordia, Kirksville, Knob Noster, Monroe City, Rockaway Beach, Sikeston, and Willow Springs.
MMSC State Director Gayla Roten noted, “MMSC looks forward to working with both USDA and Missouri communities to implement this program and help build sustainable communities through downtown revitalization. Without our valuable partners, this program would not possible.”
My Community Matters initiative will provide technical training and assistance to communities in rural Missouri. This assistance and training will focus on a variety of topics centered on the four points of the Main Street Approach which are Organization, Design, Promotion and Economic Vitality. Within these four points services will cover visioning, market analysis, board training, sustainable design practices, micro-enterprise development, and entrepreneurship. The overall goal of the program is to help Missouri communities build capacity to support sustainable economic development.
Missouri State Legislators congratulated their districts on this grant opportunity.
Historic Downtown Sikeston
Dr. Steven Hoffman - MMSC Board President, John Douglas, Senator Wayne Wallingford, Lynn Lancaster, and Gayla Roten - MMSC State Director
Gayla Roten - MMSC State Director, John Douglas, Lynn Lancaster, Representative Holly Rehder, and Dr. Steven Hoffman - MMSC Board President
Main Street Willow Springs
Bob Lewis, Representative David Evans, Mary Jones, Isabelle Jones, and Keith Winge - MMSC Community Development Director
Rockaway Main Street
Senator David Sater, Jim Harriger, and Keith Winge - MMSC Community Development Director
Representative Jeff Justus with Jim Harriger
Knob Noster Revitalization Commission
Luke Lewis, Gayla Roten - MMSC State Director, Senator Denny Hoskins, Bud Thering, Dr. Steven Hoffman - MMSC Board President
Gayla Roten - MMSC State Director, Luke Lewis, Bud Thering, Representative Brad Pollitt, and Dr. Steven Hoffman - MMSC Board President
Kirksville and Brunswick
Dr. Steven Hoffman - MMSC Board President, Sarah Halstead, Zac Burden, Gayla Roten - MMSC State Director, Senator Cindy O'Laughlin, Thresa Kussman, Bill Jackson, Dan and Gaylene Green
Concordia Main Street, Inc.
Gayla Roten - MMSC State Director, Jami Benson, Representative Glen Kolkmeyer, Kaleb Nierman, and Dr. Steven Hoffman - MMSC Board President
Electric City Downtown Butler Main Street
Gayla Roten - MMSC State Director, Tonya Williams, Senator Ed Emery, and Dr. Steven Hoffman - MMSC Board President
Bob Lewis, Representative Patricia Pike, Tonya Williams, and Keith Winge - MMSC Community Development Director
Brunswick Main Street
Gayla Roten - MMSC State Director, Bill Jackson, Representative Dave Muntzel, Thresa Kussman, and Dr. Steve Hoffman - MMSC Board President
DownTown Monroe City Revitalization
Dr. Steven Hoffman - MMSC Board President, Debbie Kendrick, Mindy Hays, Loree Quinn, and MMSC State Director - Gayla Roten
Read The Full Press Release Here