From the desk of Harvest Foundation President Kate Keller
A new year always brings with it optimism for possibilities. I believe it’s on all of us to harness these opportunities to continue making progress and making MHC a place for everyone.
The running theme of the Level Up MHC Community Summit was to create a vision for the future. We learned that you need to build partnerships to achieve the vision, and then stay true to that vision through all of the foreseen and unforeseen challenges that will arise.
Martinsville received great news over the holidays: The Virginia Main Street program accepted Martinsville into its latest cohort of Mobilizing Main Street (MMS) communities. The two-year program is intended to support and advance revitalization efforts in Uptown Martinsville as we advance toward full designation as a Virginia Main Street community.
Being a Main Street Community brings statewide and national recognition and marketing of our community, ongoing technical assistance from the Main Street team, and the opportunities to apply for funding that is only eligible to Main Street communities. The Uptown Partnership, led by local community volunteers, leads the MMS work in collaboration with local and state partners and peers.
Having a vision is a critical part of the Main Street program. What type of Uptown do we envision for us to live, work, play, and pray? The visioning process began last year, but there is more work to do as a community to make it happen. As the vision is finalized, partnerships need to be forged to bring it to life. This program is a wonderful opportunity that can bring all kinds of possibilities for Martinsville. Are you ready to join?
