Rainelle, W.Va. — The Meadow River Valley Association (MRVA) and Greenbrier Valley Economic Development Corporation (GVEDC) welcome Dara Vance to join local economic development efforts as an AmeriCorps VISTA in the Meadow River Valley.
VISTAs (Volunteers in Service to America) act as domestic Peace Corps, supporting programs that work to address community challenges with the ultimate goal of eliminating poverty.
Vance will work with the MRVA to implement its strategic plan with a focus on developing the Meadow River Valley Community Center (former Rupert Elementary School).
“Both my parents are from Appalachia and took advantage of education initiatives, homeownership programs and financial training to break the cycle of generational poverty,” Vance said. “I directly attribute my opportunities to the availability of these capacity-building programs that helped my family. I am committed to using my education and experience to continue supporting community initiatives like MRVA.”
The MRVA and GVEDC are working collaboratively as an AmeriCorps VISTA Subsite with the WV Community Development Hub (The Hub). The Hub sponsors VISTAs in organizations across the state as part of their programs and services.
“Projects that are working to lift West Virginians out of poverty are worth investing in. That’s why we incorporate the VISTA program into our community development work across the state. VISTA members are working on the frontlines, building capacity in organizations and communities across our state. The VISTAs that serve through The Hub are an important piece of our community development work across the state,” Erin McGrath, WV Community Development Hub Operations and VISTA program manager, said.
More information about the Meadow River Valley Association’s work can be found at meadowriver.org.
To find out more about The Hub’s VISTA program, visit wvhub.org/americorps-vista-program.
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