Greene County Development Corporation Creating A Multicultural Family Resource Center

The Greene County Development Corporation’s new Multicultural Family Resource Center is looking to aid families of various ethnic and cultural backgrounds in settling in the rural communities and helping build up the Greene County workforce. The plans for the growth development started over two years ago, and Chuck Offenburger, the volunteer chairperson for the steering committee, says this initiative will solve the decades-old problems Greene County is facing.

The resource center has already received the funds for the first year of operation, which came as a grant of $95,703 from the U.S. Department of Agricultural Rural Development (USDA). Greene County Community School District (GCCSD) has pledged around $51,000 over the next three years, as the school expects to use the multicultural director for at least one-fourth of the time, assisting the students and families with language barriers and getting them settled into the community and the school. Offenburger says the organization has the funds to support up to year four of the operations fully.

Offenburger says the GCCSD has been leading the hiring process for the resource director. While the position will be quite an undertaking, it will be rewarding to help the families overcome any barriers.

The six committees will all be specifically focused, including an administrative committee that supports the director. Others will include assisting families who face barriers such as housing, education to assist with language and legal services, and inter-faith relations. A fun committee for food, festivals, and concerts, and a soccer facility and events committee to encourage sporting activities and assist in bringing other cultures to Greene County. Offenburger assures those undecided on this program that he serves Greene County in its best interest and would not do anything to diminish the county’s economic development.

Offenburg is hopeful to have families start moving to the area in March of this year and is excited about this opportunity for the Greene County communities.