Posts Tagged ‘Community’

Growing Leaders Youth Summit in Havre Needs You!

In response to the number of folks that were unable to attend the 2013 Summit because of the traveling distance involved, this year, we will be having FIVE regional Growing Leaders Youth SummitsIt’s been nearly two years since the last Growing Leaders Youth Summit, and you’re going to love the ideas that have been cooking since then. The response to this event was overwhelming that this year, we are planning Regional Growing Leaders Youth Summits across the state in target areas around the Flathead, Helena, Livingston, Billings, and Havre.  This is no small task, and we can’t do it alone. We need your help to make sure that this event is truly a success, and inspires young Hi-line residents to have an active role in the future of sustainable agriculture and local food systems.

Lend an ear (or more appropriately, an eye) about this opportunity for creating a truly transformative experience for high school students along the Hi-line. This is a request for your involvement in making the Growing Leaders Youth Summit a reality. The task is to put together a solid foundation of steering committee members, presenters, workshop leaders, and tour sites for an event in October 2015 that will build high school students’ sense of leadership and capacity to educate and organize their peers and communities around healthy eating and living.

This event is a collaborative effort between the Growing Leaders Youth Initiatives at the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and Opportunity Link, Inc

If you are interested in this event or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to contact Rosie Goldich at vista@opportunitylinkmt.org or (406) 265-3699 or Demetrius Fassas at demetrius.fassas@foodcorps.org or (859) 200-6861.

Food Security Survey

Food security is defined as the state of having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. The following questionnaires are about the food eaten in your community, local food markets, and school food programs.  Please complete the  Food Security Assessment – Community  if you work in the non-profit sector or are a professional in the food service, community health or food bank community. If you are a small scale farmer or producer, please complete the Food Security Assessment – Farmer.  Email completed surveys to the email listed below. 

Chinook Community Input

Economic Development (private business)

  • Lower water and sewer rates
  • Develop more retail, perhaps a cooperative store
  • Expand child care
  • Remodel Cy Courthouse, City Hall, Police Dept
  • Upgrade water treatment/sewer systems
  • Seek access to affordable business loans
  • Promote community attractions, events, businesses, and services
  • Improve rest area, fair grounds, walking path

Blackfeet Community Input

Economic Development (private business)

  • Need better customer service; fast foods/Wal-Mart.
  • We need family oriented business.
  • Lack of funds for public infrastructure improvement-to keep our town clean.
  • Lack of economic availability: bank loans, jobs, assistance filling out applications.

Big Sandy Community Input

Economic Development (private business)

  • Create job opportunities for young people, year-round, wages higher than minimum wage
  • Improve presentation of Main Street area to entice highway traffic
  • Improve quality of older housing to attract new residents
  • Improve water and sewer infrastructure to attract new businesses
  • Keep current businesses on Main Street

Advancing Community Priorities

Guest speakers, David Jaber from the Oyate Omniciye regional sustainability planning effort of the Oglala Sioux Tribe (Pine Ridge Reservation) and Carrie Runser-Turner from the GroWNC regional planning project in Western North Carolina, provide examples of how their tribal and rural communities were able to advance their priorities through local, regional planning efforts. In addition, Jennie Rodgers, communications specialist with the Rural Community Assistance Corporation, discusses how our local communities can ensure that their priorities are incorporated into the regional plan for Northcentral MT.