Help shape Appalachia’s future

This spring and summer, the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is holding public “listening” sessions to provide residents of Appalachia an opportunity to share their thoughts about ways to move the region forward.

The ARC is a federal-state partnership charged with alleviating poverty in Appalachia and raising the region to national levels for income, employment, health, education, transportation and communication. The agency has significant funding dedicated to supporting community and economic development in Appalachia. If the “POWER+” budget plan proposed by the White House comes through for next year, ARC’s funding is projected to increase by $25 million for economic diversification in coalfield communities.

The upcoming listening sessions are part of the ARC’s process for developing a strategic plan to guide its economic and community development efforts in the region through 2020. The agency has also created an online public survey to allow residents of Appalachia to contribute to the process. The commission is hoping to hear from citizens, local leaders, students, and representatives of private, public, and nonprofit organizations.

In other words, these are ways that YOU can be a part of planning Appalachia’s future.

The five listening sessions will be held on the following dates and locations. They are all from 10am – 3pm (lunch provided).

You must register here to attend.

• Forest City, North Carolina: Friday, May 15
  Carolina Event and Conference Center, 374 Hudlow Road
• Starkville, Mississippi: Thursday, May 21
  Hunter Henry Center at Mississippi State University, 1 Hunter Henry Boulevard
• Morehead, Kentucky: Thursday, June 4
  Morehead Conference Center, 111 East 1st Street
• Altoona, Pennsylvania: Thursday, June 11
  Blair County Convention Center, One Convention Center Drive
• Morgantown, West Virginia: Tuesday, June 16
  Morgantown Event Center, Three Waterfront Place

Protecting the Central and Southern Appalachian Mountain Region