Delta Compass and WCEA to Host Event Showcasing Projects Funded by Two Community-Building Grants
Jun 20, 2024
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: [Hillary Boggs], [hboggs@wceams.com]
Delta Compass and Washington County Economic Alliance to Host Community Event Showcasing Projects funded by Two Community-Building Grants
[Greenville, Mississippi] – Washington County Economic Alliance (WCEA) and Delta Compass’ CEO, Justin Archer Burch, announced that the organization will host a community event on June 27, 2024, from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. on the 300 block of Washington Avenue to unveil two community projects funded by grants to Washington County and the Mississippi Delta totaling $65,000.
The community events will start at 4:00 p.m. at 327 Washington Avenue to unveil the “FUNnel”. National Endowment for the Arts and South Arts have provided $15,000 in a creative placemaking grant to Delta Compass for support on the Greenville “FUNnel”, offering cultural amplification to the Delta while revitalizing the alley running from Washington Avenue to Main Street within the commercial district. This 100’ x 10’ mural executed by artist Gavin Bird represents multiple Washington County natural heritage sites and native plant and animal life including the Winterville Indian Mounds, the Theodore Roosevelt National Wildlife Refuge, Lake Ferguson, Lake Washington, the Cypress Preserve, Stoneville research facilities and more. These funds were used in leverage to the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program $400,000 + awarded to the Greenville Safety Collaborative, which also includes Main Street Greenville, the Community Foundation of Washington County, and the Greenville Police Department. The “FUNnel” demonstrates WCEA and Delta Compass’ commitment to bringing impactful arts and cultural activities to the Mississippi Delta.
At 5:00 p.m. join us at 317 Washington Avenue, where we will celebrate the award of a $50,000 T-Mobile Hometown Grant that will strengthen Greenville’s innovation corridor and future planned innovation hub and co-working space. The Delta Entrepreneurial Corridor is designated to open by January 1st, 2025, and will offer small business incubation space, business technical assistance, and growing capital support to emerging entrepreneurs. The T-Mobile Hometown Grant will provide digital capable devices to train entrepreneurs and workers; a maker’s space to harness the power of creatives through learning; and a 3D printer which will be used to prototype and model products and services for small businesses. These items are seen as essential to moving the corridor toward being a world class rural innovation hub. “This is another investment which proves that Greenville is the capital of the Mississippi Delta and is turning around five decades of disinvestment to become one of the nation’s premier rural destinations for industry investment, creative placemaking, and innovation” said Justin Archer Burch, President and CEO and WCEA/Delta Compass.
Following these events, trivia will be hosted by the Chamber from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at Downtown Grille in the Blues Room. 4-man teams will compete for the grand prize while enjoying appetizers and drinks. Entry is $40 per team/$10 per person. “We are thrilled to partner with Downtown Grille to host our first public trivia night,” said Chamber Director Mary Catherine Brooks. “As our Chamber programming is expanding, we look forward to offering more community engagement events such as this.”
For more information on these events and more, please visit wceams.com, or follow us on Facebook and Instagram at WCEA. You can also reach us at 662-378-3141 or at mbrooks@wceams.com.
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