Jefferson Wants You - New Business Incentive Fund Recipient

A new branch location of an established non-profit organization has opened in Jefferson and has been awarded $5,000. Midwest Mission provides relief supplies “around the world and around the corner”. Their primary focus areas are disaster relief, health, education and micro business. The Midwest Mission location in Jefferson receives and processes donations and ships them back to their Pawnee, Illinois location to be distributed around the world.

Midwest Mission provides relief supplies “around the world and around the corner”.

Midwest Mission is located at 219 N Chestnut in Jefferson with a year lease to own agreement with Greene County Development Corporation. Danille Curtis is the director for the Iowa facility but much of the work is facilitated by volunteers. There is one full-time and two part-time employees with the potential for more as the organization grows.

Volunteers come from all over to handle the many tasks needed such as sewing, filling personal dignity kits and school supply kits, making meal packs, and weaving waterproof mats. Danille reported that since the facility opened this summer, people from 22 counties in Iowa have come to Jefferson to volunteer. Many stay for several days using local hotels, eating at restaurants, shopping at our businesses, and visiting our attractions.

The Jefferson Wants You Incentive Fund is a project of the Rural Return project through Jefferson Matters.  This project is funded through  contributions of Jefferson Telecom, Home State Bank, Heartland Bank, Peoples Bank, and Alliant Energy.  The Selection Committee was also awarded a Grow Greene County Grant in early April.

This fund is open to new businesses filling a gap in Jefferson for start-up funds of up to $5,000.  Applications are available on www.jeffersonmatters.org and questions can be directed to Matt Wetrich, Executive Director at his office at The Welcome Center.  Personal interviews are conducted by the Selection Committee. 

Applications are also available for current and new remote workers in Greene County for a year’s membership at Gravitate Coworking - Jefferson. Gravitate is the local coworking space in downtown Jefferson.  More details can also be found on the www.jeffersonmatters.org website under Resources.