Growing rural jobs and building community health is the purpose of the West Central Missouri Food Value Chain Project. Partner organizations are now working to fill three positions on this regional team. A food value chain is a coordinated network of people,...

Driving 30 minutes for their daughter’s soccer practice used to be stop-and-go traffic stress for Shellie and Jonas Unell. It turned into rolling countryside and gorgeous sunsets when they moved back a few years ago to Shellie’s rural hometown of Appleton City,...

Rural Missouri health network plans regional ride system Rural communities across America know very well how stranded they are without decent transportation options. Children are not able to participate in extracurricular activities. Retirees must move away to places...

Local farms and organizations partner up to build up farm to fork connections Putting farmers who grow fruits and vegetables together with people who want and need healthy food makes a lot of sense to Noel McKay. He is Social Service Coordinator with the national,...

Helping area farms grow their businesses in local and regional food markets is the focus of a three-year, $500,000 USDA Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) grant just awarded to the West Central Missouri Community Action Agency (West Central) food systems program. The...

Discussion lasted long after the Fifth Monday luncheon ended 1 p.m., Monday September 30, at the Liston Center in El Dorado Springs. Ideas flowed and connections grew after the panel of workforce development program directors addressed the crowd of more than 60...

Join us September 30 for our next 5th Monday community economic development luncheon at the The Liston Center (aka ElDo Youth Center) in El Dorado Springs, MO! Support for job providers and job seekers is the focus of west central Missouri’s next 5th Monday...

THIS EVENT HAS ENDED. VIEW THE CURRENT FARM TO FORK SUMMIT & EXPO EVENT HERE. Calling farmers, eaters, doctors, grocers, mayors, and more! The Farm to Fork Summit offers inspiration, contacts, and practical steps for building health and wealth with local food....

West central Missouri’s Rides to Health and Wealth Network recently held a planning workshop with participants from sectors spanning health care, education, the courts, local government, and senior and social services. Their insights helped inform and advance this...

West Central Missouri Community Action Agency (West Central) is the recipient of a one-year, $100,000 grant from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration to organize the rollout of health-related transportation services in partnership with the Missouri...

Join us July 29 at the historic Pennell Hotel in downtown Butler! It’s the next 5th Monday community economic development luncheon, hosted by West Central Missouri Community Action Agency and regional community development corporation New Growth. Participants...

A new project to help Google find rural businesses and communities is gaining steam in west central Missouri. The Making Rural Visible project starts in Cedar and St. Clair counties with free listings on the LocalAnyDay platform. Sign up is easy and ongoing. Just call...