AgStar Fund Awards Grant to City of Jackson for
Public Safety and Emergency Response Study
MANKATO, Minn. (September 9, 2010) – The AgStar Fund for Rural America, AgStar Financial Services’ corporate giving program, is proud to announce it recently awarded a $4,850 grant to the City of Jackson, Minn. The grant is from AgStar’s Rural Feasibility Study Program and provides funding for a comprehensive study of Public Safety and Emergency Response facility needs for the city of Jackson.
“AgStar’s grant program was created to help organizations study economic development opportunities for their rural communities. Obviously, Jackson’s Public Safety and Emergency Response teams provide much needed services to area residents,” stated John Monson, Chair of AgStar’s Fund Board. “In addition, they provide local employment and enhance the quality of life for people in the region. The study will determine if renovating and expanding public safety/emergency response facilities will benefit Jackson area residents and the local economy.”
The proposed new joint-facility campus will be more centralized within the community to facilitate shorter response times to incidents. It will also house a training/meeting room which is proposed to be shared with the community to help support local clubs such as: Boy Scout/Girl Scout troops, Lions clubs, and Kiwanis groups. A larger meeting space will allow the police and fire departments the opportunity to host regional training sessions and key meetings, bringing revenue and exposure to the community. Key training and recruiting for volunteer firefighters is crucial to the survival of every small town public safety/emergency response department.
Since its inception in 2001, the AgStar Fund has donated more than $3 million to organizations working to improve the future of rural America. Applications considered for funding and support must align with the Fund’s mission to “enhance the quality of life and future opportunities for rural residents and their communities.” The Fund focuses on one of the four key areas of support: Education, Technology, Environment, and Quality of Life.
About AgStar:
AgStar Financial Services, ACA, headquartered in Mankato, Minn., employs more than 610 full-time team members. The company is part of the national Farm Credit System and has a public mission to serve 69 counties in Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. The company has expertise in the corn, soybean, swine, dairy and bio-energy industries. AgStar has developed successful programs in loans, leases, crop insurance, tax services, accounting, consulting and rural home mortgages. As a value-added financial services cooperative, AgStar allocates patronage dividends to over 13,000 stockholders. The company is also committed to giving back to rural residents, organizations and communities through AgStar’s Fund for Rural America, a corporate giving program. In 2008, over $640,000 was donated by the AgStar Fund. Visit www.AgStar.com for more information.
Contact: Terri Fast
Terri.Fast@AgStar.com
507-344-5108
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