Alta, IA

In the February meeting of the steering committee, an exciting proposal was received for  a new community resource center in Alta. This proposal comes as a result of the visioning and action teams that have taken place in Alta since 2006 with the Horizons program. A building in downtown Alta has been made available for use with adequate office space to provide for the needs of the resource center.

The proposal presently before the committee is to have full techonology capabilities with office machines and volunteer staffing at least one day per week at the onset.

The comprehensive benefit of the Community Resource Center is to give visibility to Alta Horizons in the community, provide information and resources for needs within the Alta community. Each work group on the steering committee can be based in and/or work from this center. The Alta Chamber of Commerce has also been approached about jointly using the facility with Alta Horizons.

It is the feeling of the members of the committee that having a highly visible location in downtown Alta will prove beneficial to meet with business  leaders or prospective builders as Alta continues to make progress. It will also provide an ongoing reminder in the community that Alta is taking seriously the plan to address the needs within the community and provide a valuable resource to see that the needs are met.

It is anticipated that having this resource center will also make it possible for us to obtain future grants and funding opportunities that will help address the needs and heighten awareness of community concerns relating to poverty and other issues.

No final decision has been reached on this proposal, but good progress is being made as the excitement continues to grow in Alta for the “grand opening” of the new Community Resource Center.

We have recently learned that progress taking place in Alta will be featured at the eighth annual Mid-States Community and Economic Development Conference, scheduled for March 19, 2008 in the Sioux City area.

Alta was selected as one of about 15 communities from Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Members of the Alta Horizons steering committee will present a session on Alta’s community improvement efforts.

Presenters from the Alta community will be Kris Shannon, Dr. Fred Maharry, and Rev. Terry Pollard.

We are excited to be a part of this economic conference this year and share what is happening in Alta, as a result of Horizons

Horizons is well under way in Alta. In the spring of 2007, discussion at several study circles raised the need to welcome newcomers to town and help them find what they need and are interested in. Alta Builds Connections (ABC) has been formed. An informational packet with community resource contacts (including school district, churches, medical, city services, etc.) has been put together and will soon be distributed to new residents, with members of ABC making visits to new residents.

At an August 28 visioning meeting, participants identified possible strategies for reducing poverty and its impact in Alta. At the next visioning meeting on October 8, priorities were set and action began in work groups.

The priorities were the Alta Builds Connections group, a focus on expanding affordable housing, expanding access to health care, promoting existing businesses as well as bringing new and establishing a community resource center.

Through the Horizons program, it has been agreed that Alta has strengths to build upon - a strong school system with caring staff, a strong faith community, a foundation of volunteerism, access to recreational opportunities and visionary people within the community.