Many rural areas in the U.S. Midwest have been experiencing net population losses for years, raising concerns about the survival of these communities.

Many voices, one vision
The USDA Rural Economic Development Innovation (REDI) Initiative planning process started with a two-day countywide community-building event, held at The Nature Conservancy Office at Emiquon, on January 22 and 23, 2020.
Unemployment claims nationwide are soaring. According to the Department of Labor, in the week ending March 28, 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment benefits – doubling the previous week’s level of 3.3 million.