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Community Meetings – North Star
During early 2011, the U. S. Endowment held a number of open community meetings to discuss the concept of building a small wood-to-energy plant in Jefferson with the goal of creating family supporting jobs and using profits for social benefit. -
Community Wealth through Forestry Incorporated
In November 2011, Community Wealth through Forestry is established as a subsidiary of the U. S. Endowment to hold and manage any profits coming to the Endowment from North Star Jefferson. Three Endowment board members and two prominent Jefferson County leaders are appointed to the board. -
Liaison Hired
On August 2, 2012, respected local leader, Judy Jones, is hired as the project liaison to represent Community Wealth through Forestry in Jefferson County. -
Listening Committee Convenes
On August 16, 2012, a diverse group of 13 people representing various parts of Jefferson County first convene to advise the U. S. Endowment and Community Wealth through Forestry about the use of profits for social benefit. The purpose of the committee is to listen to the community over nine months of meetings and then synthesize findings from that process. -
Jefferson Opportunity Index
In September 2012, the Endowment published the Jefferson Assets Index, a data analysis of the demographics, natural resources, economic assets, and wealth of Jefferson County. -
Jefferson Opportunity EXPO: The Wadley Housing Forum
The JOE project sponsored three community events to introduce options for building family assets as a way to bring people out of poverty. On the 20th, the City of Wadley and its community housing committee presented a well-attended workshop on the pathway to homeownership. -
Jefferson Opportunity EXPO: Forestry Markets as Wealth Generation
The JOE project sponsored three community events to introduce options for building family assets as a way to bring people out of poverty. More than 100 people gathered at the Jefferson High School for a day-long presentation about incentivized savings programs to support those in poverty to attain home ownership, post-secondary education, and small business creation. Additionally, foresters, loggers, and landowners joined a workshop about wealth creation from new wood markets. -
JOE Scholarships Established
In May 2013, JOE presented 7 college scholarships to graduating Jefferson High School students who wrote exemplary essays about succeeding through creating personal savings and community assets. The community raised $2,250 which was matched 1:1 by the Endowment. -
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Coming in autumn 2013 – JOE Listening Committee Recommendation
Between September and November 2013, the Listening Committee will meet to synthesize the community response to the JOE outreach process and make recommendations to the Community Wealth through Forestry Board for the use of North Star Jefferson profits for solving poverty in the county.
