Supporting rural communities and agriculture, today and tomorrow, is at the heart of Farm Credit’s mission. For the most part, we accomplish this by providing reliable and consistent credit and related services. Every now and then, however, we get the chance to accomplish it in a different way, as is the case with our partnership with Ogallala Commons.
“Rural communities need agriculture,” said Jaimee Mollohan, Vice President of Marketing at Premier Farm Credit, “but farmers and ranchers also need the goods and services healthy communities offer. This is an ongoing struggle for rural America, and we look to resources like Ogallala Commons to help move us forward.”
Ogallala Commons is a 501c3 nonprofit organization focused on reinvigorating Great Plains communities. As a part of this effort, Ogallala Commons manages a successful Community Internship Program, which establishes pathways for young people to return to their hometowns by providing exploration and interest in local and regional careers. The internships are built around three important components: work experience, skill development, and hometown career exploration – and all take place in a local community. Interns work on projects that respond to local needs or build up community assets while being paid a stipend. These internships provide a great avenue for communities to connect with and inspire youth to return home to live, work, play and someday raise their families.
This year, we were able to help bring two internships to Phillips County. Haxtun High School student Tanley Anderson and Holyoke High School student Josie Herman are currently working to learn about making a difference in rural communities and business leadership. In Holyoke, Herman is also supported by Melissa Memorial Hospital, where she spends half her time and effort, and in Haxtun, the Haxtun Chamber of Commerce and Haxtun Hospital are sharing the costs and benefits of Anderson’s time. Both young women have hit the ground running, working on projects ranging from setting up a dental program to marketing for a childcare center. They are having a productive summer, and we look for great things to come from this investment.
Learn more about Ogallala Commons at www.ogallalacommons.org
