Contact: Joe McKinney For Immediate Release
NADO Executive Director October 28, 2022202.921.4441 | [email protected]
WASHINGTON, DC – Mid-Minnesota Development Commission (MMDC) has received a 2022 Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Award from the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) for their Multilingual Journalism Project.
“This pilot project gave some of our bilingual community members the skills needed to convey important community information in languages beyond English, in a spoken/video format.”, said MMDC Economic Development Professional Michelle Marotzke. “We have already begun tapping into these individuals when we have important messages to share with our English language learners. While we [MMDC] were thrilled to help with project coordination, this pilot wouldn’t have been possible without significant funding ($20,000) from the Willmar Area Community foundation, course delivery from Ridgewater College’s Customized Training and Continuing Education Department, and valuable technical assistance from the University of Minnesota Extension. It’s always terrific to collaborate with such strong regional partners!”
NADO is a Washington, DC-based membership association of regional development organizations that promotes programs and policies that strengthen local governments, communities, and economies through regional cooperation, program delivery, and comprehensive strategies. The Impact Awards program recognizes regional development organizations and their partners for improving the economic and community competitiveness of our nation’s regions and local communities.
Award-winning projects were recognized during NADO’s 2022 Annual Training Conference, held in Pittsburgh, PA on October 15-18. The 2022 class of award recipients consists of 107 projects from 71 organizations spanning 28 states. These projects are presented in an interactive “Story Map” developed by NADO that includes project summaries, partners, and images. The Story Map is available online at: https://tinyurl.com/38vbcczu
“Regional development organizations and their partners have played an integral role in supporting local communities during this important time of economic recovery,” said 2021-2022 NADO President Misty Crosby, former executive director of the Buckeye Hills Regional Council, located in Marietta, OH. “This year’s Impact Awards recipients demonstrate the many ways our member organizations serve their communities by promoting economic development, fostering resilience, and improving quality of life for residents.”
The NADO Impact Awards are presented in honor of the late Aliceann Wohlbruck who was NADO’s first executive director and served 24 years as a tireless champion for regional approaches to economic development in rural communities.
For more information about this award-winning project, contact MMDC Economic Development Professional Michelle Marotzke at [email protected].