Freeport, Brown County, and Marshall Join Illinois Main Street Network
Bolstering Local Efforts to Support Economic Development and Community Revitalization
Mt. Sterling, IL – Illinois Main Street (IMS) is proud to welcome three dynamic organizations to their network of programs dedicated to creating meaningful improvements to their communities. The Greater Freeport Partnership (Freeport, IL) and Action Brown County representing Mt. Sterling (Brown County, IL) join at the Affiliate level, while Marshall Main Street (Marshall, IL) joins at the Aspiring level. The three communities unite with 18 sister organizations in the state and over 2000 programs throughout the Main Street America networking leveraging the power of the Main Street Approach™ to facilitate preservation-based economic development and community revitalization.
"I am proud to see the Freeport, Brown County, and Marshall communities join the Illinois Main Street program because the way we move forward is together. That is at the heart of the Main Street program," said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. "My office has focused on revitalizing and expanding Illinois Main Street so that communities across the state can access economic development and thrive as the rich, diverse regions that make Illinois so great."
The Greater Freeport Partnership serves in the capacity of economic development, business service, and tourism for Freeport and Stephenson County. They bring partners and individuals together to promote and grow the region.
‘We are excited that Freeport will become a Main Street-Accredited community,” commented Andrea Schultz Winter, Development Director for the Greater Freeport Partnership. “The Main Street Program provides a framework for our organization, committees, and the downtown community to organize our revitalization work for the district. The program will give structure to our work as well as provide best practices to inform how we can be successful.”
Action Brown County is a non-profit organization located in Mt. Sterling that works to promote the community and homegrown economic development throughout the county, through shop local campaigns, a community event calendar, and the Brown County Business Start-Up Competition.
“Action Brown County is ecstatic and honored to have Mt. Sterling recognized as an Illinois Main Street community. We look forward to working in partnership with the Main Street organization to further our mission of inspiring community, celebrating Hornet spirit, and promoting economic growth in Brown County,” said Alex Geisler, Executive Director of Action Brown County.
Marshall Main Street is a community-based organization that works to manage their historic downtown as a retail and service-oriented commercial district, through fun and exciting promotions, special event, and ongoing advertising campaigns. Through this work, the organization is building a Downtown Marshall that is an attractive, family-oriented community of friendly, economically stable, and diverse businesses, serving a population whose pride shows, in its safe, well maintained central business district.
“Becoming a member of Illinois Main Street means the world to us! It gives our downtown hope to rebuild and revitalize,” commented Wyatt McConchie, Executive Director at Marshall Main Street. “It means that the vast resources that we’ve been opened up to will help our district thrive. Thank you Illinois Main Street!”
###
ABOUT ACTION BROWN COUNTY
Action Brown County’s purpose is to advance the economic wellbeing and vitality of the Brown County community. The non-profit organization works to promote the community and develop the economy throughout the county. For more information, visit actionbrowncounty.org.
ABOUT GREATER FREEPORT PARTNERSHIP
The Greater Freeport Partnership promotes Stephenson County and supports businesses through workforce development, marketing, beautification, business education, and providing data resources. For more information, visit greaterfreeport.com.
ABOUT MARSHALL MAIN STREET
Marshall Main Street is a community-based organization working to maintain and preserve the historic and architectural assets of downtown and increase community awareness of its importance. For more information, visit marshallilmainstreet.com.
ABOUT ILLINOIS MAIN STREET
Illinois Main Street (IMS) works with communities across the state to foster local economic development and enhance overall quality of life. Since 1992, IMS programs have collectively secured nearly $1.2 billion in public and private reinvestment, added over 11,000 jobs, created over 2,300 new businesses, and rehabilitated 1100 buildings. IMS is part of Main Street America, a coast-to-coast network of organizations and individuals working to bring vitality and prosperity to downtowns across the country. For more information, visit www.ilmainstreet.org.