EC presents scholarships to graduating seniors.

The Greene/Sumter Enterprise Community (GSEC) will be closing the doors and ceasing daily operations effective September 30, 2011 due to financial constraints. The Board of Directors has agreed to maintain the 501(c)(3) non-profit status of the organization and be ready to undertake new initiatives when funding becomes available.

The Transportation Program which enables Greene and Sumter students to attend Shelton State Community College will now be serviced through the Sumter County Industrial Development Authority at 205-652-9303: Contact Person Veronica Drake.

The GSEC Scholarship Fund will continue. Contributions to the fund can be sent to the Black Belt Community Foundation; P.O. Box 2020, Selma, AL 36702 and annotate in the memo of your check GSEC Scholarship Fund or visit www.blackbeltfound.org and donate.

The Individual Development Accounts Program (IDA) will also be serviced through the Black Belt Community Foundation. Contact Felecia Jones at 334-874-1126.

Created by an initiative developed by the Federation of Southern Cooperatives in 1994, GSEC’s mission is to reduce poverty by creating jobs, expanding educational opportunities, building wealth and establishing or enlarging small businesses that enhance quality of life.

A commitment to serving the small and often economically isolated counties of Sumter, Greene, Choctaw and Pickens has solidified the organization’s reputation as one that is bold in its actions to address the ever-increasing wealth gap in the communities that it serves.

The Greene/Sumter Enterprise Community received an initial federal grant of $2.9 million from USDA. The organization raised an additional $500,000 from public and private sources. GSEC also leveraged in excess of $20 million in other federal funds during its existence.

GSEC has transported more than 250 first generation college students to Shelton State Community College (SSCC) since 2005 in partnership with West Alabama Public Transportation and SSCC.

Since 2000 GSEC has awarded through the Community Grants program more than 130 graduating high school senior scholarships that enabled students to pursue a higher education.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) in partnership with the University of West Alabama VITA Site has assisted more than 1,500 individuals and families acquire $300,000 in Earned Income Tax Credit dollars to contribute back in the household. The IDA program has assisted more than 20 low-to-moderate individuals and families acquire assets ranging from homeownership, higher education, and capitalizing small business start-up or expansion.

The Financial Education program provided trainings to more than 500 young adults and students, and school representatives to introduce financial management that will face them in their adult life.

The Infrastructure Development Grant program has provided more than $1 million to projects in our communities.  These grants leveraged significant other funds from state and federal sources. 

The Workforce Development program graduated more than 300 young adults moving on to productive employment opportunities.

GSEC recognized a problem that residents faced in Greene and Sumter Counties, the lack of jobs, especially high skill, high wage jobs.  One of the ways that GSEC assisted to help facilitate change in this area was to become the designated agency for promoting the Renewal Community Tax Benefits.

For more than 10 years, GSEC assisted small business owners take advantage of these tax incentives.  The Commercial Revitalization Deduction program assisted more that 30 businesses earn in excess of $13 million additional tax credits.

“On behalf of the Greene/Sumter Enterprise Community we would like to thank our Board of Directors, staff, local/regional/national partners, our volunteers and supporters for their dedication, time, talent and treasures offered to our communities.   And most of all, we want to thank the Federation of Southern Cooperatives Operations Manager, John Zippert, for having the vision for a community-based, grassroots organization in West Alabama.  Without this vision, we would not have been able to work each day toward “Building Better Communities and Contributing to an Improved Quality of Life”, said Stella Anderson, Executive Director of the Greene/Sumter EC.