Clinton community receives $20,000 grant for renovation

CLINTON, Iowa (KWQC) - The Vince Jetter Community Center was awarded a $20,000 grant from the Union Pacific Railroad Community Ties Giving Program to renovate and restore its facility.

Union Pacific’s Community Ties Giving Program provides small- and medium-sized grants that align with the railroad’s priority cause areas in safety, workforce development and community spaces. The Vince Jetter Community Center was awarded a Community Spaces grant to plan for, create or enhance unique spaces that reflect the character of a place and take into account community members’ diverse needs, interests, and desires. The facility, built in 1858, is one of Clinton’s oldest historic structures still standing.

The community center relies on fundraising events and donations to help facilitate free family events for the community. Their long-standing back-to-school event, which has been running for 30 years, successfully distributed over 650 school supplies this year. “Let us be that big brother, big sister that is here to help you with taking something off your plates,” said Rachel Jetter, President of the Vince Jetter Community Center.

Vince Jetter was youth director of Bethel AME Church in Clinton and founded the community center in 1992. After his death in 2006, his sister Dina White and family members kept the center open, until repairs became costly and renovation necessary.

“It takes a village, and it’s going to take all of us,“ said Jetter, “Clinton is all of us together making things happen.”

With a renovated facility, the Vince Jetter Community Center can develop mentoring, after school enrichment and homework help programs at the center, create a village spirit to guide youth and families and encourage positive neighborhood and community connections, ties and interactions. The community center has started receiving bids, and hopes to start the renovation process soon.

Copyright 2023 KWQC. All rights reserved.