Rural America is at an inflection point. Once seen as the beating heartbeat of the United States, shifts within the country’s economy have led many rural communities scrambling to find a replacement for the activity and economic viability that was once brought by the now-shuttered factory, or even factories, that breathed life into the community.
Having young citizens leave these communities in search of a better way of life became commonplace. Indeed, the percentage of Americans living in rural communities declined from 30% in 1960 to 17% in 2021. As people trickled out, so did the services and employment opportunities that became unnecessary as the population dwindled. As a true sign of the times, there is only one dedicated maternity ward, located in Farrell, to serve all of Mercer County because not enough local people were having babies.
The result of this slow bleed out has been communities that are seeing vast jumps in social issues at the same time that services are being rolled back, creating a breeding ground where problems literally multiply year after year. Social service agencies are strapped both financially and when it comes to finding enough quality personnel to satisfy the increased demand for their services. Employers of all stripes have a difficult time finding potential employees that can pass a drug test. Disintegration of the traditional family unit has created a lack of responsibility in young fathers to care for their children. After becoming aware of a 26-year-old grandmother, a local agency estimates that Mercer County has children that now represent the 5th generation of poverty in their families.
Despite all of these hardships, there is, in fact, hope. Americans are increasingly opening their eyes when it comes to addressing social problems in their communities. Social entrepreneurs that exhibit a desire to attack these issues directly are gaining momentum while, at the same time, foundations are providing much-needed funding through program and mission-related investments. Private citizens are stepping in to help neighbors where government programming has failed.
This backdrop, both good and bad, reflects the current situation in Grove City. Core problems such as addiction, inadequate workforce development, a high cost of housing, and a breakdown of the traditional family are being addressed by a dedicated citizenry for which failure is not an option. As that group ages, it is creating an opportunity for a new generation to accept the passed torch and build upon the foundation of great work that the previous generation has laid.
ENTER: THE COMMON GOOD PROJECT
The Common Good Project represents the unique opportunity for students to come alongside the Center for E+I with the goal of addressing the social issues facing Grove City and its residents.
Over the course of the first year, the project has:
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- Completed a needs assessment of Grove City and the immediate surrounding vicinity.
- Analyzed the information uncovered by the needs assessment to explore solutions to the identified gaps and issues.
- Prepared a report of the initial findings of the project, available for download below.
Common Good Project Report – Fall 2024
After over a year of research, interviews, and analysis through the Common Good Project, the initial Common Good Project Report is available to download and review.
2023 Community Convening Recap
Thank you once again to everyone who participated in the 2023 Community Convening, organized by the Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation at Grove City College and supported in part by the Grove City Foundation. The feedback that was collected through the Convening is integral to the success of the Common Good Project.
Thanks to the valuable input of the participants during the event, an aging population/tax base and housing costs combined with absentee landlords were identified as the primary challenges that Grove City currently faces. These two issues actually received the same number of points through the voting process (though the aging population/tax base issue received more first place votes). The event also gave attendees the opportunity to examine the root causes and the corresponding effects on the community of these and other social issues. A full recap of the event can be found below.
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