Lately At MCBT - September 2026
Keeping People Housed
The need for emergency housing assistance in Mercer County hasn't slowed down. In August alone, we received 11 new requests from residents working to remain housed, and provided $3,066 in assistance to six families, helping 25 people in total stay in their homes.
So far this year, we've received 71 requests, served 40 families, and helped 104 Mercer County residents remain stably housed. Our financial assistance helps with rental deposits, rent or mortgage payments, and utilities following a financial setback, with up to $500 available per household each year.
Sometimes helping someone get or stay housed means more than paying a bill. Sometimes it means hands-on involvement. This month, community members, including participants in the Mercer County Youth Summer Program and a local resident who donated the use of his trailer and vehicle, helped one client move her belongings from storage into her new apartment. Those extra hands made a difficult transition a little easier, and we are grateful to everyone who stepped up.
A Fresh Coat of Pixels
Our Creative Director has been giving the Mercer County Food Pantry website a little attention lately, with updates to the site's look and feel as well as its organization and formatting. The goal is a website that's easier to navigate, easier to maintain, and better able to connect people with the information they need.
Take a look at the refreshed site at www.mercofoodpantry.org and see what we've been working on!
Does your organization or local government need a simple, professional website to establish a web presence, share important information, or meet accessibility or other compliance needs? MCBT offers discounted website services to local governments and organizations that need a practical web solution without the cost or complexity of a full-scale website project. Reach out to us at the button below to learn more.
Walking With Our Communities
A community's sidewalks may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about economic development, but walkability plays an important role in how people experience and choose their communities. In fact, a recent National Association of Realtors survey found that 79% of Americans consider walkability a top priority when choosing where to live.
One local community recognized a need for better sidewalk infrastructure and asked MCBT to help. We shared examples of successful sidewalk repair and replacement programs from other communities, giving local leaders ideas and tools as they develop their own approach. Now, we're helping them navigate and prepare to apply for potential funding opportunities. We'll keep walking alongside them. Stay tuned!
Helping Job Seekers Take the Next Step
This month, the Mercer County Career Center's Career Navigator worked one-on-one with a local job seeker to create a new resume and it was a good reminder that a resume shouldn't be a one-and-done document.
Online resume builders (such as exists on Indeed.com) can be useful starting points, but the strongest resumes are customized for the job you're actually applying for. Job postings contain clues about the skills and experience an employer is looking for, and your resume should reflect those priorities whenever they genuinely match your background.
Are you a jobseeker who could use some personalized guidance? Reach out to our Career Navigator to schedule a one-on-one appointment by calling 309-235-5071 or emailing darren@mcbettertogether.org. Employers looking to advertise or needing a job description flyer created to advertise your job opening, the Mercer County Career Center offers ad space in our weekly newsletter and services to assist you in your hiring process. Email tara@mcbettertogether.org for more information or to request your flyer today.
