Hometown Pride Program Improving Local Communities

Since 2022, five communities in East Central Iowa - Hills, Springville, Walker, Center Point, and Shellsburg - have joined the Hometown Pride Program, a statewide initiative through Keep Iowa Beautiful. The program is administered by ECICOG, which provides a dedicated coach to guide communities in implementing physical, cultural and economic improvements that increase community vitality.

Jessica Walker, the Hometown Pride Community Coach, works with each participating community to tailor the program to fit the unique needs of each town, ensuring local leaders play a key role in shaping and executing projects. “Hometown Pride has been a tremendous success for these communities,” Walker said. “We’ve seen local volunteers build capacity and collaborate to complete numerous impactful projects and improvements over the last two years.”

Project highlights include:

• Center Point – Community Clean Up Days, façade improvement program

• Hills - “Food Truck Fridays”, Hills Hometown Pride Mural

• Shellsburg – Shellsburg Business Association, signage and wayfinding project, revitalization of the historic Gold Medal Flour Mural

• Springville - Hometown Pride Community Garden, Pumpkin Palooza

• Walker – Music in the Park, bandshell project

These projects highlight the power of cross-sector collaboration and demonstrate how the Hometown Pride Program can create real benefits for local communities. For more information on the program, contact ECICOG Community Development Specialist Jessica Walker or visit the Hometown Pride website.