Jennifer Collins stands on the University of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä lawn across from the West Virginia Capitol Friday, July 26, 2024. She is a scientist who moved from Florida through the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Roots Initiative.
Jennifer Collins stands on the University of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä lawn across from the West Virginia Capitol Friday, July 26, 2024. She is a scientist who moved from Florida through the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Roots Initiative.
Jennifer Collins stands on the University of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä lawn across from the West Virginia Capitol Friday, July 26, 2024. She is a scientist who moved from Florida through the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Roots Initiative.
CHRIS DORST | Gazette-Mail
A University of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä basketball coach, a West Side elementary school teacher and a CAMC cancer research scientist — these are just some of the people the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Roots Initiative has helped move to Kanawha County this year.
The ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Roots Initiative, administered by the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Area Alliance, pays people up to $10,000 to move to Kanawha County. Funding comes from federal American Rescue Plan funds given to Kanawha County and ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä.
There are only a few spots left in the program due to funding constraints.
How it works
Participants get $5,000 when they first move. They get $2,500 more after living here for six months and a final $2,500 after living here for a year.
Erin Noon, who moved to ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä about five years ago, oversees the program for the CAA. She said the program started in April 2021 to bring remote workers and others to the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä area.
The Ascend WV program, which also started in 2021, provides similar incentives to remote workers, but the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä area was not one of their locations that workers could move to.
Jennifer Collins stands on the University of ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä lawn across from the West Virginia Capitol Friday, July 26, 2024. She is a scientist who moved from Florida through the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Roots Initiative.
CHRIS DORST | Gazette-Mail
Jennifer Collins is one of the most recent participants in the program, having moved to ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä about a month ago.
Collins is from Osteen, Florida. She had worked at the University of Central Florida in biomedical research.
She was hired as a research scientist at the CAMC Cancer Center. She heard about the program when asking about relocation expenses.
So far, the hiking trails, farmers markets and lack of traffic are Collins’ favorite things about West Virginia.
“If I just Google ‘hiking trail,’ I think there’s about 20 different options that come up within 30 minutes of my house,†she said. “In Florida, it’s like a commuter state. You have to drive 45 minutes to get anywhere.â€
A new network
Along with the financial benefits, the ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä Area Alliance is also trying to give participants connections through networking events.
“We really just try to get them acclimated and interested in attending those events that the city puts on and just different ways that they can get involved to make their transition back into the county easy and smooth,†Noon said.
While the funding helped since he had to move in the middle of the school year, the network has also helped him.
“It was nice to have people that could guide me in the right direction when it comes to getting into the school districts here and the differences between South Carolina and West Virginia and things of that nature,†Gill said.
The selection process
Participants go through an interview process and are chosen to receive funding from a six-member selection committee made of representatives from the city, the county, city council, the CAA and the CAA’s young professionals program.
The selection committee is looking for people with ties to the area or those who are looking to try something new, specifically those who want to make a difference or get involved.
“They are really just looking for people who have good reasons to move to ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä — whether that is a job or to reconnect with family or to reconnect with the city,†Noon said.
So far, 26 people have participated in the program, many who already had roots in the area.
‘Easy decision’ to return
For example, Dytanya “Bubby†Johnson, new head women’s basketball coach at UC, had previously lived here and worked at UC as an assistant coach.
He moved to Clinton, South Carolina two years ago to coach a college basketball program, but accepted the head coaching job at UC this spring.
“Knowing a lot of the staff and people here already, it felt like a good fit,†he said.
UC leadership told him about the program as a way to help with relocation expenses.
Johnson said there were other factors besides his job that have made him feel welcome in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä.
“ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä is not what you think of when you first think of West Virginia,†he said. “It does have a bit of a city life. There’s so much going on, especially over the summer, that it really does give you a bit of a social gathering which is welcoming.â€
Specifically, Johnson mentioned his barber and his church as two of the biggest influences making him feel welcomed.
“It was an easy decision for me to come back and start my head coaching career here,†he said.
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