Postville, Iowa
Postville, Iowa, is a small community with almost 3,000 residents, encompassing a little more than two square miles in a land of gently rolling hills. With a Seed Grant from Community Heart & Soul and the enthusiastic support of the Postville City Council, the Allamakee County Economic Development, the Allamakee-Clayton Electric Cooperative, and the nonprofit Our Postville, a team of volunteers is off and running working on resident participation.
Local conditions:
Growing out of a desire to change the narrative about Postville, members of the Postville community came together to form Our Postville Community Heart & Soul. The initiative received a Community Heart & Soul Seed Grant in 2021, helping to launch the local effort. In starting a new community development initiative, local leaders wanted to ensure all voices in the community were heard—a significant challenge given the diversity of ethnicities and cultures in town. Community Heart & Soul offered a way to engage all voices in the community to articulate a vision for the future.
Partnership:
The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque brought the Community Heart & Soul initiative to this region of Iowa and supported the work in Postville by contributing a Certified Heart & Soul Coach and shared learning opportunities with other Iowa Heart & Soul towns.
Heart & Soul Outcomes:
Community Heart & Soul continues in Postville as the city and residents work in partnership to implement the Postville Action Plan.
Early accomplishments include:
- Formation of the Heart of Postville/Alma de Postville Welcoming Committee, which is working on ways to make Postville a more welcoming community (such as developing a resource guide for newcomers).
- Creation and hiring of a new city staff position – Director of Community Development.
- Resumption of English as Second Language courses in town through Northeast Iowa Community College
- Establishment of a community space to store small home goods and clothing for newcomers who might arrive without key essentials like winter coats.
- Creation of a database of bilingual residents aimed at increasing language access for residents at town events.
