Press Release

Poteau, OK (05/01/19) –Poteau Mainstreet Matters has been designated as an affiliate Main Street America™ program by the National Main Street Center. Each year, the National Main Street Center and its partners announce the list of nationally recognized Main Street America affiliate programs in recognition of their commitment to generating positive change in their downtowns and commercial districts using the Main Street Approach™, a framework for comprehensive revitaliza– tion and preservation-based economic development.

“We are thrilled to recognize this year’s 288 Main Street America affiliate programs,” said Patrice Frey, President & CEO of the National Main Street Center. “These communities should be proud of their hard work to advance strong local econ– omies, leverage local leadership, and improve quality of life in their communities. Main Streets are powerful engines for community transformation, and these Main Street America programs truly strengthen the economic, social, and cultural life of their towns.”

In 2018 alone, Main Street America programs generated $4.93 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 5,310 net new businesses, generated 25,301 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 8,146 historic buildings, and clocked 2.2 million volunteer hours.

The organization’s performance is annually evaluated by Oklahoma Mainstreet which works in partnership with the Na– tional Main Street Center to identify the local programs that are committed to comprehensive revitalization and achieving meaningful community outcomes.

Poteau Mainstreet Matters Board President, Kim Hoffman-Wilson, believes in service and dedicated volunteerism to her community. Having received the Bronze Presidential Award for fulfilling over 139 volunteer hours to Historic Downtown Poteau, she was also named the 2019 Poteau Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year. She believes in the Poteau Main– street Matters mission statement, “to stimulate economic development and historical preservation of downtown Poteau through promotions of cultural events and beautification projects,” and is honored to serve as President of their board.

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ABOUT POTEAU MAINSTREET MATTERS, INC. DBA HISTORIC DOWNTOWN POTEAU

Poteau Mainstreet Matters is a 501c3 non-profit organization that focuses on the revitalization of downtown Poteau. Our mission is to encourage architectural and historical preservation of the downtown area through promotion of cultur–

al events and beautification projects in an effort to affect economic revitalization and organization of public resources. Poteau Mainstreet Matters raises awareness for the City of Poteau, LeFlore County, and the state of Oklahoma that down– town Poteau is an exciting place to shop, work, live, play, and invest.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL MAIN STREET CENTER

MainStreetAmericahasbeenhelpingrevitalizeolderandhistoriccommercialdistrictsformorethan35years.Today,itisa networkofmorethan1,000neighborhoodsandcommunities,ruralandurban,whosharebothacommitmenttoplaceand tobuildingstrongercommunitiesthroughpreservation-basedeconomicdevelopment.Since1980,communitiesparticipat– ing in the program have leveraged more than $79.12 billion in new public and private investment, generated 640,017 net newjobsand143,613netnewbusinesses,andrehabilitatedmorethan284,936buildings. MainStreetAmericaisaprogram of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for HistoricPreservation.