New nonprofit aims to support rural communities with grant assistance

A new nonprofit aims to assist young, rural workers in local communities remain in those communities with federal grants and connections.

Cameron Wooten is a native of Wheeler County, graduating from the local high school in 2017 before attending Georgia Southern University to receive a degree in business administration and finance. While he could have gone anywhere afterward, he ultimately decided to return to his hometown.

“Home is kinda more where I was leaning towards,” said Wooten.

However, when he returned, he noticed an issue with the local workforce. Young people in the community were either falling into the wrong crowds for leaving to find work in other communities. He cited Wheeler County’s lack of a USDA office as a sign of the town’s shrinking opportunities.

As he felt someone needed to “close the gap between the missing opportunities,” Wooten founded the Foundations for Work and Opportunity, a nonprofit focused on supporting rural workforce development.

The primary goal of the Foundations for Work and Opportunity is to assist the workforce in rural areas, especially younger workers, farmers and veterans, by providing them with opportunities and federal grant funds. 

“They’re being deeply overlooked, and someone has to be the gap in there,” said Wooten.

The nonprofit will cover three local counties: Wheeler County, Telfair County and either Montgomery County or Treutlen County, depending on future meetings to determine which community both needs and wants the Foundations’ assistance.

“It depends on the passion,” said Wooten.

According to Wooten, the Foundations’ board features many people with connections which will assist in the nonprofit’s mission.

Regarding local youth, Wooten’s aim is to help them grow and develop as workers without feeling the need to leave for another community, as well as keeping them out of trouble with the law. Wooten has also collaborated with local youth detention centers to achieve this goal.

“It can set you a few steps back, so we want to help there,” said Wooten.

The Foundations’ vision is not limited solely to the young and to veterans. Wooten’s end goal for the Foundations is for the nonprofit to serve as “a hub for the development of the people.”

“As long as you’re rural, we’re here for you,” said Wooten.

Moving forward, Wooten aims to host an initial meeting with residents in a nearby park, offering sign-up forms for interested residents to enter their information and needs into the Foundations’ database for future reference. A date for the meeting has not yet been announced.

“We need feedback from the people, also,” he said.

The nonprofit has also received support from the communities it aims to serve, with both the city of Alamo and Wheeler County granting Foundations for Work and Opportunity official letters of approval.

“It seems like it’s coming together quicker than expected,” said Wooten.