Rural Appalachian Improvement League
Encyclopedia
| Vision | RAIL works to eradicate root causes of poverty in southern West Virginia |
| Established | 2002 |
| Location | Mullens, West Virginia Mullens, West Virginia Mullens is a city in Wyoming County, West Virginia. As of the 2000 census, it had a population of 1,769.Located in a valley along the Guyandotte River within a mountainous region of southern West Virginia, the town was nearly destroyed by flash flooding in July 2001... |
| Area Served | McDowell, Raleigh, and Wyoming Counties |
| Homepage | www.railwv.org |
The Rural Appalachian Improvement League (RAIL) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation based in Mullens, West Virginia
Mullens, West Virginia
Mullens is a city in Wyoming County, West Virginia. As of the 2000 census, it had a population of 1,769.Located in a valley along the Guyandotte River within a mountainous region of southern West Virginia, the town was nearly destroyed by flash flooding in July 2001...
. Since 2001, when flooding devastated southern West Virginia, RAIL has worked to improve the quality of life for residents of the area. Its mission is "to build human & civic capacity through incubation of nonprofit and grassroots organizations, and through the provision of programs in health, home repair, and education at the Mullens Opportunity Center." (http://www.railwv.org)
RAIL is located in the Mullens Opportunity Center (MOC), which it also administers. The MOC is located at 300 Front Street, in the former Mullens Elementary School. RAIL programs offered at the MOC include GED and literacy classes, high-speed public internet access, meeting space, a fitness center, and business incubator opportunities. The Upper Guyandotte Watershed Association
Upper Guyandotte Watershed Association
The Upper Guyandotte Watershed Association is a 501 non-profit corporation located in Mullens, West Virginia. UGWA was founded in December, 2002 in response to the water quality problems that have negatively affected communities...
(UGWA) is a separate non-profit launched by RAIL that also operates out of the MOC.
Many of the programs at RAIL have been developed by AmeriCorps VISTAs
Volunteers in Service to America
VISTA or Volunteers in Service to America is an anti-poverty program created by Lyndon Johnson's Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 as the domestic version of the Peace Corps. Initially, the program increased employment opportunities for conscientious people who felt they could contribute tangibly to...
, many of whom are from other regions of the United States. Other RAIL activities focus on community economic development, housing, cultural heritage, environment, and property acquisition.
In 2007, Wyoming County
Wyoming County, West Virginia
Wyoming County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 23,796. Its county seat is Pineville. Wyoming County was created in 1850 from Logan County and named for the Delaware Indian word meaning "large plains."-Geography:According to the U.S...
was designated a 'Pilot Community' by Groundwork USA, which is a nationwide organization that is "a network of independent, not-for-profit, environmental businesses" that gets "local people, business, government and other organizations involved in practical projects." Groundwork strives to help communities improve their local environment by reclaiming brownfields
Brownfield land
Brownfield sites are abandoned or underused industrial and commercial facilities available for re-use. Expansion or redevelopment of such a facility may be complicated by real or perceived environmental contaminations. Cf. Waste...
, abandoned lands, and other under-utilized properties and returning them to productive use such as recreation, green space, and commercial development. (http://www.groundworkusa.org/)
RAIL was appointed administrator for a grant to study the formation of Groundwork Wyoming County (GWWC), and will act as consultant in a feasibility study. If launched, GWWC will be the first rural Groundwork Trust in the U.S., and its course will set important precedents, both within Groundwork USA and in rural Appalachia.
RAIL also helped launch the Wyoming County Business Retention, Expansion, and Development (BRE&D) Program that works to connect local businesses and entrepreneurs with the resources they need to be successful. These resources include business planning, employee training, financial assistance, and networking opportunities.