Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

St. James – The Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC), Phelps County Public Housing Agency (PHA) Family Self-Sufficiency Program and the Missouri Ozarks Community Action (MOCA) will host a free workshop April 21 on “Tackling the Tough Skills.”

“Tackling the Tough Skills,” is a five part series that focuses on communication, attitude, responsibility, problem solving and preparing for the workplace. The workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at MRPC, 4 Industrial Dr., St. James, and will be presented by MOCA County Project Coordinator Christy Saylor.

This is the third in a series of five workshops that Saylor will present. The attitude and responsibility workshops have already been held. The workshop is offered at no cost to the participant. Please RSVP by calling Linda Hollandsworth at 573-265-4200 ext. 132.

Free training classes are a part of the MRPC and PHA’s efforts to help prepare families who are first-time homebuyers for homeownership and make them aware of the resources available to assist with homeownership.

These partnerships are a part of MRPC’s outreach efforts in partnership with senior citizen housing groups and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, which assists with grant funds to renovate senior citizen housing complexes throughout the region.

For more information on the homeownership program and workshop, contact Hollandsworth.

Formed in 1969, MRPC is a voluntary council of governments serving Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties and their respective cities. A professional staff of 24, directed by the MRPC board, offers technical assistance and services, such as grant preparation and administration, housing assistance, transportation planning, environmental planning, ordinance codification, business loans and other services to member communities.

MRPC provides staffing to the Phelps County Public Housing Agency that provides rental assistance to over 700 low-income families in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps (outside the city limits of Rolla) and Washington counties. The PHA also offers the Family Self-Sufficiency Program where clients develop a goal-oriented, five-year plan that moves them toward self-sufficiency and independence from government programs.

To keep up with the latest MRPC news and events, visit the MRPC website at www.meramecregion.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/meramecregion.