| Ball State University, in close cooperation with Muncie, Indiana, and other local agencies, is establishing a Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC) in downtown Muncie. All activities will focus on the core area of Muncie, a community with a population of approximately 70,000 located 58 miles northeast of Indianapolis.
The needs that will be addressed by the new center were identified from several local studies, including Muncie's 2000-04 consolidated plan. There are two major unfilled needs in this once thriving auto parts and glass-making community. The first involves employment opportunities for the current workforce. Unemployment is deceptively low because of substantial underemployment due to a steady decline in manufacturing and economic base jobs. The COPC will provide training to the workforce and identify industries that fit Muncie and its workforce. The other major need is affordable housing and the development of resident-driven plans for targeted communities. The COPC is working with many community leaders, residents, and officials to identify unfilled needs.
The COPC will be located in the core area of the city and be accessible by foot and public transportation. The center will enhance university-community relationships, coordinate activities, and develop new partnerships. The center will serve as the coordinating center and clearinghouse for activities planned and implemented under the COPC grant and related programs.
The new outreach center will address the area's needs through the following initiatives: neighborhood support, homeless programs, employment opportunities, core revitalization programs, and citizen education and leadership training.
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