MILTON-FREEWATER — The Milton-Freewater Downtown Alliance (MFDA) was recently awarded $20,000 in grants from the Milton-Freewater Area Foundation, and from the Reser Family Foundation.

The grants will help support MFDA’s Freewater Square project, which involves repurposing an underused parking lot in Old Town Freewater, and turning it into an activity center and business incubator. The purpose of the Freewater Square project is to be a catalyst for building Milton-Freewater’s downtown districts by getting people used to going to downtown Freewater to shop, to eat, and for recreation. Freewater Square will also provide a platform to promote the Milton-Freewater Downtown Alliance’s next major project for North Main Street — a permanent public market and activity center on another underused larger lot.

MFDA was also chosen to be a part of the Reser Family Foundation’s Small Community Initiative. Through the initiative, the Reser Family Foundation will support Milton-Freewater for up to four years by providing foundation grants to fund projects annually, and by providing infrastructure to the community to support fundraising efforts, event coordination and event management.

The MFDA strives to revitalize the main street areas throughout Milton-Freewater using the “Main Street Approach” created by the Oregon Main Street Program. This approach serves as an all-encompassing way to allow Milton-Freewater to reach its full potential. MFDA’s mission is to create a positive climate for new and existing business with improvements in infrastructure and increased promotion.

The Reser Family Foundation was formed to honor the legacy of family values and community involvement so cherished by the Reser Family. Founded by Pat Reser and her late husband Al, the Foundation was granted charitable status in 2010 and awarded their first grants in 2011. The foundation makes charitable contributions in the areas of the arts, education, environment, and health that will result in broad public benefit, primarily in Oregon.

The Milton-Freewater Area Foundation was founded in 1962 for the purpose of creating a trust for charitable and educational uses in the Milton-Freewater community. The foundation has been successful because of the generous support from members of the community and the surrounding area.

For more information about the Milton-Freewater Downtown Alliance, or to support the Freewater Square project, contact MFDA Executive Director Julie Culjak at mfda.director@gmail.com.