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Investing In the Future
Extension’s local government partners invested $42.6 million in 2023 to help build or renovate Extension centers in more than 20 counties.
Farm, Food and Family Education Center (F3EC)
Extension and local leaders broke ground in November on the Farm, Food and Family Education Center (F3EC) in Asheboro.
When completed by early 2025, the 104-acre campus – replete with a demonstration kitchen, community garden, incubator farm, livestock center and more – will house Extension’s Randolph County Center and serve as a hub for community collaboration and innovation.
West End Plaza Agricultural Center
Extension’s Rowan County Center also took significant strides toward an office upgrade in 2023. Construction commenced to transform part of the former Salisbury Mall into the West End Plaza Agricultural Center.
With roughly $30 million in renovations, the state-of-the-art space will host Extension's Rowan staff and other state agricultural agencies upon completion in 2024.
Bridging the Digital Divide
The National Skills Coalition reports that 91% of North Carolina jobs require a digital skill, while the N.C. Department of Information Technology (DIT) estimates more than 1 million adults may lack skills to participate in the digital economy.
Led by Kenny Sherin, Extension's digital literacy program received a $1.3M DIT grant in 2023 to expand its efforts to educate people to use the internet for health, education and jobs.
