Roseburg (KMTR) - It may sound too good to be true, but there's a program that will give you three dollars for every one dollar you save; to go back to school, start a new business or even to help buy a new home.
Suzie Porter, who owns an organic farm in Douglas County, is one of the people who have taken advantage of Dreamsavers. It's a match-saving program that uses Oregon state funds to help low-income people advance their economic status. Up to $6,000 per project is available from the state. The program is administered in Douglas County by the Umpqua Community Development Corporation.
Porter used her money to buy a tractor and some fruit trees, to expand the size of her organic farm.
"With these new tools we've been able to get, it's made our lives a lot easier,” Porter said. “In fact, my husband and I sit at night and say, ‘Wow! Why does it seem so much easier this year?’ And we have two more acres that we're farming on."
Brenda Lewis of UCDC says, "It's a wonderful thing to have a local producer of food. More and more of that is needed, I think."
Anyone in Douglas County who is interested in the Dreamsavers program may contact the Umpqua Community Development Corporation. Income guidelines are used to qualify applicants.
The program is available in ten Oregon counties.
