Business notebook: Goodwill-West Texas receives almost half-million dollar housing grant

The Texas Department of Housing Affairs recently awarded a grant of $486,987 to Goodwill-West Texas to address local housing instability, the nonprofit said in a news release Tuesday.

The grant will fund three full-time employees in Goodwill-West Texas's Housing Stabilization Services, which helps West Texans find housing and apply for financial assistance. The program, which started in August, has already provided assistance to more than 200 area residents, the release said.

“This new program can be life-changing for the people who just need a little bit of extra help getting back on their feet,” Danielle Robertson, senior director of mission services for Goodwill-West Texas, said in the release. “For many, stable housing is the first step to finding employment.”

For information about the Housing Stabilization Services program, go to goodwillwtx.org/hss or call 325-676-7925.

Wildfire recovery assistance for Eastland County

EASTLAND COUNTY — The U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency announced in a news release Monday that it will be accepting applications for the Emergency Conservation Program to address damage from recent wildfires in and around Eastland County.

The ECP assists producers with costs to restore farmland to pre-disaster conditions. Approved practices will include restoring permanent fences and removing debris for fence restoration.

Approved applicants may receive assistance up to 75% of the cost of approved restoration activities, or up to 90% for limited resource, socially disadvantaged and beginning farmers and ranchers.

Registration for the ECP will begin Monday and continue through May 6. For information, call the Eastland County FSA office at 254-629-1636 Ext. 2 or go to farmers.gov/protection-recovery.

Job fair at TSTC

An Industry Job Fair featuring more than 60 companies will be open to Texas State Technical College students and alumni from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the Industrial Technology Center on TSTC’s east campus in Abilene, 2082 Quantum Loop.

The event is not open to the public. For information, go to tstc.edu.

United collecting to help children in Ukraine

The United Family announced in a news release Friday that its stores in Texas and New Mexico will be participating in a campaign to raise funds for to help children impacted by the conflict in Ukraine.

Customers at United Supermarkets, Market Street, Albertsons Market and Amigos will be able to add any dollar amount to their grocery bills upon checkout, with all proceeds going directly to the nonprofit Save the Children - Ukraine, which will provide healthcare, food and other supplies.

Dollar General opens in Tuscola

TUSCOLA — Dollar General announced in a news release Monday that its new location at 135 Remington Road has opened.

To commemorate the store's opening, Dollar General will donate 100 new books to nearby elementary schools in partnership with the Kellogg Company, the release said.

Additionally, schools, libraries and nonprofits within 15 miles of the new store will be eligible to apply for grants from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, which supports literacy and education initiatives. For information, go to dgliteracy.com.