Fires and floods have shaped our work, the first a blaze that tore through Margaretville’s downtown in 1978 and from which MARK was born. The latter, 2011’s Hurricane Irene that destroyed main streets throughout our area. A private donor came forward with support small business development. From there MARK has developed substantial small business loans, grants and start-up help working with the Empire State Development Fund. 

Those disasters, though, haven’t been the only hardships here: we’re one of the poorest regions of the state and the northernmost part of Appalachia. That comes with a litany of challenges: aging population, diaspora of young people, a former farming economy….  This could the story of anywhere in rural America. But, this is where MARK sees rural resilience and a thriving, interlinked economy. 

We are also a few hours from New York City. With many second homeowners, there is great income disparity, but also incredible diversity in our hills. Many are committed to community here and call this place home. The MARK Project has been able to leverage this support and attract funds on the state and local level leading to economic revitalization across our area. MARK brings creativity and passion to everyone from the startup business looking for help, to initiatives for shopping local or the imaginative large-scale Kirkside project in Roxbury. Here we’re creating an inn as incubator and a cornerstone of downtown revitalization.