IMG’s invitation to the central Ohio community came through the Springfield Partnership (a combination of government departments, tourism organizations, and economic development groups), which had participated in an IMG presentation at the Ohio policy conference. Regional stakeholders were driven by a concern for community pride and outside perceptions of Springfield, fueled by media decline and a focus on loss-oriented reporting. The partnership helped create several stakeholder convenings to hear the IMG story, which led to the creation of a cross-sector coalition of funders to launch The Hub in 2020. Now, The Hub focuses on innovation, talent, entrepreneurship, and community development taking place in the greater Springfield community. Issue Media Group has just launched a dedicated series focused on environmental justice at The Hub and is in active conversations about a Voices of Youth initiative.
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