Message in a Bottle
The AgStar Fund for Rural America recently awarded a $3,000 grant to the Message in a Bottle program in the greater Mankato area. The funding was used to purchase a recycling floor scale needed to more efficiently weigh collected recyclables. This program provides new employment opportunities and helps save the environment.
In 2008, representatives from MRCI WorkSource, Blue Earth County Environmental Services, LJP Waste and Recycling, the Recycling Association of MN, Pepsi-Mankato and Radio Mankato came together to make the Message in a Bottle program possible for this area.
Increasing opportunities to recycle is the primary goal of this program. By providing away-from-home locations for people to drop off their recyclables, many adults with disabilities are provided meaningful jobs by administering the program. Bottles can be found all around the area including local gas stations, convenience stores, car washes and grocery stores.
The distinct bottles catch consumer’s attention to recycle while completing day-to-day activities like filling up with gas or getting groceries. Message in a Bottle is just one way the AgStar Fund is helping enhance the quality of life in our communities.
