MUSCATINE, Iowa–Anyone who has lived in Muscatine for any time at all knows that the city has many necessities and amenities available to meet community members’ needs. However, when someone first moves to Muscatine, they may not know about all of the services, programs, and recreational activities available to them. To help bridge this gap and help new Muscatine residents feel at home, the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce & Industry launched their Live Muscatine Initiative. “Whenever people are moving into a new community, it can be challenging learning the ins and outs of the new area,” said Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce & Industry Workforce Development and Community Relations Manager Rebecca Paulsen. “From recycling moving boxes, to children’s activities, to recreational areas, and finding quality healthcare, we want to help provide a smooth transition into our community.”
Live Muscatine uses four main resources to help newcomers feel at home in Muscatine. New residents can stop at the Chamber’s office at 100 West Second Street in Muscatine to pick up a copy of their recently published “Live Muscatine Community Welcome Guide.” Featuring information on local schools, healthcare providers, realtors, recreation activities, and other basic community information, the publication puts knowledge about Muscatine at readers’ fingertips. The guide also includes the Chamber’s full member directory, making it easy for people to find reputable businesses in all lines of work.
For people who prefer a more tech savvy approach, the Live Muscatine website will have everything they need to get comfortable with their new town. In addition to having the full “Live Muscatine Community Welcome Guide” in a digital format, the website incudes links to many of the businesses and services listed in the guide as well as an inquiry form that can help people get connected with upcoming events, networking opportunities, realtors, and more.
To help new residents acclimate to the community and gather additional information beyond what they can read in the “Live Muscatine Community Welcome Guide” and on the Live Muscatine website, the Chamber will host welcome orientations throughout the year. These hour-long events will take place at the Environmental Learning Center at 3300 Cedar Street in Muscatine May 4 and Oct. 5 this year, and Feb. 1 in 2023 from 12 to 1 p.m. Each free lunch meeting (which will include a complimentary meal) will feature speakers from the Chamber and Chamber Ambassadors and time for attendees to ask questions.
New residents looking for a more personalized introduction may also take a tour of the city, customized to meet their needs, through Live Muscatine. People looking to set up tours may do so through the Live Muscatine website’s inquiry form.
Muscatine truly lives up to its nickname, the Pearl City. By utilizing all the tools Live Muscatine has to offer, the Chamber hopes newcomers will discover and fall in love with what makes Muscatine unique. Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Director of Business Services and Advocacy Hannah Howard shared, “I was born and raised in Muscatine and know firsthand how special this community is; I’m excited to help roll out the Live Muscatine Initiative to show off Muscatine to prospective residents and attract new faces and talent to our community.”
