Kaine attends Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance annual meeting; 140 Fund launches

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WDBJ) - U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) is holding events in Lynchburg to discuss the economy, job training and more.

Kaine attended the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance’s (LRBA) 140th Annual Meeting Wednesday to discuss the economy and workforce development.

“Alliance’s story is about community, the people who love this Lynchburg community and it is about resilience and sticking together--- and especially sticking together when times are tough. Community and resilience is a little bit of America’s story in the last few months,” said Sen. Kaine.

5th District Republican Representative Bob Good also attended the event.

“So we want the federal government to be a partner in what you are trying to do --- thanks for what you do for this region. Thank you for what you do for the greater Lynchburg community,” said Rep. Good.

Megan Lucas, the chief economic development officer of the LRBA, says celebrating 140 years is a big milestone for Lynchburg and surrounding areas.

During the event, Lynchburg leaders also made a few economic announcements.

They plan to launch the 140 Fund -- a revolving loan fund-- that’ll help support businesses in the Lynchburg area.

Wednesday’s kick-off marked the beginning of a community-wide campaign that encourages businesses and individuals to contribute $140 once or annually to support the creation of the fund.

The Alliance’s goal is to raise a minimum of $140,000 to seed the fund in 2023 and set it up for long-term success. More details are attached.

The LRBA also plans to open a new center that’ll support local businesses in all shapes and sizes.

“Without a strong and healthy business community, without a strong economy with have no community. It is the businesses along with our partners our municipal partners that help grow and sustain this community and those investments that our private sector citizens make—those are the dollars that go into the nonprofits that call this region home,” said Lucas.

Kaine also stopped by William Marvin Bass Elementary for National School Bus Drive Day where he will discuss funding he helped secure for Lynchburg City Schools to buy electric school buses.

You can read more about LRBA by visiting their website.

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