Moving to a new community for career opportunities comes with plenty of questions. Where will you meet people? What is there to do? How do you find the businesses, organizations, and experiences that make a place feel like home?
This September, Invest Greenville and Grow in Greenville are bringing those answers together in one place with ENCORE: Greenville-Pitt County, a free welcome event designed to help newcomers build connections and discover more of the community they now call home.
ENCORE (short for Engaging Newcomers through Community Outreach, Relationships, and Experiences) is designed for individuals and families who recently relocated to Greenville-Pitt County for career opportunities and are looking to establish roots and deepen their connections.
The event will take place Sunday, September 20, from 3:00–6:00 p.m. at Wildwood Park, 3450 Blue Heron Drive in Greenville. Attendance is free, but registration is required.
“Starting over in a new community can be exciting, but it can also take time to figure out where you fit,” said Julia Davis, talent engagement manager for Invest Greenville. “ENCORE is about making that process a little easier. We want newcomers to meet people, discover resources and experiences, and leave feeling like they have a stronger connection to Pitt County than they did when they arrived.”
A Welcoming Event Built Around Connection
ENCORE is part welcome event, part community showcase, and part family-friendly afternoon at one of Greenville’s signature outdoor spaces.
Attendees can meet local organizations and community vendors, connect with other newcomers, enjoy food trucks and live music, and participate in activities including games, bounce houses, water recreation, watercolor portraits, raffle prizes, and more. A beer garden will also be available.
But behind the fun is an important goal: helping people develop the relationships that can turn a new address into a place they feel invested in.
“Recruiting talented people to Pitt County is only part of the equation. We also want them to build a life here,” said Maria Satira, vice president of marketing and talent programming for Invest Greenville. “People are more likely to put down roots when they feel connected. When they meet friends and discover things to do with their families, that’s when they begin to feel like they belong. ENCORE gives us an opportunity to help make those connections happen.”
That sense of connection matters not only to individuals and families, but also to the employers working to recruit and retain talent in Pitt County.
A job opportunity may be what first brings someone to the area, but their experience outside of work can play an important role in whether Pitt County becomes a long-term home. Through Grow in Greenville, Invest Greenville complements employers’ recruitment efforts by helping newcomers discover the people, places, resources, and experiences available throughout the county.
“For our employers to compete for talent, we need to be a community where people can envision themselves building both a career and a life,” said Josh Lewis, president and CEO of Invest Greenville. “ENCORE supports that bigger picture. When newcomers develop relationships and feel connected to the community, it strengthens our workforce, our employers, and ultimately Pitt County as a whole.”
New Here? You’re Invited.
Whether you moved to Pitt County last month, started a new job this year, relocated with your family, returned to the area after time away, or simply still feel like you are finding your place, ENCORE was created with you in mind.
Come meet your neighbors. Discover something new. Find a local organization, business, activity, or connection you did not know about before.
And most importantly, take another step toward making Pitt County feel like home.
