After making the long drive from Colorado, Kenny Sanders Jr. and his fiancée are finally getting settled into their new home thanks to help from a $5,000 Come Home talent attraction award, including community perks, from the Community Foundation of St. Clair County.

“Receiving the award from the foundation really meant a lot to me,” Kenny said. “Moving across the country is very expensive so any little bit helped us, especially in those beginning stages of the move. It was a long trip home, but we made it back safely!”

Born and raised in Port Huron, Kenny has been away from Michigan for more than 10 years, originally to get his human resources degree from the University of Alabama and then for a couple of jobs in Colorado.

“Personally, leaving the area was something required for my growth and development,” he said. “The experiences I have gained by interacting with individuals at all levels, either as classmates, athletes, professors or business managers has enhanced my ability to work effectively in any situation and with anyone. I have gained so much knowledge about different areas of the country, and I am excited to integrate this knowledge into the next chapter in St. Clair County.”

Now working as a human resources manager at Biewer Lumber in St. Clair, Kenny and his fiancée, who is originally from Connecticut, are exploring their new community of the East China area. He’s getting a boost in that effort as well, with $500 in community perks including gift cards to local restaurants as part of his talent attraction package.

“We are settling in well,” he said. “Both of us work really close to home, and I think we are finally starting to adjust to being back east. It is a bit different for us coming from Colorado, but I think it is a good difference, and getting to a new area closer to family helps with adjusting.”

The Community Foundation has been funding talent attraction incentives since it created and launched the Come Home Award program in 2017.  

“People like Kenny and his fiancée are helping us change the perception that young people won’t move back to small town America,” said Randy Maiers, President & CEO of the Community Foundation. 

To learn more about the talent attraction initiatives of the Community Foundation, click here.