At the Rural Center, we've had the privilege to work in communities all across rural North Carolina, and we've seen firsthand that it's not the size or location of a town that makes it a great place to live and raise a family it's the people who make it a community. However, people are only one essential ingredient for thriving rural communities. The other part? Well, that's a more complicated question, but it boils down to a combination of resources and representation.