Here’s How the Freedom Project Network is Changing Lives
From after-school programs to community organizing, The Freedom Project Network (FPN) is helping boost health and life outcomes for residents in Sunflower, Meridian, and Rosedale, Mississippi. Inspired by the 1964 Freedom Schools, Freedom Project Network was founded in 2016 with the focus on improving student achievement and leadership. This initial focus was in response to…
Growing Healthy Waves: Sharing Lessons for Life
Increasing the number of food and nutrition education programs is always a good thing, especially in schools. Nutrition education has far-reaching and life-long benefits. Kids who participate in a nutrition education program increase their daily consumption of fruit and vegetables and are more likely to make healthier food choices as they get older. In Mississippi,…
The Great Work Happening at the Good Samaritan Center
Our community partner, the Good Samaritan Center, also known locally as “Good Sam” has provided food assistance, clothing, and community support services to the Jackson-Metro area for over 40 years.
Their mission is to create a “network of helping hands” in order to better serve residents in need. Doing so not only builds the quality of life in our state’s capital, but also the quality of health.
Spotlighting the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
Our community partner, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI), is doing great things to improve our state’s health. Their work seeks to improve each part of their community, from health and wellness to education and job opportunities. Read on to learn more! MBCI’s service area is wide. It includes communities spread across the Choctaw…
Connecting Schools to Fresh Food: Mississippi Farm to School Network
Mississippi Farm to School Network, a community-focused nonprofit, seeks to do just that by working with schools and other centers of learning to give kids hands-on experience with growing food. The nonprofit also works to increase the amount of locally grown food available to school children by connecting local farmers to schools.
Reading at the Park: Making a Difference One Book at a Time
Rev. Les and Corrine Hegwood talk about their inspiration for starting Reading at the Park, a community initiative aimed at improving literacy in the Mississippi Delta.
How Oxford Diaper Bank Is Supporting Mississippi Families in Need
Between a national formula shortage, record-breaking inflation rates, and a looming recession, new families have a lot to deal with financially. In Mississippi, where 26% of families earn less than the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), these poor economic conditions make it even harder to make ends meet. According to the National Diaper Bank Network, Mississippi is…
How Third & Spruce Is Expanding Food Access in the Mississippi Delta
Community initiative Third & Spruce Community Garden began in order to improve the overall health and wellbeing of communities in Greenville, MS. And for good reason. Greenville is considered a food desert due to a lack of reliable public transportation, a lack of accessible healthy food, and other factors. This puts a great strain on…
How MSU Extension Service’s AIM for CHangE Is Creating a Healthier Mississippi
Mississippi has historically been among the states with the highest rates of obesity in the nation. According to the CDC, in 2015, about 1.5 million adults in Mississippi were overweight or obese. Obesity is often associated with increased risk for diabetes and cardiovascular problems and can put people at risk for developing other chronic diseases….
Keeping Belzoni Beautiful: A Community Initiative for Now and Always
From community garden beautification to organizing litter clean-up crews, Keeping Belzoni Beautiful (KBB) is a community initiative developed to ensure local communities in Belzoni, Mississippi are safe, clean, and well-maintained. As an affiliate of Keep Mississippi Beautiful, and subsequently Keep America Beautiful, KBB is allowed to submit a proposal for a community “Great American Clean…