Union church of Christ hosts event to provide resources

With unemployment high and the small town of Union located on the Neshoba-Newton county line, everyone in the community is not eligible to receive food distributions in Neshoba Co. A 20 mile drive limits access to the Baptist center for many families in need. The church in Union held it's first community outreach Oct. 2nd
Thirty-one families (98 adults and children) came for clothing, household cleaning products, food items, prayer and counseling.
The church plans a similar event in the spring.

Food boxes at Neshoba Baptist Center

Update: Neshoba Baptist Center

Increased nutritional value and stocked shelves are the result of Glenn Jackson's actions at the Baptist Association's Center. A collaboration with Wal-Mart management and completing the necessary requirements to be approved in the MS Food network took place over the summer. Wal-Mart is now sending overstock in produce, frozen meats, shell eggs, and deli-breads. The association can also purchase bulk food items at low-cost through the food network.

Any individual or family in need of supplemental food is eligible to participate. There is application to complete. Food box distributions are Tuesday mornings at 9:00 a.m.
The Baptist Center is located at 903 Valley View Road in Philadelphia.
For more info., call Glenn or Judy @ 601-656-1820

Summer 2010_ Action team progress

This summer some people in Neshoba County are working on Tide project action teams to improve the lives of families struggling to meet basic needs. Yes, we need more folks working on these projects! Even so, the work being accomplishing on teams this first year is awesome! Here are some examples of what is being done:

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Sandy Lewis and Karen Benson met with Mayor James Young to discuss how the project can best assist the mayor's office with requests. When people can't pay for city services, need work or a job, or can't get the answers they need, the mayor is often contacted. Our mayor is concerned about community needs and has approved the start-up of a citizen's corp. This group would consist of volunteers who could assist the public with information to help resolve issues. Volunteers would work one day a week for 1-2 hours mostly making phone calls to area agencies and businesses. If you would like to help, please call the county Extension office at 601-656-4011.

FOOD & BEAUTIFICATION

The action team in Union has placed 8 community garden kits with limited-resource families who are growing their own vegetables at home this summer.

A food pantry was expanded at the Union church of Christ. The Union Post office did a community food drive in May for the food pantry. New families have been coming for food each week.

The Baptist Center in Philadelphia continues to need food during the summer months. The shelves are almost empty. If your team or organization can donate food items, please contact Glenn Jackson at the Baptist Center. 601-656-1820.

EDUCATION

Three Master Family Life Educator Volunteers completed training in June. Vickie Carter Madison, Judy Mason, and Mickey Gibson will begin "coaching" single parents and grandparents raising grandchildren this fall at our local schools and Head Start center.

COMMUNITY RESOURCE GUIDE

The committee has met twice and divided the sections to be revised. The target date for completion of an online/web-based guide is September 7th. The community resource guide was first published five years ago with the leadership of Mrs. Doris Perry and the Neshoba County Literacy Council. It was noted in the study circle process that agencies and contact information in the guide needed revised and updated. With information changing quickly, the team decided an online version could best serve the community.

PUBLIC POLICY
This team is in the research phase of action. They want to organize regular "town" meetings but realize public discussion can be intimidating for both public officials and citizens. What makes a successful town meeting? That is exactly what this team hopes to find out and share with the project soon.

As teams continue through the summer to complete efforts, remember to email or call in your progress to the Neshoba County Extension Service. 601-656-4011
neshoba@ext.msstate.edu

Resource Directory Action Team Meeting

Resource Directory Meeting
Follow up for Resource Directory Progress

When: Tuesday, June 8
1:30pm – 2:30pm Central Time

Where
Extension Office (map)


If you are working on another action team and have information that needs to be included in the resource guide, please email or call the county extension office. neshoba@ext.msstate.edu or 601-656-4011.

Community Garden Kits Available

TTOP Food Committee

The first TTOP gardening kit was delivered and assembled this week. It took 30 minutes.
We put in 10 cu. feet of Miracle Grow and it needed 14 to 16 cubic feet more.

The homeowner was unable to be there when we set it up in the morning. At around 4 pm we returned with more soil.

To our surprise...and delight...the homeowner had already set out tomatoes and peppers...and planted squash seeds.

We added the extra soil, and left feeling good. This person would use the garden kit.
In fact, when we talked to her later, she was thinking about growing collards and turnip greens later. Yum!

We hope to have the remaining 11 garden kits in backyards by May 30, 2010.

If you know someone with a need to supplement their food source and is interested in a garden kit, call the Neshoba County Extension office. (601-656-4011). Individuals must have a backyard area receiving at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. They must be on some type government assistance and at/or below County's current poverty level.

Individual would need to provide soil and plants. It's not too late to plant warm season crops. We had a late spring, and in Mississippi, there is something to plant almost year around.

S. Tharpe, TTOP Volunteer

Food & Beautification Action Team Meeting

The Action Team on Food and Beautification....community gardens, etc. is meeting May 5th (tonight!) at 6:00 at the coliseum. Action team leaders are Johnny Slauter and Sara Tharpe. We'll be posting new info. on their efforts this week.

Master Teacher in Family Life Volunteers

Master Teachers work with single parents, grandparents raising grandchildren, teen parents and families challenged with the daily responsibilities of managing children, family finances, and household routines. Karen Benson, Family Life Educator-MSU-ES, will be training Master Teachers this summer who will begin parent-coaching this fall.
Call 601-656-4011 to register. email: karenb@ext.msstate.edu

June 23-25*

9:00-4:00 p.m.

*9-noon on the 25th

MSU Extension Service

Action Teams Now Forming

After studying the issues related to poverty for 5 weeks, study circles identified seven key areas to take action on: Education, Community Outreach, Food, Public Policy, Beautification, Structured Recreation, and an updated community Resource Guide Directory. Action teams are now forming in each of these areas.
If you want to serve on an Action Team, please contact the county Extension office. We hope to have the action team leaders posted soon. Contact: 601--656-4602 or email: neshoba@ext.msstate.edu

Study Circles

In early August 2009, Susan Cosgrove, MSU Extension Service/Family Resource Management contacted the Neshoba County Extension staff about a pilot project through Southern Rural Development Center and Every Day Democracy called Turning the Tide on Poverty. This pilot project would include counties in five states including Neshoba County and Lauderdale counties in Mississippi. A core group of 17 volunteers were recruited and introduced to the project. Facilitators were also recruited to manage study circles that would be organized in various communities throughout Neshoba County. The ten circles that formed had 5-12 people who met for 5 consecutive weeks for 2 hours each meeting to discuss poverty and come up with actions to reduce poverty in Neshoba Co. At the conclusion of the study circles, an action forum was held on March 30, 2010 to combine action ideas and assess ideas.