Untitled - W.K. Kellogg Foundation

The Mid South Delta Initiative
The Mid South Delta Initiative (MSDI) is a long-term economic,
community and leadership development effort focused on 55
contiguous counties and parishes along the
Mississippi River in rural Arkansas, Louisiana
and Mississippi. Established in 1997, the
Initiative is based on a shared vision of Delta
people working together to build strong communities.
The purpose of MSDI is to create positive
social and economic impact in the Delta, especially for vulnerable populations. This
involves strengthening businesses through
monetary investment, technical assistance and
training. It also means connecting people to
meaningful work and entrepreneurial opportunities and preparing them for these new
roles through education and mentoring programs. The Initiative focuses on communities,
organizations and individuals, who are
becoming stronger and more influential
thanks to MSDI leadership development programs, civic engagement and policy
education.
Another objective of the Initiative is to foster a
new spirit of inclusiveness by bringing people
of color,
women and youth into the entire spectrum of leadership and development in
the region, making sure that everyone
gets a "stake" in the future.
Built around the region's culture and
assets and on the principles of coordination and collaboration, the Mid
South Delta Initiative brings together
community groups, regional nonprofits, public institutions, businesses, the
W. K. Kellogg Foundation and many
other foundations and agencies to
invest in the work of Delta people.
W. K. Kellogg Foundation Vice President Rick Foster joined
partners,and community coaches in a strategic conversation
in 2003 about the Delta’s future and the possibilities for
regional initiatives like MSDI to play a positive role in
strengthening organizations, firms, and individuals. (from top:
Freeman McKindra, Rick Foster, Dianne Williams, Michael
Jones, and Glenn Nishimura--far right.)
1
WE’RE INVESTING IN THE WORK OF DELTA PEOPLE
This work is already creating ripples of change in many Delta
communities. As you turn these pages, you will catch a glimpse
into the most recent work that is creating these ripples. You will
read about both the community-based and regional organizations that are working in many different areas to effect comprehensive community change.
This continuing story of change is organized around the core
strategies that MSDI partners employ as they invest in the work
of Delta people by:
* Supporting Entrepreneurs and
Small Businesses
* Developing Careers and Providing
Workforce Education
* Creating Jobs, Increasing Income
and Building Assets
* Building Homes and Renewing
Neighborhoods
* Developing Regional Economies
through Tourism
* Improving Health and Health Care
* Building Community Infrastructure
* Expanding a Broad Base of
Leaders
* Investing in the Ideas of Young
People, and
* Crafting Public Policies for the
TO BUILD STRONG COMMUNITIES.
Region.
2
(top) James Lawrence, owner of Prestige One Landscaping of Jonesboro, AR has
been one of the successful clients of Beacons & Bridges’ small business
development center.
(center) Shoppers at Northeast Louisiana CDC’s Farmers Market in Tallulah.
(left) Volunteer carpenters build affordable houses in Jonesboro, Arkansas as part
of Beacons’ community partnership with Habitat for Humanity.
Supporting Entrepreneurs and
Small Businesses
This year, Beacons and
Bridges has assisted over 30
prospective entrepreneurs,
and, in addition to The Diva's
Touch Beauty Salon, has
aided in the creation of two
other new businesses-a childcare facility and a restaurant.
Mid South Delta Initiative grantees believe that with
technical assistance, practical training and loans for
business start-ups, local people will successfully establish and run their own businesses. This belief has been
proven right. In the past year, two dozen new businesses have been created directly because of the work
of MSDI and even more business owners have received
loans from Initiative partners. Additionally, over 100
businesses have received technical support and professional advice.
Jonesboro, Arkansas
One entrepreneur who received support from an MSDI
affiliate was Gwen Taylor. Gwen wanted to open her own salon.
She had the experience and will to succeed, but she needed help
getting started. Beacons and Bridges worked with her to develop a business plan. Gwen and her business partner, Angelia
Smith, used personal savings to purchase used salon equipment
that they repaired. They acquired a space that needed a tremendous amount of renovation, which they also eagerly provided.
Through their hard work and support from the Beacons and
Bridges Business Development Center, an empty office was
transformed into a beautiful salon, and one woman's idea
became two women's very own business.
Gwen Taylor opened Diva's
Touch after graduating from
Beacons and Bridges' small
business training program.
Dorothy Gilbert established Big
Momma's Fine Food, a restaurant in Monroe, Louisiana, with
loans and business assistance
from Enterprise Corporation of
the Delta.
3
Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi
A regionally-focused MSDI partner that supports small businesses is the Enterprise Corporation of the Delta (ECD)/Hope
Community Credit Union (HOPE). This nonprofit financial
institution works to strengthen communities, build assets and
improve lives in economically distressed areas of the Mid South.
ECD/HOPE does this by providing financial and technical assistance to firms, entrepreneurs, homeowners and community
development projects and by forging strategic partnerships
across the public, private and nonprofit sectors.
ECD/HOPE also sponsored FastTrac entrepreneurial training
programs for 186 people, 93% of whom were women and
minorities. These programs continue to be delivered throughout
the region by universities, community colleges and community
development organizations.
ECD's BusinessLINC--a mentor-protégé program that has gained
regional recognition-paired Carey Jones and his partner Ross
Slacks of Jones Manufacturing & Upholstery with Bill Knight
and Morris Mintz, veteran furniture manufacturers. Knight and
Mintz were
able to guide
Jones and
Slacks
through their
business
challenges
and even
ended up
sharing a
warehouse .
In 2003, ECD
closed 27 loans
and investments totaling
$6.8 million.
67% of the
companies
funded were
minority and
female-owned
businesses.
ECD lending
and technical
assistance
(left) Ross Slacks of Jones Manufacturing builds one of the company's popular children's recliners.
leveraged
roughly $2.3
Children at Jelly Bean Junction in Monroe, LA. Daycare owner Pamela Gentry worked with ECD to obtain loans to expand the childcare facility that had been in her family for over ten years.
million.
4
Supporting Entrepreneurs and Small
Businesses
Monroe, Louisiana
RENEWAL is another community partner investing in enterprise
development. RENEWAL's goal is to increase business ownership among low-income residents and people of color in
Monroe, Louisiana. This local nonprofit invests in small businesses by helping owners purchase equipment and supporting
them with technical assistance.
In the past year, RENEWAL launched 13 new businesses and
supported many others, including Angie Scott's Designs for You
Embroidery Service. Angie used her investment funds to purchase computer equipment for her business. She is a mother of
eight and
lets her
kids help
with the
business.
RENEWAL also organizes workshops that teach community
residents the basics of business planning and management and
coordinates a Small Business Support Group with 70
participants.
(top) Bishop Alvin Walker of RENEWAL and Dr. Obadiah Simmons from
Grambling State University helped shape the summer entrepreneurship training
that RENEWAL provides each year.
(left) Angie Scott unpacks the office computer system that she purchased with
help from RENEWAL's equity investment program.
5
Holmes County, Mississippi
West Holmes Community Development Organization, a local
nonprofit, aims to expand already existing businesses, create
new businesses and provide employment opportunities in
Holmes County, Mississippi.
The coalition found a creative way to fulfill a community need
while achieving its main mission of business development: In
2003, the organization completed financing through partnerships
with local banks and agencies to open an Exxon Fuel Island and
Mini-Mart.
West Holmes Community Development Organization launched a grocery store in 2000
because residents of the small towns of Tchula and Mileston had to travel over 15
miles to shop. In 2003, the organization expanded the store to include a fuel island,
which serves the local school bus system along with the general public. Through this
and other development efforts, West Holmes Community Development Organization
has created over 20 permanent jobs in the region.
6
Developing Careers and Supporting
Workforce Education
To take advantage of both newly formed businesses and existing
opportunities, the people of the Delta need the right kind of job
skills and education. The Mid South Delta Initiative offers workforce training programs, career mentor matches and even job
fairs that directly connect residents to local job opportunities.
Greenville, Mississippi
Each year, Mid Delta Workforce Alliance hosts a job fair. In 2003,
230 individuals interviewed with representatives from 26 local
businesses.
Northeast Louisiana
This past year, Northeast Louisiana Delta Community
Development Corporation (NLDCDC) provided caregiver classes
for 38 people interested in starting an in-home daycare, a daycare
center or providing convalescent assistance. 17 of the participants received state certification.
Northeast Louisiana Delta CDC’s caregiver classes were held at the Delta
Learning Center in Tallulah.
7
Arkansas
The Good Faith Fund's mission is to increase the income and
assets of low-income and low-skilled residents of the Delta.
Good Faith Fund does this through a unique blend of workforce
training, asset development, small business development and
public policy programs.
The Good Faith Fund's "Industry Partners" program in Helena, Arkansas provides nursing assistant training to people like these graduates.
In 2003, the regional nonprofit graduated 69 nursing assistant
students through its "Industry Partners" workforce development
program.
(left) Students training to be nursing assistants
8
Creating Jobs, Increasing Income and
Building Assets
A loan from QCDO enabled daycare owner Donna Traywick to
hire six additional staff members, bringing the total to nine. Her
Batesville, Mississippi childcare center, Color Me Happy Day
Care, provides services to over 60 children. Mrs. Traywick and
her expanded team of employees also offer ballet, piano, tap
dance and guitar lessons in an after-school program.
The organizations involved in MSDI care about job creation,
asset development and higher wages because they know that
better jobs, money in the bank and
property ownership can lead to satisfying lives.
In this past year alone, approximately
1,500 jobs were created or saved
because of MSDI investment in the
region. 285 Individual Development
Accounts were opened and nearly
100 people participated in financial
literacy classes offered by groups
affiliated with the Initiative.
Quitman County, Mississippi
The Quitman County Development Organization builds the
local economy by providing loans ranging from $1,500 to
$250,000 to business projects. Over the past four years, this
micro-enterprise development program has created 26 full-time
and five part-time jobs, increasing the income of those employed
by up to 25 percent.
(left) Pamela McNutt of QCDO presents Donna Traywick with a check from
QCDO's Micro Enterprise Development and Business Loan Program. The loan
was used to expand the facility and hire additional staff.
North Panola Daycare of Sardis, Mississippi--licensed to care for over 90 children-is the only childcare center in the area. Director and owner Joann Reed (pictured
here) has created ten full-time and three part-time jobs.
9
In 2003, 277 low-income people participated in this program,
accruing saving and matches exceeding $640,000.
Arkansas and Mississippi
Good Faith Fund--the regional organization that offers nursing
assistant training--also coordinates an asset development program. The program, called "Asset Builders" uses Individual
Development Accounts (IDAs) to help low-income families save
money to buy their first home, pay for post-secondary education
or start a small business.
Individual Development Accounts are matched savings accounts
specifically for the purpose of building assets. Participants save
monthly, usually over a one- to three-year period, and their
savings are matched by public and private funding.
Participants must deposit a minimum of $20 a month into their
savings account
and save for at
least six months.
For each $1
saved, these
working individuals receive
$3 in matched
funds, up to a
maximum of
$2,000 for an
individual and
$4,000 for a
household.
Since the program began in 1999, more than 130 of the program's
participants have purchased the assets they had been saving for.
Michelle Briggs used her savings to start her own business. Lisa
Willis bought her own home-a three bedroom house with a formal living room, dining room, large kitchen and den.
Northeast Louisiana
Northeast Louisiana Delta
Community Development
Corporation, which also
has an Individual
Development Accounts
program, offered its first
financial literacy classes
this year. The classes will
continue to be provided
for participants in the
IDA program.
(top) Michelle Briggs participated in the Good Faith Fund's IDA program to save
for her business, Prophetic Fashions, located in West Helena, Arkansas.
(left) As a participant in Good Faith Fund's IDA program, Lisa Willis (third from
left, with her daughters) also received credit counseling and financial assistance
with the down payment on the house for which she had been saving.
10
Building Homes & Renewing
Neighborhoods
Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi
Mid South Delta Local Initiative Support Corporation (Mid
South Delta LISC) helps 49 community-based housing groups
develop their core skills--such as leadership, management,
finance, fundraising, programs and evaluation--in order to build
their effectiveness and sustainability. This year these housingoriented nonprofits, called Community Development
Corporations, built over 228 housing
units, which supported even more jobs
and generated millions of dollars in
federal, state and local taxes.
In the Mid South Delta Initiative's communities, homes are being
built and neighborhoods revitalized. On land that was once neglected, volunteers spend their weekends building low-income
houses. People who never believed they could afford their own
homes are being granted mortgages, and given homebuyers'
counseling. Last year, roughly 300 housing units were created or
rehabilitated thanks to the efforts of MSDI grantees.
Jonesboro, Arkansas
Beacons and Bridges, a coalition of four
Jonesboro-area churches, brought
together over 500 volunteers, representing religious, educational and civic
organizations to construct the first two,
new, single-family homes in one of the
city's low-income neighborhoods. This
project, which was accomplished in
partnership with Habitat for Humanity,
is just one example of Beacons and
Bridges' ability to unite diverse people
around a single, positive cause.
Community volunteers in Jonesboro,
Arkansas help construct affordable
houses as part of Beacons and
Bridges' neighborhood
transformation efforts.
11
Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi
Enterprise Corporation of the Delta (ECD) is a nonprofit, financial institution whose goal is to improve the region's economy.
Just as it uses its clout and intellectual resources to influence
policy, the institution uses its
monetary resources to build
attractive, livable, low-income
housing. This year, ECD
approved permanent financing
for a 32-unit, single-family housing complex in Clarksdale,
Mississippi. The corporation
also purchased 35 mortgage
loans for a total of $1.9 million.
Monroe, Louisiana
In its first few years of existence, RENEWAL focused on increasing business ownership, but now the organization has launched
a new housing initiative. This will include an
Individual Development Account (IDA) program
aimed at helping participants save toward the purchase of a home. Already, RENEWAL has provided
one-on-one credit counseling to 50 individuals
through a partnership with Macon Ridge
Community Development Corporation. Five of the
participants have been approved for home loans.
Northeast Louisiana
The Northeast Louisiana Delta Community
Development Corporation (NELDCDC) uses its
resources in many different ways to alleviate poverty and general distress among Delta residents. One
way is by making housing more accessible to
Northeast Louisiana's low-income residents. This
year, the nonprofit offered a series of classes that
taught 136 people about the ins and outs of homeownership. 66 participants received certificates and
five were approved for United States Department of
Agriculture home loans. The Northeast Louisiana
Delta Community Development Corporation also
constructed three homes for low-income families
and is in the process of building five more.
(top) Eddie Gray provides home ownership counseling at RENEWAL.
(right) Northeast Louisiana CDC contractor prepares a foundation for brand
new homes in Madison Parish. In
collaboration with Louisiana Technical
College-Tallulah, the CDC used a
Youthbuild grant to train 35 new crafts
people in housing construction techniques.
12
Current Grantee-Partners in MSDI: 2004
MSDI Grant/
Investment
$ 303,480
Description
Beacons and Bridges/Jonesboro, Arkansas
$ 303,480
Aims to transform the futures of Jonesboro's residents through housing and small business development coordinated by a coalition of four Jonesboro-area churches
Belzoni-Humphreys County Health
Advisors/Humphreys County, Mississippi
$ 292,845
Develops a highly skilled labor force in the local health-care industry through training, educationsupport and field-specific workforce development
Tourism and Business Initiative of Eastern
Arkansas/Lee-St. Francis counties, AR
$ 303,480
Designs a heritage tourism collaborative that will create new programs and business opportunities built around the natural and cultural assets of the region
Comprehensive Urban and Rural Ensemble
and Tourism (CURET)/ Coahoma County,
Mississippi
Mid South Delta Leaders (MSDL)
$ 303,480
Targets youth by providing mentoring, service coordination, facilitation of special events, symposiums, forums and youth training activities
$1,156,795
Enables 45 participants to establish valuable networks and deepen their understanding of the
regional, national and global opportunities and challenges through an 18-month long program
Mid South Delta Youth Initiative (MSDYI)
$ 137,500
Prepares young people between the ages of 15 and 30 to take on leadership roles in their communities by supporting their economic, enterprise and youth development projects; up to 7 MSDI
communities have project grants
Project/Location
Jefferson County Jobs Initiative/Jefferson
County, Arkansas
Builds a living wage policy environment through education and grassroots mobilization and identifies barriers experienced by low-income workers towards achieving a family-supporting income
East Arkansas Youth Consortium/Cross,
Lee, St. Francis and Monroe Counties, AR
$ 303,480
Provides assistance to 20 youth organizations and strengthens this network's capacity to create
opportunities for youth in four counties and 11 towns
East Carroll Parish Tourism Initiative/East
Carroll Parish, Louisiana
$ 300,000
Works to improve the trust between races and improve the region's economy by improving the
community image and showcasing the area's history and heritage to attract tourism
Emerging Markets Partnership/
Enterprise Corporation of the Delta
Jackson, Mississippi
$20,000,000
Provides financial and technical assistance to firms, entrepreneurs and homeowners and forges
strategic partnerships across health, workforce and technology sectors in order to improve the
quality of life for low-income people in the region
HEGA/South Washington County,
Mississippi
$ 303,480
Brings about economic opportunities for the communities of Hollandale, Elizabeth, and Glen
Allan through a transit system providing access to jobs, educational and healthcare and training
13
Since the W. K.
Kellogg Foundation
launched MSDI in
1997, the Initiative
has made grants to
community-based
coalitions and larger
nonprofit organizations that work
across the region.
As the Initiative
evolves, partners will
expand on these
successful pilot
programs, create
more formal
networks, and
develop sustainable
policy frameworks
for the region.
Mid-Delta Workforce Alliance/Counties in
Mississippi and Chicot County, Arkansas
$ 303,480
Creates a regional education/training system to support a competitive workforce in the three
county region and a diverse collaborative network
Northeast Louisiana Delta CDC, Madison
Parish, Louisiana
$ 303,480
Provides support for small business development and a farmers market and offers youth recreation and school enrichment programs including a computer lab
The People's Institute for Survival and
Beyond
$ 441,000
Conducts "Undoing Racism" workshops and helps community groups build multi-racial coalitions and collaborations
Quitman County Development Organization
(QCDO)/Quitman County, Mississippi
$ 400,000
Builds local economy by providing training for entrepreneurs and micro loans ranging from
$1500 to $250,000 to various businesses
RENEWAL/Monroe, Louisiana
$ 303,480
Increases business ownership among people of color and low- to moderate-income residents in
Monroe, LA with special emphasis on youth entrepreneurship
Mid South Delta Local Initiatives Support
Corporation ( LISC)
$ 500,000
Supports community-based housing groups by providing customized capacity building assistance
to 25 nonprofit Community Development Corporations in the Delta
Southern Financial Partners/
Good Faith Fund, Pine Bluff, AR
$2,000,000
Increases incomes and assets of low-skilled, low-income individuals in the Arkansas and
Mississippi Delta through Industry Partners, Asset Builders IDAs and Public Policy programs
West Holmes Community Development
Organization/Holmes County, Mississippi
$ 450,000
Helps expand existing businesses, creates new businesses, provides employment opportunities and community wellness activities
You can learn more about MSDI on the website at www.msdi.org or by subscribing to our Delt@Links newsletter through our website.
You can watch Delta Vision, a 30-minute show that features successful entrepreneurs, firms and organizations plus regional culture.
The show is broadcast on television stations in Jackson and Greenville, MS; Monroe, LA; Little Rock, AR; and Memphis, TN. Check out
the broadcast schedule or watch sections of the show at msdi.org.-- over 55,000 viewers already watched the shows in 2004!
The W. K. Kellogg
Foundation made a
long-term commitment to the Delta, and
it will continue to
support regional
change efforts.
The Foundation was
established in 1930 by
cereal pioneer W. K.
Kellogg with a mission to help people
help themselves
through the practical
application of knowledge and resources to
improve their quality
of life and that of
future generations.
Mid South Delta Initiative
1200 N. University
Mail Slot 4919
Pine Bluff, AR 71601
870-575-7083
info@msdi.org
www.msdi.org
14
Developing Regional Economies
through Tourism
Northeast Louisiana
Northeast Louisiana Delta Community Development
Corporation's farmers market attracts vendors from a four
county/parish area. In addition to the fresh fruits and vegetables sold during the summer months, local artists and
crafts people use the market to sell their wares--especially
during the holidays.
Several of the MSDI community partners are coming up with
creative ways to promote tourism in the Delta.
Lee and St. Francis Counties, Arkansas
The Lee and St. Francis Counties Tourism and Business Initiative
of Eastern Arkansas is designing a heritage tourism collaborative
that will economically benefit residents. With Village Creek
State Park to the north and the new Mississippi River State Park
to the south of the counties, there are opportunities for small
businesses to provide much-sought-after southern hospitality
and recreational activities.
East Carroll Parish, Louisiana
The East Carroll Cultural Tourism Initiative
was founded on the belief that improving the
community's image and showcasing the area's
history and heritage will attract tourism and
result in economic regeneration. In 2003, the
coalition supported an outdoor artisans and
farmers market; launched a community-history
project involving trained, local youth interviewing community
elders; and co-sponsored several tourism and heritage festivals,
which provided new opportunities for local entrepreneurs, clubs
and churches to sell food and merchandise.
Tallulah and
Lake
Providence,
Louisiana public markets help
local producers
and artisans
earn income
from travelers
and tourists
driving along
busy Highway
65.
15
Improving Health and Health Care
Holmes County, Mississippi
This year, West Holmes Community Development Organization
developed a Health and Wellness Center, which features state-ofthe-art fitness and exercise equipment and offers aerobic classes
three nights a week. The organization also joined with the Myers
Family Health Clinic to provide more health care in the western
part of Holmes County.
In order for workers to function, families to be taken care of, and
communities to succeed, people must have access to quality
healthcare. MSDI grantees are responding to this need in several ways. One group encourages young people to enter the field
of health care and provides incentives for them to stay in or
return to the region. Another group is helping people become
more health-conscious before they are faced with serious health
problems.
Humphreys County, Mississippi
In the medically underserved county of Humphreys,
Mississippi, Belzoni-Humphreys County Health Advisors is
developing a skilled labor force essential for community economic development while at the same
time responding to the need for health-care professionals committed to serving the region. The
organization does this by supporting young people pursuing health-care training and education.
In 2003, five scholarships were provided to local
students majoring in the field, and a career/college reception honored Peer Health Advisor to
Health Professional Program participants and
their parents. The organization also conducted a
program for public school students, to promote
career opportunities in the health-care field.
(top) Community residents enjoy fitness classes
offered at the West Holmes Wellness Center.
Students from both Humphreys County High
School and Humphreys Academy participate in the
Belzoni-Humphreys County Health Advisors
program.
16
Building Local Infrastructure in
Communities
Some communities in the Delta still don't have basic infrastructure--a reality that makes seizing educational and work opportunities much more difficult. Mid South Delta Initiative
grantees are investing in infrastructure improvements, the
effects of which can immediately be felt by residents.
Washington County, Mississippi
HEGA is creating a transportation system that gives the residents of Hollandale, Elizabeth and Glen Allan, Mississippi
access to jobs, educational and healthcare facilities and workforce training. In 2003, HEGA transported 25 students to and
from Delta Community College and Mississippi Valley State
University so they could pursue college education.
The organization continued its partnership with YouthBuild and
the City of Hollandale by providing transportation for 24
apprentices who constructed ten homes for low-income residents.
HEGA vans run three daily routes in rural Washington County, Mississippi
In 2003, HEGA purchased two additional vans, bringing the total
number of vans to five. Also, the organization received a grant
from USDA Rural Development for a wheelchair-accessible van.
17
Holmes County, Mississippi
West Holmes Community Development Organization secured a
new fire truck, which will be used by the Holmes County,
Mississippi Volunteer Fire Department.
Yazoo County, Mississippi
Mid South Delta Local Initiative Support Corporation (Mid
South Delta LISC) supports organizations that provide low
income housing and develop community infrastructure.
One such organization is the Yazoo County Fair and Civic
League. The group usually focuses on creating rental housing for the elderly, however this year they took on a new
project. They are developing a subdivision of 14 single family homes. The Yazoo County Fair and Civic League is partnering with Yazoo City to provide the subdivision's water,
sewer and streets--important elements of a community's
infrastructure.
The organization also converted a church into a daycare facility,
which enables the parents of 125 children to work at a time when
they would otherwise have had to stay home with their children.
Through a partnership with the Holmes County Chancery Clerk
office, state legislators, and the West Holmes Water Association,
WHCDO secured a fire truck for the volunteer fire department.
18
Expanding a Broad Base of Leaders
Mid South Delta Initiative is a learning laboratory about leadership at many levels: individual, organizational and regional.
The Initiative partnered with the People's Institute for Survival
and Beyond to bring their Undoing Racism ™ workshops to
MSDI communities.
MSDI provides its community partners with leadership development
The workshops use dialogue, reflection, rolesupport through workshops, Cross
playing and strategic planning to challenge
Sites and guidance from community
participants to analyze the structures of
change coaches. The workshops teach
power and privilege that hinder social equinew approaches to leadership or spety and prepares participants to be effective
cific skills such as nonprofit managecommunity organizers. In the past year
ment, participatory evaluation and
alone, The People's Institute conducted four
digital technology. "Cross-Sites" are
regional workshops for MSDI, including two
conferences that provide community
for youth leaders, and also worked with
partners with an opportunity to share
individual MSDI community partners in
experiences and learn from one and
Clarksdale, Mississippi.
other. Community change coaches
This year, MSDI community teams particiwork with individual grantees, guidpated in a workshop provided by VISIONS,
ing MSDI community leaders through
Mattie
Dixon
and
Carolyn
Robinson,
members
of
the
East
Carroll
Inc. The workshop dealt with multiculturalthe challenges of strategic planning,
Cultural Tourism Initiative’s Core Team, assess their team’s lead- ism and anti-oppression issues. Participants
coalition-building, program implemen- ership competencies in leading diverse coalitions.
learned ways to deal with infighting among
tation and evaluation.
oppressed groups, sought to understand elements that can cause
discord within an organization or community and addressed the
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi
legacy of racism, sexism and class-based prejudice.
Sometimes leadership requires navigating difficult social challenges like building bridges across racial lines.
19
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi
A complementary regional leadership initiative, the Mid South
Delta Leaders (MSDL) program, was launched in 2003 through a
new collaboration of universities in the Delta that each had
strong experience with local leadership development programs.
The goal of MSDL is to identify and encourage a new generation
of leaders and expand their understanding and use of three
major systems: education, public policy formation and community-based economic development.
MSDL participants at the
second 2003 workshop
pieced together new
"maps" of what might be
possible in the region and
studied the partnership
between Vidalia,
Louisiana and Natchez,
Mississippi as an example of viable regional
collaboration.
Forty-five class members, 15 from each state, are participating in
an 18-month curriculum that is designed to improve the leadership, management and communication skills of its participants.
Class members of MSDL represent a wide variety of sectors,
including higher education, K-12 education, government, nonprofit, for-profit businesses, faith-based organizations and community volunteers. This ensures the inclusion of stakeholders-particularly those traditionally under-represented in community
and economic development efforts.
This program is a partnership between Delta State University in
Cleveland, Mississippi serving as the lead partner and fiscal
agent; the Arkansas State University Center in Jonesboro,
Arkansas and Grambling State University in Grambling,
Louisiana.
20
Investing in the Ideas of Young People
Ouachita Parish. Louisiana
RENEWAL knows where to start when it comes to lowincome and minority enterprise development. The Monroe,
Louisiana nonprofit believes in the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of its local youth. That's why RENEWAL
recruited 110 people to its Youth/Adult Entrepreneurship
Program and graduated 44 teens and young adults from its
Youth Financial Literacy training--a program supported by
two area banks.
Several of the community partners are focusing their efforts on
youth. MSDI youth-oriented programs include a wide variety of
activities ranging from financial literacy and entrepreneurial
training to documentary film making.
Coahoma County, Mississippi
CURET targets youth by providing mentoring, service coordination, facilitation of special events, symposiums, forums and
youth training activities. The organization even created and
published the area's first resource directory of youth-focused
agencies.
In 2003, 20 youths participated in a symposium to develop the
Youth Empowerment Summit. The Summit's aim is to mentor
young people between the ages of 13-21. 65 youths are participating in mentoring, recreation and youth-leadership development programs throughout the county. 30 young people learned
interviewing skills to collect, document, film and digitally produce the area's histories and culture.
Young people from RENEWAL's Youth/Adult Entrepreneurship Program celebrate
the completion of their training with James Francois, an accountant in Monroe
who graduated from a previous entrepreneurship training series.
21
St. Francis County, Arkansas
East Arkansas Enterprise Community (EAEC) provides assistance to 20 youth organizations and strengthens this network's
capacity to create opportunities for youth in 4 counties and 11
towns. In 2003, EAEC awarded grants totaling over $26,000 to
nine youth-oriented organizations to expand their enrichment
activities, which engaged over 4,000 young people. EAEC also
connected 200 young adults with a variety of public and private
sector jobs. Each of these young employees was matched with a
mentor.
Chicot County, Arkansas and Washington and
Sunflower Counties, Mississippi
Almost 1,000 students from high schools in Chicot County,
Arkansas and Washington and Sunflower Counties, Mississippi
explored career options during Mid Delta Workforce Alliance's
annual National Groundhog Job Shadowing Day.
(top) Mrs. White offers hands-on training in cosmetology to RISE/MOVE
participants Nina, Ashley and Denise (left to right). RISE/MOVE-- which
offers training in cosmetology and food preparation as well as education
and career development-- is one of the youth-oriented organizations supported by the East Arkansas Enterprise Community's Youth Consortium.
(left) Students visit Delta Regional Medical Center in Greenville,
Mississippi to explore health-care jobs and careers with nurses on the hospital staff as part of Mid Delta Workforce Alliance's successful job shadowing event, which has been held annually since 1998.
22
Investing in the Ideas of Young People:
MId South Delta Youth Initiative
Washington County, Mississippi
Team U.N.I.T.Y. (Utilizing New Innovative Technology for
Youth) will provide computer and technology training for the
youth of Hollandale; Elizabeth and Glen Allen, Mississippi
through a computer lab offering Internet access, after-school
tutoring and mentoring.
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi
The Mid South Delta Youth Initiative prepares young people
between the ages of 15 and 30 to take on leadership roles in their
communities by putting them
in leadership positions right
now. In the summer of 2003,
youth representatives from
over a dozen MSDI partner
communities were invited to
participate in a retreat where
they learned new concepts,
skills and methods of promoting economic and social development. Participants were
encouraged to identify youthrelated needs in their communities and to develop projects
that could respond to these
needs. Seven of these youthdriven community development projects have been
Visionz Photo Studio promotional card for the youth-led small business in Clarksdale,
Mississippi. Their business was selected by MSDI Youth Initiative to receive $5,000
funded.
start-up funding.
23
Clarksdale, Mississippi
Visionz Photo Studio will be a
youth owned and operated enterprise offering individual and family portrait packages at discounted
prices to all members of the
Clarksdale, Mississippi community. In addition to the studio
portraits, staff will photograph the
elderly in their homes. Staff
members are currently being
trained in photography and
business management.
Quitman County, Mississippi
The Quitman County, Mississippi group X-treme Youth plans to
convert an empty building in the town center into a Recreation
and Learning Center where youth will have access to computers
and the Internet, tutors, teen counseling services, technology and
entrepreneurship training and financial literacy workshops. The
center will also provide space for community meetings.
Tallulah, Louisiana
Cyberstation has proposed to establish a Boys and Girls Club in
Tallulah, Louisiana. The Club will provide a safe and productive
environment where young people can participate in leisure
activities as well as benefit from educational assistance, access to
technology and career skills training.
Ouachita Parish, Louisiana
CHOSEN (Changing and Helping Our Situations, Environments
and Neighborhood), Inc. of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana is an
organization aimed at providing positive recreational and educational activities for young people ages 14-19. These activities
will include sporting events, leadership activities and community service projects.
East Arkansas
The East Arkansas Enterprise Community--an MSDI community
partner-- established the Youth Consortium in 2002 in order to
implement and enhance programs for youth in four counties and
11 towns in Cross, Lee, Monroe and St. Francis Counties,
Arkansas.
Michael Jones (right) presents a check to Tallulah’s Cyberstation team.
Lee County, Arkansas
The Teens of Lee County (TLC), in Arkansas, will provide entertaining programs for local youths, in the hopes that this will curb
their participation in criminal activities and reduce their use of
alcohol and drugs. These programs will include an international
food tasting event, a motivational speech by a local rap artist and
a performance by a well-known Arkansas choir.
The East Arkansas Enterprise Community's Youth Consortium
will add to its current services the sponsorship of an Individual
Development Account (IDA) program for youth and young
adults. This program will raise awareness about career opportunities, help participants become financially literate and increase
their money management skills.
24
Crafting Public Policies for the Region
The people of the Delta are
actively engaged in understanding and improving the policies
(laws and public programs) that
affect their daily lives. This
engagement with public policy
takes place at all levels: from
grassroots initiatives like the
living wage movement organized and carried forward by the
Jefferson County Jobs Initiative
to the large scale, regional policy education programs undertaken by the Enterprise
Corporation of the Delta and the
Good Faith Fund.
Jefferson County Jobs Initiative (JCJI) was formed to
identify barriers experienced by low-income workers, to
educate local residents about the policy process and to
mobilize the community around the common cause of
promoting "living wage" policies.
In 2003, JCJI attracted almost 1,000 citizens to public
forums and events with elected officials to discuss living
wage issues. Through door-knocking and a table at the
Employment Security Division and Department of
Human Services offices, JCJI contacted over 300 lowincome Jefferson County residents to discuss ways of creating better paying jobs.
Jefferson County Jobs Initiative sponsored "living wage"
workshops in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Here, Maxine Nelson
of JCJI and Tracy Wiley, a member of the Living Wage
Committee, listen as Dr. Bobby Roberts of Central
Arkansas Library System speaks about the role that higher wages can play in an agency's ability to attract and
retain a quality workforce.
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi
One way that the ECD/HOPE (Enterprise Corporation of
the Delta/Hope Community Credit Union) accomplishes
its mission of improving the region's economic health is
through collaboration with policy makers and public
agencies on issues that influence workers, jobs, businesses and individuals with low and moderate incomes.
When public programs already exist that support economic
growth and improved quality of life, ECD/HOPE focuses on
improving the use of these programs by residents and businesses.
When tough challenges require new policies, ECD/HOPE works
with policy makers to create new, more effective solutions.
Arkansas
In Jefferson County, Arkansas, a group of residents realized that
there was a problem: although the community recognized that
many people were not earning high enough wages to adequately
support their families, very few people knew what to do about it.
25
One example of ECD's policy work included the implementation
of the Mid-Delta Community and Individual Investment
Corporation (CIIC). In 1996, the Mid-Delta CIIC received a federal appropriation of $8.5 million to stimulate small business
development in six Mississippi Delta counties. According to the
initial agreement, six county governments had seven years to
collaborate and submit a plan for use of the funds. Upon plan
approval at the federal and state levels, the funds would be
released.
Arkansas
Good Faith Fund's Policy Program conducts research and applies
the knowledge and experience of other Good Faith Fund programs to develop and advocate for public policy change that:
expands access to quality education and training opportunities to
help adults prepare for good jobs, develops more good job
opportunities, supports and rewards continued employment
among working adults, and promotes the development of assets
among working adults.
After several years of unsuccessful attempts to draw
down the funds at the local
level, the Mississippi
Development Authority
(MDA) hired ECD to draft a
plan and submit a revised
CIIC application for approval.
At the time, the $8.5 million
was slated to return to the
Department of Housing and
Urban Development in six months. ECD worked with
government officials at the local, state and federal level
to put together a plan that met the funding criteria. The
plan was accepted and ECD recently hired a loan officer,
who works out of Itta Bena, MS, to start using the funds
to make small business investments in Humphreys,
Holmes, Leflore, Sharkey, Sunflower and Washington
counties.
This past year, Good Faith Fund provided research and concepts
that led to key pieces of legislation including changes to the welfare-reform law. These changes made post-secondary education
and training allowable work
activities and created a
scholarship fund for lowincome working adults.
Angela Duran of the Good Faith
Fund presents policy recommendations at the Arkansas statehouse.
MSDI Program Coordinator
Freddye Petett, Laurence Johnson
and Dr. Tom Bruce identified policy
targets during the MSDI "regional
futures" sessions.
26
Mid South Delta
Initiative
1200 N. University
Mail Slot 4919
Pine Bluff, AR 71601
870-575-7083
info@msdi.org
www.msdi.org