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The Story of the Community Foundation ofNorthwest Mississippi

The Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi was born out of a cooperative project in 2000 to place an online computer in everyDeSoto County public classroom. DeSoto became the first county inMississippi to accomplish this goal as a pilot project for the state. Following this model,Mississippi became the first state in the nation with an online computer in every public school classroom. After this success, a local steering committee met for more than two years, and the Foundation was incorporated in January 2002 to serve eight counties: Coahoma, DeSoto,Marshall, Panola, Quitman,Tallahatchie, Tunica and Tate.

A Community Foundation is a creative, cost-effective and tax-efficient way for people to invest in the charitable causes they care about the most. We help create permanent charitable funds of everlasting impact, whether they focus totally on the local community or include charitable interests throughout theUnited States.   Last year, the Foundation’s grants and charitable programs jumped to $1.8 million.   Examples of how the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi has helped connect people who care with causes that matter include:

• providing at-risk youth in Quitman County with career training on GPS and GIS technology, which simultaneously aids county officials in mapping the area and helps serve the elderly and home-bound population;
• created with the leadership of the co-founder of Wikipedia, a world-class website that collects the best teaching videos in the world and makes them available for students, teachers and families everywhere with access to the Internet;
• organized nationally-acclaimed efforts among schools, churches and local governments in all 8 counties to prevent childhood obesity—and reduce the chances that our children will fall victim to chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, strokes, some cancers and other illnesses that hinder students from learning and workers from being productive;
• started the Early Childhood Resource andReferral Center and supported the Words on Wheels bus to improve the education that all children receive BEFORE they enter kindergarten;
• established the first Endowment for Teach For America, focused on the Delta region;
• helpedCoahoma County residents create an endowment for the future of their public schools and start an institute to improve writing and speaking among its young people;
• assisted donor families that want to make sure no child is without proper supplies and clothing to enter school and learn;
• supported a national model for a youth savings and financial literacy program that builds hope for the future in Quitman County
• helpedPanola County create an endowment for its future and provide current support for its community food pantry and Boys and Girls Club;
• provided more than a half million dollars in support forPalmer Home for Children to care for abused and neglected young people;
• aided the Emmett Till Commission inTallahatchie County to develop a curriculum for local and state residents to learn about this landmark civil rights event;
• created a scholarship for residents of the House of Grace for abused women to learn employable skills and gain the ability to live independently;
• added The Box Project, a 47-year-old program that connects sponsoring families across the nation with almost 1,000 poor families in the Delta;
• And much, much more-- a total of 200 nonprofit organizations and causes.

The Community Foundation has leveraged local donations to bring in donations from foundations and corporations outsideNorthwest Mississippi. In four years, the foundation has brought in $3.5 million for causes that matter to our local communities.

For more information on the Community Foundation’s initiatives, donating, grants, or the Crystal Ball, call 662.449.5002 or email communityfoundation@cfnm.org