In response to the coronavirus health crisis, the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi is seeking donations to feed the youth in each of its eleven counties served. Since hosting a Hunger Summit in 2017, the Community Foundation and seventeen of its partners have been funding efforts to help confront food insecurity among youth.
The goal is to reduce the effect COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, is having on children whose primary nutrition has come from their schools.
“The coronavirus is impacting our communities in many ways, and the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi seeks to address one of the most urgent and important needs,” said Tom Pittman, President of the Foundation. “Our priority is taking care of children. Nutrition is essential to their health during these critical weeks out of school.”
Feeding America in 2017 classified almost 90,000 children living in the two Congressional Districts served by the Community Foundation as “food insecure”. “We know that figure will increase rapidly due to the economic conditions caused by the coronavirus,” said Pittman.
The Community Foundation is partnering with area non-profits to feed children who are faced with food insecurity by providing financial resources as donations are received. Donors may designate a gift to one of the following counties Bolivar, Coahoma, DeSoto, Leflore, Marshall, Panola, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, and Tunica.
To make a gift to the FEED Fund, visit the Community Foundation’s website http://cfnm.org/donate/. In the Donation Designation box, type FEED (add name of the County), which will earmark 100 percent of your gift to providing food for children under the age of 18 to that specific county. Gifts are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. To make a gift of stock or other appreciated asset, call or text 662-719-1732. Gifts may also be mailed to CFNM, 315 Losher St., Suite 100, Hernando, MS 38632.
“I encourage our donors to immediately look for opportunities to support the critical needs of nonprofits by making grants to organizations serving their communities,” said Lillian Morris Hilson, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi. “The Community Foundation is available to be the fiscal agent of gifts or provide guidance on nonprofits working in our 11-county region.”
The Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi manages 240 donor-established funds. Established in 2002 with a generous grant from the Maddox Foundation, the Community Foundation is an independent 501(c)3 charitable organization. The Foundation serves Bolivar, Coahoma, DeSoto, Leflore, Marshall, Panola, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, and Tunica counties. A board of 19 volunteer civic leaders governs the Community Foundation. Learn more about the Community Foundation at www.cfnm.org or call 662.449.5002. Follow the Community Foundation on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CFNM315/ and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/CFNM_2002.