FMS's Latest News and Activities:
The Gulf Coast Celebrated its 100th KaBOOM! Playground this past weekend
Carrie Goodson, FMS's newest staff member (Program Officer for Community Philanthropy), was on the Mississippi Gulf Coast (Bay St. Louis) this past Saturday to participate in KaBOOM!'s 100th Operation Playground build. The newest KaBOOM! playground, located at Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Park, was constructed by 500 local residents guided by experienced KaBOOM! staff and other volunteers. Following a celebration ceremony, local kids stormed the playground to test it out. FMS provided $150,000 to KaBOOM! as a leverage grant toward the construction of several playgrounds leading up to this milestone. Tomorrow morning (Tuesday), Good Morning America will air a segment on the 100th build in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, so please tune in. More Info >>> here. Sun Herald >>> story. WLOX PR >>> here.
FMS Grantee Housing Unit Grand Opening
Two weeks ago in Itta Bena, Mississippi, an FMS grantee held a grand opening celebration of its Elite Concepts apartment complexes. The apartments provide housing options for Mississippi Valley State University’s rising number of nontraditional students. Through the Communities of Opportunity Initiative, FMS provided a grant of $213,500 to the Mississippi Valley CDC to help leverage additional funding for the development of the complex. A brief online description is available >>> here.
FMS attends RWJF Summit on Young Men at Risk
FMS recently participated in a summit held by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Asohoka in New Jersey to celebrate innovative programs focusing on young men at risk in society—especially those of color. A candid and in-depth discussion between funders present sparked interest in increasing public and political will to address issues facing young men at risk and to interest philanthropy to help elevate the conversation. Currently, FMS is finalizing a special report entitled "Black Male: Why the Mid South Cannot Afford to Ignore the Disparities Facing Its Black Men and Boys." The report will be released soon as an online-only PDF document. The meeting helped to inform some of the content of the report that FMS will be releasing.
FMS Essay Included in Journal on Rural Philanthropy.
FMS submitted an essay entitled "Partnerships and Changing How People Think" for the Council on Foundation's journal Philanthropy & Rural America. A compilation of essays, the journal was released to cast a new view on rural America and to "capture some of the best ideas from some of the best minds in philanthropy already engaged in helping rural America." Download FMS's >>> essay authored by Ivye L. Allen, president and Chris Crothers, communications director.
