Our Initiative
Our Communities for All Ages team:
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City of Itta Bena
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Mr. Walter Parker, Mayor
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Mississippi Valley State University
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Ms. Jannette Adams, Director OSP
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Itta Bena Community Outreach
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Ms. Mabel Robinson, President
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Leflore County Board of Supervisor
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Mr. Wayne Self, District 4 Supervisor
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Empowering Peoples & Communities Together
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Ms. Theresa Dent, Executive Director
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Greenwood Leflore Hospital
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Ms. Allison Faulkner, Marketing
Ms. Annette Irving, Outreach
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Leflore County Extension Services/Food Service
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Mrs. Ola Hawkins, Coordinator
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MVSU Minority Health Disparities
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Mr. Marvin Russell, Director
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Itta Bena Health Clinic
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Ms. Sabrina Brown
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MVSU Healthy Lifestyle
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Ms. Alice Griggs, Coordinator
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Leflore County Health Department
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Ms. Hardie Frankel, Coordinator
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Leflore County Human Services
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Ms. Dynetha Thornton, Director
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Leflore County WINN Job Center
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Mr. Toris Williams, Director
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Leflore County Extension Services
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Mr. Andy Braswell, Director
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The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi
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Ms. Meg Frazier, Coordinator
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Itta Bena Community Women Club
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Ms. Victoria Perkins, President
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The Deep South Network for Cancer/Fannie Lou Hamer Cancer Foundation
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Mrs. Freddie White-Johnson
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Les Douze Femmes Elite Social Club
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Ms. Nola Johnson, Coordinator
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Leflore County School District
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Mrs. Valerie Moses, Health & Wellness Coordinator
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MVSU Service Learning Center
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Dr. Latonya Shingles, Director
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MVSU Fitness Center
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Ms. April Lewis, Coordinator
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Itta Bena Ministerial Alliance
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Pastor Augusta Quinn
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Itta Bena Meals-On-Wheels
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Ms. Dorothy Mixon
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Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council
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Ms. Sherri Bell, Coordinator
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Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts
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Mrs. Nicole Jackson, Cubmaster
Mr. Henry Fant, Scoutmaster
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Girl Scouts of America
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Ms. Bernice Elam, Coordinator
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Itta Bena 4-H Club
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Mrs. Velma Wells, Coordinator
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Funder: Foundation for the Mid-South
Starting date: March 2009
Phase of Development: Implementation
Our implementation phase:
Our long term vision for Itta Bena is the creation of a thriving college town with positive and deep connections, trust and collaboration among residents of all ages and among Mississippi Valley State University and all Itta Bena residents.
Our short term work focuses on helping reduce the rate of diabetes and obesity of people of all ages in Itta Bena through healthy activities and more access to fresh fruits and vegtables.
We have 4 key committees which are responsible for organizing different aspects of our work.
Recreation committee:
This group focuses on the development of healthy activities and recreation for all ages. To date we have organized a bike-a thon with all ages groups, intergenerational walking groups and sports and jump-rope activities for youth. Moving forward this group is exploring the development of a multi-generational playground and intergenerational opportunities for sports activities (i.e. using retired residents as coaches or group organizers.) We are also organizing
Health Committee:
This group focuses on increasing access to healthy foods and health information for all ages. We have successfully created a large community garden for all ages that is within walking distance from the center of Itta Bena. As a pilot project, the first food harvested will be distributed primarily to older adult residents in the community. Moving forward, we plan to partner with the CDC and other small local farmers to create a farmers market for all ages. We have partnered with MVSU to support the first “mini-medical college” that provides information about healthy eating and healthy activities to middle school students and older adults. This initiative has also created new transportation opportunities for Itta Bena residents to connect with MVSU campus.
Social Committee:
This group focuses on creating social events and opportunities for people of all ages to build relationships, trust and connection with each other. We will use this committee to strengthen and support the social events within Itta Bena by adding an intergenerational lens as well as colunteer and communications support to the efforts.
Sustainability committee:
This group focuses on exploring different ways to make our work develop and grow over the long term, and to stay connected to our long term change goals. To date we have been participating in the local community health network, as well as identifying grants and passing them on to local churches. Our efforts so far have already helped one church to be funded with a community health worker who will be assisting in the CFAA efforts. Moving forward this group will work on identifying different ways that the work of each committee can support and reinforce work of the others. We also will explore how to enhance the role of the churches in supporting volunteerism in the CFAA work and develop intergenerational training opportunities for volunteers.
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