The Southern Good Faith Fund (SGFF) Business Development Center (BDC) is excited to offer another in a series of “Networking Breakfast” events on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Three times in the past citizens in Phillips County has tried to get a CHC but were unsuccessful. Now, the Association of Community Health Centers, the Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources Services Administration, Bureau of Primary Health Care have partnered with a local group to end the red tape nightmare. They have agreed to help with all the rules and regulations that need to be met before funds are given to the area.

A steady stream of people eager to get their taxes prepared for free showed up Saturday at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Center.

The event, dubbed Super Saturday, was a joint effort by volunteers from the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition, Association for Community Organizations for Reform Now, IRS Stakeholder, Partnerships, Education and Communication Disability Initiative, St. James United Methodist Church, Southern Good Faith Fund and Pine Bluff Weed & Seed/Interested Citizens for Voter Registration Inc.

Maxine Nelson, Arkansas chairman of ACORN, expressed that thought Friday during a press conference for Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Awareness Day, a nationwide effort to increase public awareness about the EITC and the availability of free tax preparation services.

Clark County has been awarded a $65,000 federal grant by the Arkansas State Highway Commission to help fund the first phase of a hiking and mountain bike recreational trail on the south side of DeGray Lake.

…Stephens said a meeting recently held between representatives of Southern Bancorp and local leaders may give some hope.

“They kind of reiterated what I’m saying,” he said. “But they have done some things with the downtown (in Helena-West Helena). I hope with them coming to Forrest City, we may be able to sit at their feet, and they may be able to give us some guidance on this.”

“When you think about what’s happened here for these children, there’s an opportunity for an eternity of impact. In time, your organization is going to change the lives of hundreds of thousands of children,” Tom Hough, regional service director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America told Rotarians Wednesday.
He applauded the success of the Boys & Girls Club of Phillips County and all the organization’s accomplishments in just three short years.

“We’re meeting tomorrow in Forrest City at the request of the Walton Foundation,” said Phil Baldwin, chief executive officer of Southern Bancorp. He said County Judge Gary Hughes is the facilitator of the meeting.

Ten exceptional volunteers were recognized recently by AARP Arkansas, commemorating the national organization’s 50th anniversary.

– Blake Williams, special project manager serving earned income, tax credit and 2008 stimulus package, Southern Good Faith Fund…

St. Francis County Judge Gary Hughes introduced Phil Baldwin, C.E.O. of Southern Bancorp, and set the stage for the meeting by telling those in attendance that Southern Bancorp was, in effect, taking over for the Foundation for the Mid-South.