Helena-West Helena, Ark. – Southern Bancorp Community Partners (SBCP) is proud to announce a new product for non-traditional students in Phillips County. This new offering is available from SBCP’s Individual Development Account program and is part of SBCP’s ongoing effort to improve educational outcomes throughout the community.

The College Completion Matched Savings Program provides a powerful incentive for income eligible, non-traditional students to invest in the lifelong asset of education. The program is operated by SBCP who matches qualifying participants’ savings with $3 for every $1 they save. Once they reach their savings goals and complete financial education classes, participants can use the savings to pay for tuition, books or other school fees.

In addition to being a Phillips County resident, applicants must have earned income. Applicants must be non-traditional students with less than 25 hours, or no more than two semesters, remaining to complete a degree in addition to other criteria.

“The College Completion Matched Savings Program is a great way for Phillips County students to help pay for their college education,” said Mindy Maupin of Southern Bancorp Community Partners, “If you’re willing to work hard to achieve your education goal, Southern Bancorp Community Partners is willing to help you reach it.”

Maupin urged interested students to contact the SBCP office soon as only a limited number of program spaces are available, and they will be filled on a first come first serve basis. Students may inquire about further details of the program by calling 870-816-1104 or emailing mindy.maupin@southernpartners.org.

Southern Bancorp Community Partners is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and certified community development financial institution (CDFI) that seeks to transform rural Southern communities by increasing educational attainment, decreasing unemployment and reducing poverty through comprehensive community development, human development, financial services and public policy change.
On the web at www.southernpartners.org.

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Southern Bancorp project to provide matching funds for revitalization efforts in historic downtown corridor

HELENA, ARK. – Southern Bancorp announced this week the launch of the Riverside Renewal Project, a program to accelerate the revitalization of historic downtown Helena by matching investments in eligible commercial and residential properties dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,000.

The Riverside Renewal Project is part of a trifecta of economic development tools being utilized by Southern in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in an effort to promote job growth and increase economic development opportunities in the Delta. Other projects include the Helena Start-Up Challenge, a business plan competition, and the Helena Jobs Incentive, which provides financial incentives to businesses that create jobs within the Helena city limits, at the Helena Harbor and in the local industrial park.

“Southern is on a mission to create new economic opportunities for people and businesses in rural communities, and this project underscores our commitment to finding new and innovative ways to both revitalize and help transform them into stronger, more sustainable centers of economic growth,” said Southern Bancorp, Inc. CEO Darrin Williams.

The Riverside Renewal Project, administered by Southern’s non-profit affiliate, Southern Bancorp Community Partners (SBCP), will provide a 1:1 match with a minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $100,000, for economic development projects within a specific area of downtown Helena. Eligible projects include the development of commercial and/or residential property that contributes to broader revitalization efforts such as restaurants, retail, entertainment, apartments and hotels. Applications are due for consideration by March 31^st, at which time SBCP staff will review applications to determine eligibility, project strength and alignment to the overall goals of the project. Small-businesses, minority-owned and women-owned businesses are encouraged to apply; however, equal opportunity will be given to all applicants.

“We’re looking for individuals and businesses with an entrepreneurial spirit and the capacity to convert it to jobs and economic opportunities,” said Williams. “We believe that rural communities in the Delta and across rural America deserve the opportunity to earn their way into prosperity just like their urban counterparts.”

Interested parties can learn more about the Riverside Renewal Project by visiting SouthernPartners.org/RiversideRenewal or contacting Brooke Gerber at brooke.gerber@southernpartners.org or 870-816-1115. For media inquiries, contact Nathan Pittman at nathan.pittman@banksouthern.com or 501-850-8980.

Southern Bancorp is one of America’s largest rural development banks, serving over 80,000 customers at 39 branches in both Arkansas and Mississippi. Southern invests in people and businesses in rural communities; empowers them to improve their lives; and helps them transform their communities.
On the web at BankSouthern.com and SouthernPartners.org.

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