Midtown Partners Inc

REESTABLISHING THE MIDTOWN PROSPERITY CENTER OF JACKSON, MS

CN FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT

PURPOSE: TO SUPPORT A SERIES OF ARTIST-LED COMMUNITY PROGRAMS FOCUSING ON CULTURAL AND CULINARY TRADITIONS IN JACKSON MISSISSIPPI.

PURPOSE: THE VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) GRANT WAS ESTABLISHED AS A MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR ORGANIZATIONS WHO SUPPORT COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE VITA GRANT PROGRAM PROVIDES FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO ORGANIZATIONS WHO 1) EXTEND SERVICES TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS IN HARDEST TO REACH AREAS BOTH URBAN AND NON-URBAN; 2) INCREASE THE CAPACITY TO FILE RETURNS ELECTRONICALLY; 3) HEIGHTEN QUALITY CONTROL; 4) ENHANCE TRAINING OF VOLUNTEERS; AND 5) SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE THE ACCURACY RATE OF RETURNS PREPARED AT VITA SITES. END GOAL/EXPECTED OUTCOMES: VITA GRANT RECIPIENTS ARE EXPECTED TO 1) FOLLOW EXISTING GUIDANCE GOVERNING VITA SITE OPERATIONS; 2) ENSURE AT LEAST 90% OF RETURNS PREPARED ARE FOR INDIVIDUALS WHOSE INCOME IS EQUAL TO OR LESS THAN THE MAXIMUM EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (EITC) THRESHOLDS; 2) FILE ALL ELIGIBLE RETURNS ELECTRONICALLY; 3) ACHIEVE 100% OF THEIR RETURN PRODUCTION GOALS; 4) BECOME MORE EFFICIENT WITH GRANT FUNDS; AND 5) SHOW INCREMENTAL INCREASES IN RETURN PREPARATION EACH YEAR. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: TAXPAYERS WHO ARE LOW TO MODERATE INCOME INDIVIDUALS, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES, THOSE FOR WHOM ENGLISH IS A SECOND LANGUAGE, NATIVE AMERICANS, INDIVIDUALS LIVING IN RURAL AREAS, MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND THE ELDERLY. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: SUBRECIPIENTS MAY BE UTILIZED BY GRANT RECIPIENTS TO HELP DELIVER KEY ELEMENTS OF THE PROGRAM AND MUST ADHERE TO GRANT PROGRAM GUIDELINES. BROADBAND: SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES RELATING TO BROADBAND USAGE ARE NOT KNOWN AT THE TIME OF AWARD.

MIDTOWN PARTNERS, INC. (MPI) PROPOSES TO ENGAGE 80 VOLUNTEERS WHO WILL DEVELOP, PROMOTE AND CARRY OUT A WEEK-LONG FOOD DRIVE THAT WILL RE-STOCK THE PANTRY OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN CENTER, A SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATION ALSO SERVING THE MIDTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD. THE DAY OF SERVICE ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THE WEEK OF JANUARY 13 -18 WITH FOOD DRIVES BEING HELD AT 6 COMMUNITY BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS AND 2 MAJOR GROCERY OUTLETS IN JACKSON, MS. ON THE EVENING OF FRIDAY JANUARY 17, A YOUTH COMMUNITY DIALOGUE WILL BE HELD SO THAT LOCAL YOUTH CAN LEND THEIR VOICE ON HOW SERVICE TO COMMUNITY CAN HELP ADDRESS ISSUES OF POVERTY AND MOBILITY. ON THE MLK DAY OF SERVICE, JANUARY 20, VOLUNTEERS WILL ASSEMBLE AT THE GOOD SAMARITAN CENTER (GSC) TO CLEAN, ORGANIZE, AND INSTALL NEW SHELVING FOR THE FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND RE-STOCK THE PANTRY WITH NEEDED ITEMS. VOLUNTEERS WILL ALSO CANVAS THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO PASS OUT FLYERS HIGHLIGHTING THE SERVICES AVAILABLE AT GSC AND MPI. THIS PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON THE CNCS FOCUS AREA OF TRAINING VOLUNTEERS WHO MAKE A COMMITMENT FOR FUTURE SERVICE. FOR MLK, THE CNCS INVESTMENT OF $8,970 WILL BE MATCHED WITH $42,180 IN IN-KIND FUNDING FROM MPI AND $14,578 IN FAIR MARKET VALUE OF VOLUNTEER HOURS PROVIDED BY THE LADYBUG CLUB.

MIDTOWN PUBLIC - PRIMARY CAMPUS