Mississippi County Unites Behind 100 Families Initiative

Mississippi County has officially launched the 100 Families Initiative—a collaborative effort aimed at helping families move from crisis to stability and on to lasting careers. The celebration, held at Arkansas Northeastern College, brought together local leaders, service providers, and community members who are united in one mission: transforming the lives of families in need.

The event marked a powerful milestone for the county, highlighting a growing network of organizations working side-by-side to provide housing, job training, transportation, childcare, and other critical support that families need to thrive.

Dr. Christopher Heigle, President of Arkansas Northeastern College, welcomed community members to the event. The college is playing a large part in supporting the initiative.

Paul Chapman, Executive Director of Restore Hope, the organization leading the 100 Families Initiative, highlighted a stark reality: a child’s future can look dramatically different depending solely on where they’re born or where they live.

“There are wildly different predictive outcomes,” Chapman explained. He emphasized that Restore Hope is striving to change this disparity by connecting families to the resources and relationships they need to move from crisis to stability and on to lasting success.

"At the end of the day, if you've been in this for long enough, you know not one organization or agency's going to be able to change the situation," he added. "A single organization can't educate and do substance abuse training and mental health and job training. It's going to take collaboration, and collective impact is the method that is proven to show real results.

Collective impact is a structured approach to solving complex social problems by bringing together organizations from different sectors to work toward a shared goal. Instead of working in silos, nonprofits, government agencies, schools, businesses, and faith-based groups align their efforts around a common agenda, use shared data to measure progress, and coordinate their actions through continuous communication. For the 100 Families Initiative, data that measure progress comes from a collaborative case management system that service providers in a community use, called HopeHub. Continuous communication happens at regularly-scheduled, monthly meetings of service providers and community leaders, called alliance meetings.

A backbone organization typically guides this collaboration, ensuring that all partners stay focused and accountable. Through collective impact, communities can address root causes—like poverty, incarceration, and lack of access to healthcare—with solutions that are more coordinated, efficient, and sustainable.

"To know if we're really changing the outcomes for people, we've got to have the connection to existing community resources. We have to be able to talk easier than telephone and e-mail. It has to be a collaborative so that we can move our collaboration to execution, as if we all worked for the same organization," said Chapman.

LaRay White, VP of Community and Business Development at Farmer’s Bank, spoke about the need to improve financial literacy in the community to break cycles of poverty. She said that when people have financial skills, it helps them avoid mistakes.

"I was the perfect example of that," she said. "I didn't have money growing up. We didn't talk about money. I went out on my own and didn't know a thing and made all the financial mistakes that someone could probably make."

She said predatory lending is a significant problem in low-income communities. "When a family becomes financially literate, they can recognize predatory lending practices and do not fall prey to them. We also teach families important skills like saving for emergencies. We provide tools to help them break that cycle of poverty. They will better understand how a bank works, what a credit score is and why it's important, how to fill out paperwork for a loan, and what it means to be a homeowner."

White said financial skills allow parents to set a positive example for their children and change the trajectory of their children's lives. "When you teach your kids the importance of money, you have the power to change their life. We strive to help parents be good role models."

Scott Burcham, Clinical Supervisor of Families, Inc. Counseling Services, said families continue to face stressors that leave them feeling beaten down, leaving them vulnerable.

"Any of us could, by this time next year, say they're in a very different situation and need the kind of help that comes from my clinic," he said.

Burcham works with people of all ages and in various types of situation, from children who are having behavioral difficulties to adults working through grief.

"We have a lot of traumatic stress disorder that's passed from one generation to the next and that proves to be challenging," he emphasized.

Burcham added that the 100 Families Initiative surveyed the community to see what resources are available to help families in need, he realized that there are far more resources available than he thought.

"We are sitting in an agriculturally rich area that feeds the world. I'm confident that we can make other changes, put this place on the map for being an area of change, and further enhance this awesome work that is being done."

Nicole Eskin, Director of Acts of Hope, shared how her organization walks alongside women navigating unplanned pregnancies by providing essential resources and support. From parenting classes to practical supplies like diapers and formula, Acts of Hope equips families with what they need to care for their children and themselves.

Parents who attend classes earn points that can be redeemed for clothing and other necessities. The classes go beyond parenting basics—they teach vital life skills, including financial literacy, to help families build a stronger foundation for the future.

Eskin knows firsthand how life-changing this kind of support can be. She became a mother at just 16 years old.

“I wish that we would have had some hope in our life at that time. It was hard,” she revealed.

In addition to pregnancy support, Acts of Hope offers free pregnancy testing, grief support for mothers who have lost a child, and a fatherhood program that gives men a safe, supportive environment to share their concerns and challenges.

Through every service, Eskin and her team deliver one consistent message: you’re not alone—and there is hope.

"By investing in people to transform their lives, we are building stronger and separate communities throughout Arkansas. Keep in mind the importance of supporting one another as we continue on this journey," said Mississippi County Judge John Alan Nelson.

"Whether you're here as a volunteer, a partner, or someone who believes in giving a second chance, you play a crucial role in this effort. Together, we can create a a future where fewer individuals fall through the cracks and where families are strengthened and have hope for the future," he added.

Nina Watson, Project Coordinator for Healing in the Hood, shared how her organization is making a difference in the lives of families—particularly those impacted by violent crime.

She recounted the story of a single mother of eight who was in urgent need of support. Thanks to the power of community collaboration, she said, they were able to quickly secure SNAP benefits and Medicaid services for the family.

"It is such a wonderful privilege to see so many in our community come together. That shows the commitment we have," said Dr. Blanche Hunt, AVP of Community Relations at Arkansas Northeastern College.

Flossie Lane of Arkansas Northeastern College will serve as the coordinator for the 100 Families Initiative of Mississippi County. The 100 Families Initiative currently operates in twenty-one locations. Each alliance is managed by a coordinator within a local backbone organization.