Ryan Kelly presided over the meeting and provided the opening prayer. Stew Dean led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Ryan led the club in the Four Way Test. The meeting was held at the Mugshots Bar and Grill in Hattiesburg.
Stew Deen then conducted the 50/50 raffle. There was no winner today, so the pot rolls over. Stew reported that Dr. Joe Paul has been named the University of Southern Mississippi president.
Annie Jackson then introduced today’s guest speaker, Yolanda Wooten. She is the statewide director of the LINK program with Canopy Children’s Solutions. LINK coordinates services for children, adolescents, and their families. Also attending the meeting was Gloria Sims, a staff member of Canopy.
Canopy has been in existence for the past 110 years. They operate statewide working out of nine satellite centers across the state. The program has served more than 3,000 families thus far this year and has served more than 70,000 families since it has been in existence. The LINK program links these families to free services and provides them with advocacy and navigation. Their goal is to get the families to a place where they can resolve their specific problems once LINK moves out.
The services they offer include, education, housing, utility payments, transportation, free parenting classes, clothing, medical assistance, suicide prevention, substance abuse, domestic violence, and family reunification. Services are available for up to one year for families with children under the age of twenty-one.
Churches are a big supporter of Canopy, and they work closely with youth court judges. The program is funded by a federal grant through the Department of Human Services. If you know a family that is in need of their services, please call 800-388-6247.
There being no further business to come before the club, Mallory thanked Rebecca for her remarks and then adjourned the meeting with our motto: “Service Above Self.”