Educators propose meal program

Fred Holland and Bobby Sims with H.W. Byers School met with the board of supervisors May 19 seeking to build a summer meals program for children. They said the program was talked about at the Amplify Cell Technologies meet and greet program.

The YMCA provides 35,000 meals in Memphis and the educators said they want to line up a program with the Y Care to feed children in Marshall County this summer.

District 1 supervisor Charles Terry said there is no YMCA affiliated with the county.

Sims said the county school district is starting Y Care at the school.

“It’s something we can look into,” Holland said. “And now a person wants to bring the YMCA summer program into the county.”

He said a voting precinct or community center could be used to distribute the food which would be brought in on a bus and distributed.

“We have to get it set up here first,” Terry said.

Holland said there are two different programs he is talking about.

“YMCA is not feeding kids through YMCA but Amplify (Cell Technologies) is feeding in Memphis,” Terry said. “A lady from Potts Camp wants to set up a YMCA here first. We will need a memorandum of understanding for YMCA.”

Sims said they are just recommending facilities where the YMCA can distribute meals.

Marshall County Industrial Development Authority executive director Justin Hall said he is communicating with the regional YMCA coordinator that is providing meals in Tennessee and North Mississippi.

“They are feeding out of mobile buses,” Hall said. “When we heard, we said we need to be feeding Marshall County kids, too. They would deliver meals on buses.”

“We probably need an MOU first to get lunch for children,” said District 4 supervisor George Zinn III. “We wouldn't want to stand in the way. Kids are heavily dependent on programs for food.”

Holland said a few sites should be tested first to see what works. The Mt. Pleasant community center could be used. A list of buildings could be developed.

“I think it's a great program,” Terry said.

“It would be a location to bring buses to,” Holland said.

“Mobile buses pulling up and handing them out and leave,” Hall said.

“Basically, it's what we did in COVID, passing out meals,” Terry said.

“We'll need to explore it and see,” said board attorney Amanda Whaley Smith. “I'll work with Justin.” “They are talking about two distributions a month,” Holland said.

“Would the Fairgrounds be an acceptable site?” Zinn asked.

“I think the Fairgrounds is an excellent location,” Terry said. “With the Fairgrounds, the city can come as well, as opposed to Mt. Pleasant.”

District 5 supervisor Ronnie O'Neil Bennett made a motion and Zinn seconded to have Smith look into the MOU.

“We need to use the (Fairgrounds) facility as much as we can,” Bennett said.

“We are presenting the idea today,” Holland said. “She (an Amplify representative) will come to the board and make her own presentation.”

Bennett said he has driven a school bus.

“Children depend on cafeteria food,” he said. “People who have never driven a bus route never know what these babies go through. They are our future.”

Changing subjects, Sims said he has spoken with environmentalist Mitch Robinson about developing an ecological program at the Fairgrounds.

“I want to invite him to make a presentation,” Sims said.

“There are some grants, if we follow some guidelines, to help develop the Fairgrounds,” Holland said.

In other matters, tax assessor Barbara Belfoure brought several parcels before the board for corrections in the tax rolls.