Home & Family

Jackson, MS – (April 2, 2015) – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), through its Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) grant program, awarded AARP Foundation a grant of $3.3 million, with an additional $1 million coming from UnitedHealthcare, to implement a multi-year $6.6 million incentive program in Mississippi and Tennessee to increase the purchase and consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. The goal of this program is to increase the purchase and consumption of fruits and vegetables and to improve nutrition and health outcomes for low-income consumers.

(Jackson, MS) – AARP Mississippi thanks all members of the Mississippi House and Senate for unanimously passing The Caregiver Act (SB 2108) today. The Caregiver Act will help 800,000 Mississippi family caregivers who are taking care of loved ones. The bill now goes to Governor Bryant to sign.

(This story is by Margie Culbertson, an AARP Mississippi volunteer and freelance writer. Her photo is on the left.)

In Mississippi, thousands of family caregivers take care of their loved ones at home. When parents, spouses, or other loved ones go into the hospital, family caregivers can feel confused, rushed, left out, or unprepared to provide the best care when they return home. The Caregiver Act (SB 2108) is a commonsense solution that can make an incredible difference for 800,000 Mississippi residents who serve as caregivers at any time during the year. Family caregivers help their loved ones live independently at home – keeping them out of costly institutions, such as nursing homes.

(This story is by Margie Culbertson, an AARP Mississippi volunteer and freelance writer. Her photo is on the left.)

(This story is by Margie Culbertson, an AARP Mississippi volunteer and freelance writer. Her photo is on the left.)

The AARP Mound Bayou chapter in the Delta has made a commitment to building a healthier and safe community. After a series of community conversations, AARP Mississippi facilitated a workshop called Active Living In a Health Community last year.

About 40 Tupelo residents, including two City Council people and Mississippi Department of Transportation staff, discussed the benefits that a community transportation system would bring to the city. They discussed how community transportation would increase commerce by moving people to jobs and shopping areas.

AARP Mississippi recently conducted an Active Living Workshop in Clarksdale to engage residents in a conversation about making the city more livable. AARP brought in Dan Burden, nationally renowned civic innovator, to facilitate the conversation and assess the city’s walkability during a tour.

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