Taste Of Mississippi 2014 Revue By Michelle Bingham

Faith meeting needs in our communityA Newsletter of Stewpot Community Services2014Taste of Mississippi 2014 RevueWe have wrapped up this year’s Taste of Mississippi fundraiserand counting it as a great Success! While our final numbers are notin yet, I suspect we met our fundraising goal of 100,000. We were alittle worried about Monday night’s event because of all the rain thathad been drenching the area in the days prior to the event. But, theweather couldn’t have favored us more. It was Be-You-tiful, thanksto the weather gods. I have been chairing the Taste of Mississippi for6 years now and have had the privilege to work with some first classpeople. The committee of volunteers work so very hard to put on anevent that is sure to please each and every one who attends. I wantto take the time to thank all the worker-bees who made this successpossible. First, would be my event co-chair Sam Pooley, who has beensupportive, always available to listen and protective of the integrity ofTaste of Mississippi. Secondly, thank you to all of the committee chairswho worked so hard for several months to make sure the venue wasset up for the night of the event, the restaurants got invited and signedup, the auction items were pleasing to the eyes of our buyers, and thebeverages were secured for the big night. Third, the volunteers who“man” the ticket gates, silent auction area, restaurant check- in, anddrawdown tickets tables; I “Thank You!” Highland Village is alwaysthe perfect host for our event; Thank you! The staff is so accommodating to Stewpot for this great cause. As always, we have to have securityfor such a large event and so we are grateful to Sherriff Tyrone Lewisand the Hinds County Sheriff ’s Department and Commander JamesMcGowan and Jackson Police Department for making our guests feelsafe throughout the night. I want to thank to the enduring customerswho frequent Highland Village and all the merchants who are patientwith us as we were busy setting up during their normal hours of operations. Finally to Jeff Good and his business partner Dan Blumenthal,a special “Thanks” for allowing the Committee and the Judges to useBRAVO! as a command center for the event.To all of the restaurants and beverage vendors that participate inthis event, whether this is your first time or you participate annually,please know that you are helping us to provide services to 650 differentclients each and every day. We appreciate your commitment to thisfundraiser because without you there would be no taste in Taste ofMississippi. So please know you are all “Winners” in our eyes! This yearit was very hard to choose the Best in each category because the caliberof entrants was so great. But somehow the 30 volunteer judges, whohelp us, did their best and scored the restaurants using their expert palates. Best Entrée winner was The Holy Smokers of St. Andrew’s. TheBy Michelle BinghamBest Appetizer was a tie! Table 100 and Jackson Convention Complex.Also, there was tie for Best Dessert: That Special Touch and Amerigo.And finally, for the third year in a row, Best Presentation was won bythe Holy Smokers of St. Andrews.And my “Biggest Thank You” goes out to our Sponsors who help usbring this fundraising event together. You make the difference! Yourdedication to our mission speaks volumes to your company’s character.It’s not always the popular decision to support the “Lest of These” butyou are standing in unity with Stewpot and letting your communityknow that you are doing what is needed to alleviate hunger and homelessness in “OUR” community. Please know that all monies raisedfrom this fundraiser goes directly back into helping the 650 clients weserve each and every day.Thanks again and we hope that we can count on you all for Taste ofMississippi 2015. Our mission is not complete!DIRECTOR’SCORNERBy: Rev. Frank SpencerThe 2014 Taste of Mississippi was a great Success! Our income this year is right at 100,000.00. I want to thanks allthose who made the success possible. First, would be the eventchairs Sam Pooley, and Michelle Bingham and then all thecommittee chairs who worked so hard for several months tomake sure we have the site, the restaurants, the silent auctionitems, the tables and the beverages ready for the big night.Then of course, we need to thank Highland Village and itsnew majority owner Whole Foods for the great venue, it is justperfect for the event. The other volunteers are critical to theevent’s success. They staff the entrance, the various table andbooths, judge the food and count the votes. Then there are thevolunteers that provide the entertainment Pryor Graeber and

CongratulationsWINNING RESTAURANTSBest Entrée’: The Holy Smoker’sBest Presentation: The Holy Smoker’sBest Dessert: Amerigo/ That Special TouchBest Appetizer: Table 100/ The Jackson Convention ComplexThanks to all the Restaurants that participated and we look forward to your support in Taste of Mississippi 2015.THANK YOU, THANK YOU,THANK YOU!We just want to express our sincere gratitude to allwho came out to the Open House for our New Kitchen/Dining Room area. Our space for the noon-time meal isfully functional and serving our clients daily. However,we still have work to do. We want to complete the Chapeland the Food Pantry so that our daily facilities, used byour clients, are fully handicap assessible.If you would like to help us complete the renovation ofthe Food Pantry and Chapel spaces, please contact Rev.Frank Spencer at 601-353-2759 ext. 17.DIRECTOR’S CORNER continuedthe Tombstones and Hunter Gibson and the Gators. There, of course, has to besecurity for such a large event and so we are grateful to Sherriff Lewis and his reserve deputies for providing us excellent security. Finally,thanks to the patient merchants at Highland Village especially to Jeff Good and his business partner Dan Blumenthal for allowing theCommittee and the Judges to use Bravo’s as a headquarters for the event.

DESPITE SHOWERS,THE HUMAN SPIRIT PREVAILSBY: HEATHER IVERYWe have all heard this little saying since we were kids. As a child I looked forward to playing in the rain and splashingin the puddles left after the rain. Little thought was given to the mess I would make of my clothes or how I would get dry.I knew I could change when I went back in the house. The worst that could happen would be getting in trouble for tracking up the floor with my wet, muddy feet. As I got older, getting wet was not quite as exciting. If I have to get out duringa rain shower, I arm myself with an umbrella and make a mad dash from the car to the closest entrance to wherever I amheaded. Sometimes I go so far as to postpone or settle for being late in order to wait out the rain.Th is April, the showers have been more like storms, coming and going quickly and violently. Last week, one like thesecame while I was at Opportunity Center. Dark clouds had been hanging around all morning and just as several peoplewere getting ready to walk the 1 ½ blocks to Stewpot to attend chapel service before lunch, a rush of rain started to fall.A small crowd of guys huddled under the awning over the smoking area and discussed their options. It was a unanimousdecision to wait it out. Lunch wasn’t going to be served for another 30 minutes and surely the shower would be overby then. But as the minutes ticked by, the rain didn’t stop, and actually got stronger. By now, even the awning was notenough to keep the driving rain off.Inside the Center, there was an internal struggle going on in the minds of the 45 or so people there: Do I miss lunch ordo I get soaked. About then, the front door swung open and a soaking wet, fl ip flop wearing young girl rushed in holdingher bag of belongings close to her chest. She had just gotten off the bus and had to run about half a block in the rain to getthe Center. The pool of water forming around her on the floor showed that she was soaked to the bone. That pretty muchmade up everyone else mind to stay put. The focus now became getting this poor girl dry. The cool air in the buildingalready had her shivering, and she was wearing the only pair of clothes she had. A quick announcement over the intercomand she soon had some dry sweats, socks, and t-shirt to change into while her clothes were being dried.I thought back to those days when I played in the rain and even to the last time I made a mad dash from the car tothe office and was upset I had forgotten the umbrella. Something as simple as rain may have inconvenienced my day fora few minutes, but it had never caused me to miss a meal. It may have delayed my plans for a while, but eventually I wasgoing to get where I needed to be.The homeless live in constant disaster mode, but despite the hardships, the human spirit still prevails.

Stewpot Community Services, Inc.After SchoolIN ACTION1100 West Capitol Street,Jackson, MS 39203Phone: 601-353-2759Fax: 601-353-7071E-mail: www.stewpot.orgBoard of DirectorsRead Across America A SuccessBy: Shamberi HortonStewpot afterschool AmeriCorps members helped the students celebrate“Read Across America Day.” Read Across America Day is a national holidayaround the United States. During this day our AmeriCorps members soughtout individuals from within our community to come and read to the children. We celebrated this day in remembrance of Dr. Seuss who is knownfor his children’s books. The children celebrated with festive decorations,coloring worksheets of Dr. Seuss’ books, cake and ice cream, and storytellingfrom our volunteers from around the area. The excitement was felt throughout the room and the kids loved to hear the rhyming within the stories. Thevolunteers read with such enthusiasm which grabbed the student’s attention.It was a great success!Charles Parrott, PresidentHolmes Adams, President EmeritusJane-Anna Barksdale, Vice-PresidentAmy Brooks, TreasurerBarbara Brunini, SecretarySheldon AlstonGlen BreedloveBennie ButtsDonna OrkinBeth OrlanskyTon RietveltSister Trinita EddingtonRev. Steve BurtonRev. Tommie BrownRev. James DonaldRev. Ricky JamesRev. Edward O’ConnerRev. Linda SmithRev. Mark WilliamsonStewpot Staff MembersRev. Frank Spencer: Executive Directorfspencer@stewpot.orgMary Thompson: Women’s Servicesmthompson@stewpot.orgBELIEVE IN STEWPOT’S MINISTRYTO FEED THE HUNGRY ANDSHELTER THE HOMELESS?THEN CONSIDER A DONATION THROUGH YOURACCOUNT AT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OFWilbert Logan: Billy Brumfield Shelterwlogan@stewpot.orgYolanda Kirkland: Teen’s Servicesykirkland@stewpot.orgStephanie Echols: Food Servicessechols@stewpot.orgTara Lindsey: Volunteer Services,tlindsey@stewpot.orgRhonda Tomlin: Executive Assistantrtomlin@stewpot.orgGREATER JACKSON OR EXTEND YOUR SUPPORT EVENMichelle Bingham: Director, SpecialEvents, mbingham@stewpot.orgBEYOND THE END OF YOUR LIFE BY DESIGNATING ASherry Spiller: Director, Accountingsspille@stewpot.org% OF YOUR ESTATE TO STEWPOT. A SMALL % OF YOURESTATE MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE TO THE HOMELESSAND/OR IMPOVERISHED CLIENTS OF STEWPOT.Heather Ivery: Director, BusinessAdministrations, hivery@stewpot.orgShamberi Horton: Director, ChildrenServices, shorton@stewpot.orgChristie Burnett: Director, OpportunityCenter, cburnett@stewpot.org