Lifting Communities. Changing Lives.

Latest news.

Updates, announcements, and stories about the work helping people and communities move forward.

Minimum Wage Increase

Southern's policy team helped increase the state minimum wage in Arkansas by 21% in 2006.

Payday Lending

On March 18, 2008, Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel ordered payday lenders licensed and regulated in Arkansas to stop making loans and forgive all outstanding loans.

Drew, Mississippi

Southern provided grant funding to renovate the dying Main Street in Drew, MS.

Helena Health Foundation

Southern worked with several partners to finance and build a $4.5 million health and wellness facility.

Biodiesel Facility

Residents identified the formation of biodiesel industry as a goal in the Phillips County Strategic Community Plan; however, they were unsure how to attract the industry to Phillips...

Cherry Street Roofing Project

Helena’s old Main Street buildings were in danger of collapse. Southern provided the $30,000 matching grant for a $500,000 building stabilization effort on historic Cherry Street.

Southern Place Apartments

Southern Place is a $1.5 million low-income housing development of 20 apartments nestled around a large outdoor common area with a gazebo, flower gardens, and picnic areas.

KIPP Delta College Preparatory School

Southern provided $1.4 million in financing along with $400,000 in grants from the Walton Family Foundation to support the KIPP charter school in Helena.

Brianna Jones

The Jones family enrolled in the Asset Builders program June 2005 to save for an addition to their home.