Public Policy Blog
September is National College Savings Month!
National College Savings Month is big news around Southern because we understand the close relationship between education and family economic security. In fact, one of Southern’s primary goals is to increase educational opportunities within the communities we serve....
Health exchange payment options now available for unbanked Arkansans and Mississippians
In May 2013, Jackson Hewitt released a report showing nearly 8 million uninsured Americans who qualified for health insurance premium payment assistance would be unable to do so because they are unbanked, meaning they do not have a checking or savings account. Of...
Is economic mobility affected by one’s hometown?
Last month, a New York Times article, “In Climbing the Income Ladder, Location Matters,” examined income mobility within the United States. Based on this study, where a child grows up matters, which means achieving the American Dream is an uphill battle from the...
Is health insurance coverage out of reach for the unbanked in Arkansas and Mississippi?
As state and federal officials prepare for the October 1, 2013 enrollment date of the Affordable Care Act, unbanked and uninsured residents within Southern Bancorp Community Partners’ targeted areas of Arkansas and Mississippi, as well as the rest of the country, may...
Farm Bill Cuts + Asset Limits = Raw Deal for SNAP Recipients
For 40 years, farm programs and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as food stamps) have been moved and reauthorized as a single piece of legislation. However, as of this week the bills are now split, with the U.S. House passing a...
Measuring our impact – How Southern evaluates community development projects
Measuring a community development project's performance is critical to its success, and Southern Bancorp Community Partners developed a social metrics program to do just that. Click here to read more about how we are measuring improvements and defining success.