Category: Public Policy Blog
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VITA season is here!
Today, Southern celebrates and kicks off its 10th year of administering the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, which offers free tax preparation for income eligible individuals and…
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Southern Bancorp Kicks Off 10th Year of Free Tax Filing Service
Southern Bancorp kicks off its 10th year of offering free tax filing services for income eligible individuals and families in Arkansas and Mississippi on Tuesday, January 21st. The…
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Introducing a Prize-Linked Savings Program to Arkansas
During the 2013 regular session of the Arkansas General Assembly, Sen. Robert Thompson introduced the “Arkansas Prize-Linked Savings Account Act of 2013” (SB 119) to establish a prize-linked…
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What’s going on with the farm bill?
Due to the recent federal government shutdown, the farm bill was placed on the backburner until now. Legislators will convene again tomorrow to discuss and write a final…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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,…