Taking the Driver’s Seat: Betty Daniels on Parent Peer Support
For Betty Daniels, parent peer support begins with lived experience. A mother of four who also raised her oldest granddaughter, Daniels knows what it is like to have a child…
The Nollie Jenkins Family Center Builds on a Legacy of Advocacy for Children
For Ellen Reddy, the work of making children feel safe and valued began long before there was a Nollie Jenkins Family Center or a Mississippi Coalition to End Corporal Punishment.…
Meta settlement… How will we use it to help our children?
As you may be aware, Mississippi is set to receive almost $190 million over 10 years of the $17 billion Meta settlement from lawsuits that accused the company (which owns…
Living With Grief: How Grant Me Justice Walks Alongside Families After Homicide
When Felecia Marshall lost her daughter Lexi to homicide, she didn't know her grief would eventually connect her with other families facing the same devastating loss. What began as a…
Walking Beside Families: The Power of Parent Peer Support
Parent peer support is built on a simple but powerful idea: Families facing challenges can benefit from someone who has traveled a similar path. In a recent Families as Allies…
‘I Voice My Opinion to Support My Child’: LaRonda Langston’s Journey as a Parent and Advocate
When LaRonda Langston adopted her three children, she knew they needed stability and someone committed to helping them grow. What she didn't realize then was how much she would have…
Terrence Hibbert: I’m Honored to Join Families as Allies
I am incredibly honored (and daunted!) to step into the role of Executive Director of Families as Allies. Although I come to this role as with relevant professional experience, it…
Board Chair Stacey Spiehler: ‘Welcome Terrence Hibbert’
by Stacey Spiehler When my dear friend Joy first approached me about her retirement, and I realized it was on me to find a new executive director, I immediately felt…
Joy Hogge: ‘Go Forth and Conquer’
So many thoughts are going through my mind as I write this, my last blog post in my full-time role as executive director of Families as Allies. Even more feelings…
Coordinator of Mental Health Accessibility Releases Report on IDD Services
The Mississippi Legislature created the Coordinator of Mental Health Accessibility position in 2020, tasked with these duties: To perform a comprehensive review of Mississippi's mental health system. To analyze and…