Families as Allies

Hill Day at Home
2022-06-08 13:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago)
Our nation’s mental health and substance use crises transcend party lines. The Biden administration has unveiled a strategy to address the mental health crisis. There’s been a clear uptick in bipartisan Congressional hearings focused on bolstering the capacity of our nation’s mental health care and substance use treatment system.
Have no doubt: We have momentum. Our elected officials are paying attention!
On Wednesday, June 8th, let’s demonstrate the power of our unified voice and demand action in support of key mental health and substance use policies, programs and organizations.
Register here >>
Join your peers across the country for the largest virtual advocacy event of its kind. You’ll hear from policy experts, get key legislative updates and raise the volume on critical issues throughout our field –from the comfort of your office or home!

This is your chance to: Advocate in real-time for mental health and substance use treatment issues that matter to you.
Hear from policy leaders on the latest developments from Capitol Hill.
Gain new insight into the Biden administration’s mental health care agenda.
Discover new solutions and strategies for maximizing your advocacy, including tips for getting a meeting with your lawmaker and making that time count.

Hill Day at Home is a virtual learning event and a rallying cry! It’s your chance to raise awareness about key legislation and urge lawmakers to invest in critical mental health and substance use care funding.
Are you ready to seize the moment? Don’t miss your opportunity to raise your voice, be inspired and make a mark on a national scale, all from your home office, workplace or favorite coffee shop.

Youth Leadership Camp presented by CT3
2022-06-13 - 2022-06-17
Join the Mississippi Families for Kids for our Youth Leadership Camp full of fun and growth opportunities for students age 12-19! Sessions will enhance students’ ability to assess real-life situations and learn to make positive choices.
Sessions include discussions on:
Healthy Relationships
Physical/ Mental Health
Cultural Competency
Community Service
Future Planning
Self-Discipline
Financial Management

Registration is limited, so sign up now!

Register here >>
When: June 13-17 8am-5pm

2022 "Dash 'N Splash"
2022-07-02 09:00
Brain Injury Association of Mississippi
United Spinal Association – MS Chapter
5K Run, Walk & Roll, 1-Mile Fun Run After the Race, lots of WATERMELON, WATER SLIDES AND A GIANT WATER BALLOON BASH! Bring your family and your lawn chairs.
The first 300 people to register will receive a cool Race T-Shirt!
Register here >>

Oxford Diaper Bank
2022-07-30 09:00 - 13:00
Free Diaper Giveaway
Do you know a family in need of diapers for their baby? The Oxford Diaper Bank is giving away FREE diapers, sizes NB-4T/5T.
Saturday, July 30
9am-1pm
Oxford Armory Pavilion

Chasing Awareness Cornhole and 3v3 Soccer Event
2022-09-10 13:00 - 17:00 | Jackson Futbol Club
Join Jackson Futbol Club for their first Mississippi Chasing Awareness event to help raise funds for Suicide Prevention.
All proceeds will go to MATES – Mississippi Alliance to End Suicide.
Cornhole games, 3v3 soccer games, and prizes to raffle off. There will be food trucks there as well.
In memory of Chase Lanke and all the others who have lost their life due to suicide.

Caregiver / Parent Peer Support Specialist Training Graduation
2022-09-16 13:00 - 13:30
We invite families, providers, state agencies, current parent peer supporters and those interested in learning about parent peer supporters to join in the celebration.
Register here >>

Special Education Boot Camp - Corinth
2022-09-17 09:30 - 12:45 | Corinth Public Library, 1023 Fillmore Street, Corinth, MS, United States
Mississippi Parent Training and Information Center
You don’t want to miss this upcoming Special Education Boot Camp on Saturday, September 17 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the Corinth Public Library. Topics will include advocacy, communication/documentation, conflict resolutions, and IEPs. Registration is not required but is preferred so we’ll know how many to plan for.
Breakfast will be served!
For more information, call Melissa Essary at (662) 660-3015 or email Leslie Junkin at leslie@mspti.org.
Register here >>

ABLE Town Hall Meeting
2022-09-20 12:00 - 13:00 | First Baptist Church of Madison, 2100 Main St., Madison, MS, 39110, United States
Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services
Come learn about ABLE accounts. ABLE accounts allow those with disabilities to save money without affecting or canceling their much-needed government benefits. Free to the public.

For more information:
https://www.mdrs.ms.gov/Pages/able-act.aspx

Friends and Family Meditation & Yoga Training
2022-09-22 17:00
NFusion Metro Hand and Hand

Friends and Family Meditation & Yoga Training. The event kicks off at 5pm and will be located in the Large conference room of Hinds Behavioral Health Services, 3450 HWY 80 Jackson, MS 39204.

The Event has special guest hosts:
Instructor, Diamond Q. Rodgers

Holistic Practitioner, Sol’Angela Taylor Holifield.

Participants should come ready to STRETCH. individuals can bring towels, blankets, or mats to practice the yoga exercises.

Meditation training will help unwind your mind to help you return home relaxed and refreshed. Our event host will provide you with new tools for dealing with stress, anxiety, and problems. She will also help you to overcome negative states of mind such as anger and jealousy and to cultivate positive minds such as patience and love.

This event is open to ALL ages.

For more information call, 769-233-7429.

Start Smart for Your Baby® Shower and Community Health Fair
2022-09-23 10:00 - 13:00 | Tunica County Health and Wellness Center, 1165 Abbay Dr., Tunica, 38676, United States
Magnolia Health Plan
You’re invited to attend a Start Smart for Your Baby® Shower and Community Health Fair. Participants will enjoy games, food, giveaways, flu shots, and COVID vaccines. Bring your insurance card.
For more information contact Magnolia Health 866-912-6285 (Relay 711).

Wendy’s Children’s Golf Classic Sponsorship
2022-10-05 11:30 | Lake Caroline Golf Club
Mississippi Families for Kids
Join Mississippi Families for Kids for a 4-man scramble, 18-hole golf tournament complete with food, drinks, prizes, and gifts benefiting MFFK’s child permanency efforts.
Team and individual registration and sponsorship opportunities are available. All purchases are tax-deductible.
Click the link below to register, sponsor or learn more.
https://mffk.org/eventsfundraisers/

Community Resource and Health Fair
2022-10-15 09:30 - 12:30
St. Luther M. B. Church

Coats/socks/non-perishable food giveaway
Free Workshops
– Medicare/Medicaid/Wills/Healthy Lives
COVID 19 vaccinations/boosters
35 + vendors
Kids Park for ages. 5 years & up

For more information contact: 601-750-8680.

Parent/Caregiver Peer Support Graduation
2022-11-18 12:45, 2023-03-24 13:00, 2023-07-21 12:30
Please join us in congratulating our newest class of parent peer support graduates. In addition to celebrating their accomplishments, this is a great opportunity to build the parent peer support community. We encourage friends and families of the graduates, as well as anyone who supports parent peer supporters or is interested in learning more about being a parent peer supporter, to attend.
Register here >>

NAMI Mississippi Holiday Hello 2022
2022-12-08 11:30 - 13:00 | NAMI Mississippi, 298 Commerce Park Dr. Suite C, Ridgeland, 39157, United States
NAMI Mississippi
NAMI Mississippi is inviting everyone to stop by and grab light snacks, or simply say “hello” and hear more about NAMI programs, and meet the staff, board members and volunteers.
Learn more here >>

Champions for Children Gala Raffle
2022-12-08 17:00
Mississippi Families for Kids
Are you feeling lucky?
Help Mississippi Families for Kids fundraise for 2023 services by purchasing Gala raffle tickets for a chance to win one of three amazing prizes!
Raffle tickets must be purchased online by 5 p.m. December 8th. If you are attending our Gala event, you can purchase raffle tickets in person until the drawing takes place at the end of the event.
Raffle tickets enter you into a drawing for:

House cleaning services from Home and Business Services and Property Management valued at $250
A Regions Cruiser Bike valued at $250
An Alaska cruise voucher for two on the Sapphire Princess departing from Anchorage on 7/5/23 provided by Pam Anderson- Cruise Planners valued at $2,750.

Once a winner is drawn for one item, they cannot win another item: no repeat winners.
Proceeds from the Champions For Children Gala benefit Mississippi Families for Kids a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible.
Purchase raffle tickets here >>
Thank you for your support.

Champions for Children Gala
2022-12-08 18:30 | Duling Hall, 622 Duling Ave., Jackson, MS, United States
Mississippi Families for Kids
Join Mississippi Families for Kids on December 8th at 6:30 for a gala to fundraise for permanency services for 2023!
Enjoy a night at Duling Hall in Jackson, MS filled with music, dinner, drinks, drawdown, and an online raffle. It will be a night of celebration!
Black tie attire encouraged.
Proceeds from the Champions For Children Gala benefit Mississippi Families for Kids a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Contributions are tax-deductible.
Purchase tickets here >>

The Power of Words
2022-12-10 13:00 - 15:00
Junior Auxiliary of Byram & Terry
Join the Junior Auxiliary of Byram & Terry’s family-friendly event for FREE developmental, behavioral, and autistic screenings on-site.
This informative event will have developmental, behavioral and autism screenings, sessions on childhood suicide awareness and other engaging and fun activities for all ages!

Parents who attend will have the opportunity to enter for the chance to win a $150 visa gift card!

Register today at https://bit.ly/PowerofWords2022.

Ninth Annual Families as Allies Community Partnership Celebration
2023-01-23 17:00 - 19:30 | Bravo! Italian Restaurant and Bar, 4500 Interstate 55 Frontage Rd, Highland Village Suite 244, Jackson, 39211, United States
We’ve rescheduled the Community Partnership Celebration—and we thank you for your patience and understanding of our need to reschedule our Ninth Annual CPC. If you already purchased tickets for the November 7 event, those tickets will be automatically transferred to this event.
Please join us at Bravo Italian Restaurant and Bar on Monday, January 2023, from 5:00 to 7:30 for our Ninth Annual Community Partnership Celebration to celebrate the work we do together and ensure that it continues. We hope you can join us, but if you cannot, please consider donating.
Monday, January 23, 2023
5:00 to 7:30 PM
Bravo! Italian Restaurant
Tickets are $50.00 each and sponsorships are available.
Register here >>

Disability Awareness Day
2023-03-02 08:00 - 12:00
Disability Awareness Day at the State Capitol gives people with disabilities and advocates a chance to talk with decision-makers who can preserve or expand services that make a critical difference in the lives of Mississippians with disabilities. Each year approximately 25 organizations participate in this event hosted annually by the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities. This year, our goal is to have participant visits to all state senators and representatives and/or their staff.
Disability Awareness Day not only helps to educate policymakers about the issues affecting our community but also shows solidarity within the disability community.

Invite others to come
Receive training prior to the event to learn how to advocate effectively, how to find your legislators and how to find and talk to them on the day of the event
Get information on proposed bills that will have an impact on people with disabilities and their families
Network and receive information
Visit your state senator and representative

There is no charge to attend but we ask that you register so we will have an idea of how many people to expect.
If you have questions, contact Brittany Greer at brittany@mspti.org or call (601) 969-0601
Schedule of Events
8:00am – 10:00am – Visits with Legislators
10:00am – Group photo in the Rotunda
10:30am – 12:00 noon – Visits with Legislators
Register here >>

2023 Virtual Mental Health and Wellness Day at the Capitol
2023-03-07 10:00 - 11:00
NAMI Mississippi

Due to venue restrictions, the Mental Health and Wellness Day at the Capitol will be held online Tuesday, March 7 from 10 – 11 a.m.
The program includes personal stories, speakers and other activities. Hosts include NAMI Mississippi, the Mental Health Association of South Mississippi, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health, Families As Allies, and the Association of Mississippi Peer Support Specialists (AMPSS).
You must RSVP to receive an email with the video conference link. For more information, call 601-899-9058 or email stateoffice@namims.org.

RSVP here >>

MECIC Statewide Autism Screening Day
2023-04-18 10:00 - 18:00
Mississippi Early Childhood Inclusion Center
MECIC is organizing a special statewide autism screening day on Tuesday, April 18, from 10 AM to 6 PM. This event is aimed at parents of children aged five years and under who suspect their child may have autism.
Parents can schedule appointments for this important event by calling 601-266-4745. MECIC’s autism screening day is a fantastic opportunity for parents to have their children screened and receive crucial information to address any concerns they may have about their child’s development.
Screenings are taking place at the Columbus-Lowndes, Public Library, North MS Child Care Resources and Referrals in Oxford, The R& R at 750 in Jackson, MECIC: R&R in Hattiesburg, MECIC: R&R in Gulfport and Pascagoula Public Library in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Love Out Loud
2023-04-22 10:00 - 14:00
Ever Reaching Community Outreach
The Ever Reaching Community Outreach (ERCO) is hosting Love Out Loud at Yogi on the Lake. The FREE event will take place on April 22, 2023, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
ERCO extends an invitation to stay for lunch. It will be provided at no charge.
Activities for participants include bounce houses, games, face-painting and more.
ERCO is a faith-based nonprofit that serves as a Mississippi Food Network food pantry; a donation center (with clothes, housewares, furniture and more); a network resource center working together with other ministries to meet needs; and a provider of hope-sharing the message of hope and faith in Jesus Christ. (James 1:22)
Contact 601-665-5720 or visit ERCO’s website at ERCO@everreaching.net for more information.

Virtual Black Family Symposium 2023
2023-05-04 09:00 - 12:00
Mississippi Families for Kids
Mississippi Families for Kids is proud to invite you to the upcoming virtual Black Family Symposium.
This symposium is a chance for our community to come together to discuss issues affecting the Black community, make changes collectively, and prepare for the fall Black Family Summit.
Change starts at home and evolves as we ensure children have a voice in the change process. The symposium will provide an opportunity for individuals and professionals to become educated and equipped to change our community for the better. We will also be celebrating National Black Family Day during the symposium.
Register here >>
The registration fee is $25 for professionals, $10 for the community, and free for students. Social workers receive 2 CEUs for attending from Jackson State University. If you are a student, please register and skip the payment step.
For more information about the Black Family Symposium, contact acampbell@mffk.org.

History of Children’s Mental Health Week
2023-05-08 12:00 - 13:00
Learn about how Children’s Mental Health Week was born!
Presenters: Barbara Huff, Founding Director of the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health and Barb Scheidegger, Executive Director Missouri Families 4 Families.
Click Here to Register>>

System of Care Summit 2023
2023-05-09 - 2023-05-11
National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health
The National Center for Training and Technical Assistance on Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health (NTTAC) is pleased to announce a no-cost System of Care Virtual Summit (SOC Summit) on May 9-11, 2023.
The SOC Summit is an opportunity for all children’s mental health partners to reunite, renew, and re-energize their efforts to support children and young people with behavioral health needs, as well as their families.
Our virtual doors are open to anyone who is invested in the mental health and wellness of children, youth, and families.
Register here >>

Self-Care Practice for Youth and Advocates for Youth with Messages of Hope in Recovery from Youth with Lived Experiences
2023-05-09 12:00 - 13:00
Hear about the importance of strategies and self-reflection tools that can be used for managing self-care. Youth and young adults with broad lived experiences will share inspiring, impactful, and empowering messages of how incorporating self-care practices into their daily lives have supported and enhanced their personal recovery journey.
Presenters: Youth MOVE National
Click Here to Register >>

Born to Be Wild: Family and Friends Picnic
2023-05-20 10:00 - 14:00 | Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, 2148 Riverside Drive, Jackson, MS, 39202
Presented by the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities and the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science: Come out a FUN-filled day celebrating individuals with disabilities, their families and friends. Enjoy a day free of judgment and full of support. Visit our “Resource Trail” and gather valuable information from agencies and advocacy groups. Everyone is welcome!
$7 Ticket Includes
* All-day access to Museum
* Lunch Provided
* Archery

* Creature Feature
* State of the Art Accessible Playground
* Corn Hole Fishing
* K-9 Demonstration

Register here >>

SPARK Autism Awareness Event
2023-09-17 12:30
SPARK (Simons Powering Autism Research) and CAY (Center for Advancement of Youth)
Saint John M. B. Church is pleased to announce an upcoming Autism Awareness Event. This event aims to raise awareness about autism and offer valuable information and resources to parents and communities.
Event Details:
Location:
Saint John M. B. Church
4895 Medgar Evers Drive @ Northside Drive
Date: September 17, 2023
Time: 12:30 PM
The event is a proactive step towards fostering understanding and inclusivity for individuals on the autism spectrum, and we welcome your participation.
For any inquiries or more information, please get in touch with Tamala Matthews at tamalamatthews@gmail.com or 601-214-9647.
Register here>>
