The Children's Foundation of Mississippi

06/17/2026

Experiencing poverty during childhood can disrupt all aspects of a child’s life, from their physical and mental health development to their performance in school. To learn more about the economic well-being of Mississippi’s children, download the newly released 2026 KIDS COUNT® Data Book from our partners at : https://bit.ly/26DataBook-FB

06/12/2026

06/11/2026

The 2026 KIDS COUNT® Data Book from highlights where states are making progress for children and where challenges remain across economic well-being, education, health and family/community factors.

This year’s enhanced KIDS COUNT index adds scores alongside rankings to better show how child well-being has changed over time since 2019. While many states have made gains in areas like family economic stability and community well-being, education setbacks continue to affect children nationwide. Download the report to explore how kids are faring in your state: https://bit.ly/26DataBook-FB

06/09/2026

The 2026 KIDS COUNT® Data Book is out now! Produced in partnership with , this annual report provides trusted data on how children and families are faring in every state across the country. This year’s enhanced KIDS COUNT index adds scores alongside rankings to better show where progress is happening and where kids need more support. Download the report to explore the latest child well-being data and trends: https://bit.ly/26DataBook-FB

06/08/2026

Reliable data help leaders make informed decisions for children and families. The 2026 KIDS COUNT® Data Book from highlights where states are making progress for kids, and where persistent challenges remain. The enhanced index offers a clearer picture of child well-being by showing changes over time in addition to state rankings — helping policymakers, advocates and communities better understand where action is needed most. Learn more: https://bit.ly/26DataBook-FB

06/05/2026

📣 Calling all Mississippi educators, advocates, policymakers, nonprofit leaders and community members to join this important conversation to better understand the latest KIDS COUNT data and what it means for our region and the people working every day to improve outcomes for children and families.

Child and Family Wellness in the Deep South
Monday, June 15, 2026
12 p.m. CT
Virtual Event Link - https://deepsouthtoday.org/families-count-in-the-deep-south

06/03/2026

Calling all teachers!! This is an incredible opportunity to grow and expand leadership potential!

Calling all Arkansas and Mississippi educators! 📢

Have you ever felt like the people making decisions about your classroom haven't spent enough time in one? We’re changing that.

The 2026-27 Teach Plus Arkansas & Mississippi Policy Fellowship application is LIVE! This year, we’ve unified our regions to create a stronger, more connected voice for teachers across the South. Our Fellows have already secured major wins for student data access and published op-eds in outlets like The Clarion-Ledger and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Join us in making sure our students are truly college and career-ready.

💰 Stipend: $1,500
🗓️ Deadline: June 8, 2026
💻 Apply here: https://teachplus.org/regional_programs/teach-plus-ar-ms-policy-fellowship/

Tag a teacher friend who needs to see this! 👇

05/22/2026

Organizations like the Desoto County Dream Center are why more children and families have access to meaningful, life-changing programs and support! We are SO thankful for their dedication and hard work to turn the curve in Mississippi!

05/20/2026

Proud of our REACH Awardees and the vitally important work they do every day to positively impact children in our state!

05/05/2026

For two days, we sowed seeds of success together, and we cannot wait to see what blossoms from the conversations, connections, and shared commitment that filled this year’s Summit.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Children’s Foundation of Mississippi’s 2026 Summit, Sowing Seeds of Success: Cultivating a Bright Future for Mississippi’s Children. We are so grateful for every attendee, speaker, presenter, partner, sponsor, vendor, volunteer, and REACH Awardee who helped make this year’s gathering so meaningful.

We extend our sincere thanks to the Phil Hardin Foundation for once again serving as our Title Sponsor and for its continued investment in work that supports Mississippi’s children and families. We are also grateful to The Perfect Shot LLC and Nico Hopkins for capturing photos throughout the event, Jana Stringer Events for the beautiful florals, and Life of the Party Events for creating the balloon wall.
We were proud to release the 2026 Mississippi KIDS COUNT Risk & Reach Report and recognize REACH Awardees from across the state. These awardees represent people, programs, and organizations doing practical, community-rooted work to support children and families in communities throughout Mississippi.

Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we share more from the Summit, including event highlights, more about the Risk & Reach Report, and ways these tools and resources can be used in communities across the state.

For Mississippi to reach its potential, our children must reach theirs.

2026 Mississippi KIDS COUNT Risk & Reach Report:https://childrensfoundationms.org/wp-content/uploads/2026-RISK-AND-REACH-2.pdf