The Delta Grassroots Caucus (DGC) is a broad coalition of grassroots leaders in the eight-state Delta region. DGC is also a founding partner of the Economic Equality Caucus,
which advocates for economic equality across the USA.

Thanksgiving-Chrismas Delta Nutrition Fundraiser for Nonprofits, Nov.-Dec. 2013

Posted on November 27, 2013 at 12:17 PM

This Thanksgiving and Christmas season, the Delta Grassroots Caucus is collaborating with Sharemeister’s social giving Internet platform to encourage donations to exemplary organizations working on nutrition and other good causes in the Delta.

Annette Dove’s TOPPS nonprofit in Pine Bluff and the Memphis Inter-Faith Association (MIFA) are the two principal recipients chosen for the regional giving effort this Thanksgiving and Christmas. We plan to develop other giving campaigns on a rotating basis so that over the years we cover a range of organizations in specific donation challenges.

The Delta Caucus Nutrition Challenge is a fundraiser using Sharemeister, Inc.’s innovative Internet technology and social giving platform to raise funds for two excellent nonprofit institutions in our region: TOPPS (Targeting Our People’s Priorities with Service) led by Annette Dove in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and the Memphis Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA) in Memphis, Tennessee.

How you can donate by going to the Sharemeister website at www.sharemeister.com is explained below.

The Delta Caucus Nutrition Challenge will begin now and continue on the website at least through the Christmas season. Mapco, Inc., is also working with Sharemeister, and people can earn reward points when they buy gas or food at Mapco stores in our region, and they can be redeemed by donating to these good causes.

For those who prefer causes in the Delta other than the two we have highlighted, the Sharemeister website has a wide range of good causes to select from and donate to—that information is below.

TOPPS and MIFA were highlighted as two exemplary organizations that richly deserve support, and many of their best practices are role models for community and economic development in the region that should be replicated across the Delta.

Annette Dove’s TOPPS nonprofit does exemplary work in feeding economically distressed families in Pine Bluff, as well as excellent mentoring and tutoring for youths and job training. We especially want to reward the best practices of great nonprofits at this time when so many lower income families are having great difficulty in getting access to fresh, nutrition produce.

“West Delta Team vs. East Delta Team:” You can donate at the Sharemeister website on behalf of either the “West Delta Team” of Arkansas, Louisiana and Missouri, or the “East Delta Team of Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, Illinois, and Alabama. This is just to engage in a friendly challenge to see which region of the Delta can donate more funds for these good causes.

This has proven to be an entertaining, productive way to raise funds for good causes.

The “West Delta Team” believes that a region with such great institutions as the Arkansas Razorbacks, Arkansas State University, University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, LSU Tigers, Grambling, and Missouri Tigers will prevail over our counterparts in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, western Kentucky and southern Illinois in giving more generously to these good causes this holiday season, while of course the East Delta Team believes they will give more.

Targeting Our People’s Priorities With Service (TOPPS) is a non-profit community based organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and their community in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is a key supporter and partner with TOPPS, and UAPB contributed start-up funding for a job training program for TOPPS.

Annette and her staff believe everyone should have the opportunity to become productive, active citizens in their community. TOPPS offers a full range of services for all ages in tutoring, physical fitness, public speaking, cooking, computer training, art, travel, and mentoring.

TOPPS volunteers also serve a hot nutritious meal to 280 children daily after school and over 500 children throughout the summer months when they do not have a meal served through the school lunch program.

Annette Dove’s TOPPS was featured on NBC national television news in an excellent report by Chelsea Clinton. TOPPS has received great recognition for their public service by many leaders and organizations over many years.

MIFA (Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association) in Memphis, Tennessee has many excellent programs for providing nutritious food to economically distressed neighborhoods in Memphis and many other beneficial community and economic development activities, and has received widespread recognition for their exemplary work. They were established right after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968 to continue his work for racial, social and economic justice in the Mid-South.

MIFA’s Meals on Wheels delivers 1,200 hot, nutritious lunches daily to seniors at their homes and at congregate sites. They have programs to assist low-income seniors with selected home improvement projects, long-term care ombudsman advocates for the rights of thousands of residents in nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, and residential care homes. Their transit program transports seniors to appointments around the city.

MIFA’s emergency services and emergency shelter placement projects provide assistance with rent, utilities, food, clothing, and other necessities for families suffering from an unexpected loss of income and help families secure temporary shelter if homelessness cannot be avoided through mediation. Their COOL (College Offers Opportunities for Life) provides resources, mentoring, and life skills education to help prepare teens for the college application process.

Annette Dove’s TOPPS and MIFA do exemplary work in feeding economically distressed families in Memphis and Pine Bluff, as well as excellent mentoring and tutoring for youths and job training. We especially want to reward the best practices of great nonprofits at this time when so many lower income families are having great difficulty in getting access to fresh, nutrition produce.

The proceeds are divided equally between MIFA and TOPPS, regardless of whether the West Delta Team or the East Delta Team donates more money, so there is no real “competition” of any kind.

We plan to rotate the recipients to other nonprofits and other areas of the reason in challenges lasting several months each, enabling us to aid excellent nonprofits across the region over the years. The Delta Caucus is a private sector organization and has wide freedom of action in fundraising activities for good causes.

The proceeds are divided equally between MIFA and TOPPS, regardless of whether the West Delta Team or the East Delta Team donates more money, so there is no real “competition” of any kind.

Below are the registration instructions for making contributions through Sharemeister on both the Website and Mobile Apps:

1) Go on the Sharemeister Website and register at www.sharemeister.com

2) Click “Events” (at top on left side)

3) Select the “Delta Caucus Nutrition Challenge”

4) Pick a team “West Delta” or East Delta” and give on behalf of your team. Proceeds will be divided equally between the two nonprofits.

5) Give with credit/debit ($) or using your Mapco Express rewards points (S!)

You can also download the “Sharemeister” mobile app on the Apple Store or Android Market.