First Mississippi EnVision Center launches in Meridian

Meridian EnVision Center entrance HUD Southeast Regional Administrator Denise Cleveland-Leggett led the designation ceremony of the first EnVision Center in Mississippi. Meridian Housing Authority was selected for their holistic approach and variety of services. Meridian Housing Authority residents and staff joined the HUD team and local leaders to celebrate the designation of their Frank Berry Courts Community Center as the first EnVision Center in Mississippi.

Renata Green wants to go back to college; Patricia Shamburger wants to be a homeowner. They are both tenants of Meridian Housing Authority and like the idea of their Frank Berry Courts Community Center becoming an EnVision Center to help them achieve their dreams.

On October 30th, HUD Southeast Regional Administrator Denise Cleveland-Leggett visited Meridian to announce the designation of the first EnVision Center in the State of Mississippi. The community gathered to celebrate the recognition of their years of effort to improve the quality of life of their low-income residents and their renewed enthusiasm to assist more individuals and families from the City of Meridian and Lauderdale County in moving towards self-sufficiency, hope and opportunity for a better life.

Meridian Mayor Percy Bland III, Meridian Housing Authority Executive Director Ronald J. Turner, community leaders and local partners joined the announcement.

"We are extremely proud of the Meridian Housing Authority team. Their results and continued efforts to help the community are reflected in this designation, as one of few HUD EnVision Centers in the nation," said Mayor Percy Bland III. "Our community at large will continue to benefit from this recognition."

"As an organization committed to offer excellence in providing quality, affordable and superior customer service to all our families, this designation is a step forward in our daily affirmation for our mission to serve Meridian low-income families," said Ronald J. Turner, Sr. Executive Director of Meridian Housing Authority. "We have a vision to help bridge the gap our families face in training and health services and we are enthusiastic to move forward in offering new opportunities to help with their success."

"I applaud the leadership of Meridian, and I always say good ideas without leadership are just good ideas. And so, it is important to have that leadership not just from Ron but from the community, from the Mayor, from the residents who are a part of this. That's what it's all about. Making sure that our residents have a different viewpoint and a different trajectory on life. Because it's one thing to give people a house. It's another thing to give them a life," highlighted Cleveland-Leggett.

The Meridian designation is one of the newest of only 30 communities designated across the country as an EnVision Center. Located on or near public housing developments, EnVision Centers are centralized hubs that serve as an incubator to support four key pillars of self-sufficiency - (1) Economic Empowerment, (2) Educational Advancement, (3) Health and Wellness, and (4) Character and Leadership.

In Meridian, partnerships with key local organizations such as the Meridian Public-School District, Meridian Community College, the local branch of Mississippi State University, as well as the Greater Meridian Health Clinic Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi, Boy Scouts of America, the Meridian Freedom Project, Mt Olive MBC and several faith-based organizations will assist in providing job and academic training, wellness services and character building to the Meridian youth and families striving to reach self-sufficiency.

"As we work to develop platforms to help more families become self-sufficient, public-private partnerships are pivotal to access supportive services they so desperately need," said HUD Southeast Regional Administrator Denise Cleveland-Leggett. "Frank Berry Courts embraces Secretary Carson's vision of hope and opportunity. Education is critical to the advancement of the individuals in our communities, as are the economic empowerment, the education advancement, the health and wellness. If people are sick, if they're not well physically they can't really progress. Same happens if they don't have the educational tools to get a job," said Denise Cleveland-Leggett. Watch a Video clip (www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwae2KMe6MQ) of the designation.

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