Who We Are

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

  • Evelyn Edwards, President
  • Dorian Turner, Vice President
  • Trey Porter, Treasurer
  • Lamar Nesbit, Secretary
  • Donna Barksdale
  • Doug Boone
  • Elizabeth Brister
  • Cecil Brown
  • Debra Brown
  • Lee Bush II
  • George Evans
  • James E. Graves, Jr.
  • James Keeton
  • Jonathan Lee
  • Jerry Mannery
  • Vickie Mason
  • Sally Molpus
  • Mary Largent Purvis
  • Chris Ray
  • Melinda Ray
  • Keith Tonkel
  • Trey Waterloo
  • Primus Wheeler

Our Staff

We all rise together. This message is at the core of Operation Shoestring’s mission and programs, and you’ll find it reflected soon in the design of our letters, website and signs around town.

What does it mean? Quite simply, when the children of central Jackson are safe, nurtured and empowered to take advantage of a bright future, all of Jackson rises. When the families in Shoestring’s focus area are strong and thriving, all of Jackson rises. Our tagline – By Teaching Children and Inspiring Families, Operation Shoestring Ensures We All Rise Together – affirms our belief that every child in Jackson should have the same access to a promising future, and that all the families of our city should have the same opportunity and means to improve and succeed.

Our programs include:

  • After-school and summer programs for children
  • School dropout prevention services
  • Family communication and parenting classes
  • Art, music, and dance programs
  • Athletic summer camps
  • Food pantry, among others.

Through the leadership of certified and passionate teachers, Operation Shoestring provides tutoring, literacy development, and cultural arts instruction. Led by certified teachers, it offers neighborhood children a safe harbor after school and during the summer, while helping parents to stay at work with the assurance that their children are receiving quality supervision and care.

In the past year, Operation Shoestring was able to provide:

  • Daily afterschool tutoring for 120 elementary school students
  • Classes and presentations for 450 families that included topics as wide-ranging as diagnosing lead poisoning of infants to financial planning and interviewing skills for adults. A family initiative that is teaching a love of reading to 25 neighborhood families.
  • Summer programming – including horseback riding, cheeleading and academic boosters – for 75 children. In addition, these children were able to receive a good breakfast every day for the duration of our summer programs.
  • Spanish lessons for 63 students and their families.
  • Summer jobs and comprehensive professional training for honor students at Lanier. (Perhaps you saw the outstanding coverage we received in the Clarion Ledger...)
  • Visual and performing arts instruction for 75 students.
  • Critical thinking instructions – including chess lessons – for 50 children.
  • 2160 boxes of food to needy families

Learn more about our programs and the latest news about Operation Shoestring here.