United Way Campaign Succeeds at Mississippi College

MC social work graduate Mary Beth Russell and her dog, Jules, joins Community Service Center director Shari Barnes to collect more Angel Tree gifts in early December.

United Way agencies in metro Jackson will receive another nice boost from Mississippi College faculty and staff.

MC employees contributed $20,169 this fall to boost the university’s three-year total to $60,267, according to new reports in mid-December.

This fall’s giving rate for MC faculty reached 45 percent, and it was 30 percent for staff or a combined 35 percent, reports say. A total of 201 employees at the Christian university recently made United Way contributions.

Gifts help United Way agencies like the Magnolia Speech School, the Shelter for Battered Women and Children, Goodwill Industries, Boys & Girls Clubs, and Christians in Action.

United Way supports more than 50 human service agencies in Hinds, Rankin and Madison counties.

“Thousands of children in after-school tutoring and recreation programs depend upon United Way support,” President Lee Royce said. “So do hundreds of our senior citizens, as they receive meals and modest financial support to help pay for water, power and medicine.”

Mississippi College’s participation rate and total has remained the highest of area colleges for several years.

A longtime United Way leader, Royce has actively pressed for an uptick in giving levels, on the Clinton campus and at the MC Law School in Jackson. He’s served as MC president since 2002.

MC faculty, staff and students are giving in other ways, including the Angel Tree drive. They are buying gifts to benefit Mississippi children with one or more parents in prison.

“So many children don’t have the excitement like I did as a child during Christmas,” said MC junior Autumn Augustine of Pearl. She bought toys, books, games and coloring books to give to children as Christmas presents.

Shari Barnes, director of the Community Service Center, stayed busy collecting donations to Angel Tree the past two weeks. She also leads United Way efforts at MC.

JaQarius Scott, an MC football player from Meridian, was happy to bring a bunch of Choctaws T-shirts from his teammates on Monday afternoon. The 260-pound defensive lineman says players from the offense to the defense were delighted to give.

There was lots of joy in the Community Service Center as the Christmas gifts for needy kids piled up.

“I like serving and helping out,” said MC social work graduate Mary Beth Russell. She helped Barnes package the gifts that will be delivered to children in Central Mississippi on December 15.