Due to the current state of the COVID-19 Pandemic, on April 13 2020, the City-wide curfew in the City of Gulfport was extended. Click to read the Supplement to the Mayor's Executive Order No. 3.
WELCOME TO THE TEAM, TAYLOR!
Taylor Leatherwood was born and raised in Long Beach, MS. After graduating from Long Beach High School, she went on to get a degree in Broadcast Journalism with a minor in English from Ole Miss, where she was a member of the Kappa Delta sorority. While in college, she had the opportunity to intern at WLOX where she learned the "ins and outs" of a news station.
Post-graduation, Taylor worked in Jackson, MS as the Marketing Manager for Cathead Distillery. For three years, Taylor planned, executed, and facilitated special events and marketing efforts, along with supervising distillery tours and the consumer experience.
Taylor is ready and excited to be back on the MS Gulf Coast and to bring her fresh ideas and experience to the City of Gulfport as Marketing Manager of Leisure Services.
U.S. CHAMBER AIDS SMALL BUSINESSES
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is launching theSave Small Business Fundwith Vistaprint to provide assistance to small business owners impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. With contributions from corporate and philanthropic partners, the Chamber Foundation will distribute $5,000 grants to small employers in the U.S. and its territories.
The Save Small Business Fund is part of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Save Small Business Initiative—a nationwide effort to address small business owners’ immediate needs, mitigate closures and job losses, and mobilize the long-term support the small business community needs for recovery.
Grant applications will open on April 20, 2020. For information on eligibility, grant timeline, and other details, visitsavesmallbusiness.com.
SUPPORTING OUR COMMUNITY
Andrew Odom, JY'Reion "Lil Truck" Kasey Lull, Councilman Kenneth "Truck" Casey, Sr. (top), Jeffrey Hulum and Jeanine Casey Handy (bottom) distributed rotisserie chicken and fruit to seniors and those in need.
Councilwoman Ella Holmes-Hines, Supervisor Kent Jones and Representative Sonya Williams-Barnes worked with Memorial Hospital to offer COVID-19 testing at Isiah Fredericks Community Center on Good Friday. It was the second busiest testing day across Memorial's eight testing locations. Over 100 people were evaluated.
JUSTFUND GRANT PROGRAM
The Ford Foundation, Schmidt Futures, Open Society Foundations, the JPB Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and Amalgamated Foundation have launched the Families and Workers Fund, dedicated to serving the workers, families, and communities most devastated by the economic and health crises resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fund will facilitate direct cash grants and loans to individuals—especially workers and families who are most impacted by layoffs, temporary business and school shutdowns, and caretaking duties. The fund will also advance economic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, designed with and for vulnerable workers, families, and communities, by providing grants to policy and advocacy organizations, worker groups, community nonprofits, and others advancing and implementing policies and business practices that stabilize working people during this crisis (e.g., paid sick days and unemployment insurance) and ultimately help to center them in long-term economic recovery.
In order to apply an organization must be registered, click here to register.
CONTRIBUTE TO THE VIRTUAL GARDEN
Gardening is a family tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation. Here in Gulfport so many of you know how to grow a wonderful garden!
In the days and weeks ahead, we want to showcase as many of your home and "love grown" gardens as we can! Send us photos of your home gardens so we can share them with our community! Message your photos to the City of Gulfport Mayor's Office Facebook page or email them to mayorsoffice@gulfport-ms.gov.
We'll be highlighting your garden photos from now through the summer in our virtual Community Garden posts! We want to share your knowledge and your gardening creativity! #growbabygrow
