Community Report
Pemiscot County Initiative Network
February 15, 2002
Structure of Partnership
The Pemiscot County Initiative Network’s membership consists of citizens of Pemiscot County. The membership elects nineteen (19) Board of Directors. The elected board members represents the community in areas of: Agribusiness, Manufacturing, Education, Concerned Citizens, Social Services, Banking and Finance, Port Authority, Medical Profession, Law Enforcement, Food Services, Employment Security, Local Government, and Religion.
The Board of Directors employs a Director, Manager of Administrative Services and a Caring Community Site Coordinator. Membership is open to any interested individual and no dues are charged. PIN is certified by the state of Missouri as a Not-For-Profit Corporation; was organized and incorporated October 31, 1994; was designated by the Deputy Directors as a Community Partnership in 1998; and was designated a 501(c)(3) organization by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service in April of 1999.
Geographic scope/ Demographics
Pemiscot County, located in the southeast corner of Missouri, has for many decades been a heavy agricultural county with emphasis on cotton and other crops, including corn and soybeans. During the early decades of the 1900s, the farming industry provided the majority of the employment opportunities for the population. With the advent of mechanized farming in the late 40’s, jobs became scarce, and a significant percentage of the workforce moved out of the area to find work. The population decreased from nearly 47,000in 1940 to 20,047 in 2000.
The large out migration and loss of jobs created a poor economic climate in the county, and even though concerted efforts were made to attract business and industry to replace the lost farm jobs, the population decreased, unemployment soared, and the welfare rolls increased. Unemployment rates were, for many years, in the double digits and persons at the poverty level increased, causing the county to be ranked as the poorest in the State of Missouri.
Although statistics have improved some, a number of problems continue to plague the county’s economy. Current (August 2001) Pemiscot County unemployment rates are well above the national levels, averaging 9.7 percent. Current employed in the county is 7,055 with a decline of 683 jobs from May to June of 2001. Per capita income in 1998 was $14,371; median family income was $16,138, setting the poverty in 1995. Sixty-five (65) percent of school-age children lived in poverty in 1995.In 1999 56.3% of children received food stamps. In 1999 63% of children were enrolled in free/reduced lunch.
Although out migration has slowed significantly, the county continues to show a loss of population. The high school dropout rate, 7.3% in 1999, with 32% of persons above age 21 having graduated from high school. The total school enrollment in the county was approximately 4,500 in 1966. Of persons 25 years old or older, 29% have completed the 9th grade; 32% have completed grade 12, 11% has some college, and 7% are college graduates. Ethnicity: White, 74%; African-American, 25%, other, 1 %. Kids County in Missouri 2000’s composite county rank for Pemiscot County is 114.
Mission statement/vision
The mission of PIN is to gather human service professionals, church leadership, the business community, educators, parents, and concerned citizens, (without regard to race, gender, religion, or sex) for a common cause. This cause is to better serve the needs of the total community through empowering families and individuals to become more self-reliant, responsible, and resourceful.
Two goals are collaboration and the promotion of family values by assisting in family needs that will enable the community to define their own priorities and agendas, based on the needs, assets, and vision. The focus is on the six core results. The combined efforts of this network will result in a more effective use of diminishing resources.
The Community’s Priorities
Parents Working, Children Succeeding in School, Youth Ready to enter Productive Adulthood are current priorities. Pemiscot County’s demographics indicate deficiencies in all six (6)-core results. However, it was determined that successful progress in these areas would have a positive effect on the other three core results.
The Site Council, committees, including one for each result, Input, Evaluation, CDBG, PIN staff, PIN Board of Directors, and members of PIN are active in identifying needs and selecting core results priorities. Consensus is reached as to the need of the community and the plan is developed to meet these needs.
Community partners
PIN’s community partnership consists of: All eight (8) public schools districts, many religious organizations, over sixty (60) businesses and corporations, Regional Inter-Agency Network, Creative Communities, numerous citizens of Pemiscot County, Women’s Health Conference which includes approximately 16 Bootheel area organizations, area colleges and universities, Missouri Career Center, and other governmental agencies.
Overall successes/challenges
PIN has been very successful in using Caring Community funds to leverage dollars form a variety of sources and using these funds to implement systems that will address prioritized local community problems and needs that will focus services and maximize results.
Partnership budget/leveraging
Caring Communities allocation to PIN ($101,280) is 3.52% of the total projected budget of
$2,875,170 for FY02. PIN was successful in leveraging a total of $2,773,890 for FY02.
