We had an IMPACT in 2023!

Thank you for your interest in learning more about our nonprofit and how we are making a positive difference in the lives of families in Mississippi.

We are proud to share our 2023 Impact Report, which outlines the impact we have made in the past year and our vision for the future. The report features stories of how our services have improved the lives of those we serve, a financial report, donor spotlights, information on how you can get involved with our mission, as well as a comprehensive breakdown of programs and services:

• adoption and foster care training and placement
• family and child counseling and support
• developmental care services
• advocacy

Thanks to our partners and supporters for helping us reach 6,000 Mississippians in 2023 by providing free or at cost permanency planning programs that promote stronger families and a more engaged and informed community! 

Would you like to help cover the cost of this publication? Donate here.

 

From our Executive Director, Nadeane Cattrell:

In 2023, we celebrated 25 years of providing permanency services to children and families in the state
of Mississippi. The past year has presented great challenges as well as opportunities. In an increasingly
changing political climate, we have seen a steady increase in poverty, homelessness, abuse, violence,
mental health concerns, lack of healthcare, and numerous other disparities in our state. Now more than
ever there is a great need in Mississippi for the services provided by Mississippi Families for Kids. The
beauty in our method of integrated services is that we a offer a “no-wrong-door” model whereby
families may seek assistance with one concern and then find that they can benefit from any of the
various supports available through our organization. Furthermore, they are met by caring and professional
staff who work diligently to advocate and find solutions. As we continue to work with children and
youth as well as families to find and maintain permanency through adoption services, counseling, parent
and professional training, developmental resources, kinship care, respite services, and other outreach
efforts, we keep in mind the ever-evolving needs of the family unit.
We have had some wins in 2023 that will help us to better serve families. MFFK updated the Help Me
Grow centralized access point with a new, easy-to-remember number and trained staff specializing in
early childhood development. Clinicians at the organization became groundbreaking leaders as trainers in
the first statewide cohort to be endorsed in infant mental health informed practice through a partnership
with the Mississippi Association for Infant Mental Health, the Mississippi Department of Health, and the
National Alliance for the Advancement of Infant Mental Health. Professional endorsement through this
initiative will allow us to become part of a workforce that specializes in early intervention with our most
vulnerable populations, changing the way we look at mental health for small children and their caregivers.
Additionally, we work to increase training to respond to other vulnerable populations such as survivors of
human trafficking through the support of the Office of the Attorney General.
The state of Mississippi acknowledges that this work is an essential investment in our future by allocating
millions towards incentives for supporters such as the state tax credit, which allows donors up to $2400
in state tax credits when they donate to MFFK. As we move into the next 25 years of service, I
encourage you to invest in an organization that has impacted so many lives by making a contribution. As
always, thank you for joining us in creating a more healthy, inclusive, and empowering Mississippi that will
make a difference for generations to come.