Family Resource Center Touches Lives in Meaningful Ways

With less than two years in Oxford, Family Resource Center of North Mississippi is accumulating many success stories and growing considerably. Recently, HottyToddy.com’s Steve Vassallo had a conversation with the center’s Jeff Roberson regarding present and future goals for the center.

Vassallo: Jeff, before discussing the center, share with our readers about your background and the role you have with the Oxford facility.
Roberson: I’ve been in Oxford since 1990 and for more than 25 years, worked in media mainly covering Ole Miss sports for the Oxford Eagle and the Ole Miss Spirit. I am a graduate of Ole Miss and a native of Baldwyn. I have been an administrator with Family Resource Center of North Mississippi since the summer of 2016 when we opened the Oxford office. Our home office is in Tupelo.
Vassallo: Can you discuss a recent success story to provide an example of how Family Resource Center is making a difference?
Roberson: Fortunately, we have success stories every day. Of course, some of them come in the form of people completing classes with us or graduating through our online high school diploma program. But we consider any help or direction that we can give a person or a family to be a success. We are a part of the larger Families First for Mississippi, which covers the entire state. Our programs are designed to work with the whole family. In the online high school program in 2017, we had our first graduation ceremony that we held at South Panola. We had 38 graduates from our six-county region, and some were the first in their families to graduate from high school. Some got jobs or raises, some went to the military, others went on to community college. Certainly, we consider it a success to be able to help so many.
Vassallo: How do interested parties reach out to you? Are phone calls/emails preferred or  a visit to your location on 104 Skyline Drive?
Roberson: Our phone number is 662-638-6999. We welcome people to visit our office at 104 Skyline Drive. It’s right behind Stout’s Carpet where Highway 7 and Highway 30 meet, and we’re next door to the Oxford Eagle. One thing to remember: All our services are free. The cost for participants is nothing.

Vassallo: Let’s talk about this year’s goals for the center.
Roberson: Our goals are the same every year. We want to help as many people as we possibly can lift their situations in life, whether through classes that we teach, helping them to complete their education, or directing them to another partner organization or entity that will help them if we cannot. We always say, ‘Yes, we can help,’ because we know if we actually can’t, we know who can. We offer classes in many areas such as parenting skills development, father involvement, financial stability, literacy, job readiness and youth development. We’re in schools, churches, head starts, boys and girls clubs, and the list is growing. We also offer these classes in our building.
Vassallo: Family Resource Center is visible across Mississippi. Where are the other locations?
Roberson: There are centers all over the state now, from the northern border to the gulf coast. The ultimate goal is for a center to be opened in every county in Mississippi. Some are small centers and others are major centers. Oxford is a major center. The major centers of Family Resource Center of North Mississippi that have been open as long as we have are Tupelo, of course, as well as Columbus and Southaven. But we are involved in some capacity in every county and still growing.
Vassallo: How is the organization funded?
Roberson: The organization is funded through grants.
Vassallo: Since the organization’s founding in Tupelo in 1994, it has certainly evolved in an impressive growth path.
Roberson: It has, and much of that is because of great leadership. For more than a decade Christi Webb has led Family Resource Center. A former educator in the public schools of Mississippi and at Northeast Mississippi Community College, she has the knowledge and vision to help lift the organization to great heights. Other staff and board members are effectively involved, but she is the leader who helps us continue to grow and be even more effective.

Vassallo: Would you mind mentioning some of the other key staffers located in Oxford and their roles here?
Roberson: Jack Gadd is the regional coordinator and is in our office. Our region is Lafayette, Panola, Yalobusha, Marshall, Benton and Grenada counties. A lot of people know Jack from the days he owned WQLJ radio station with David Kellum, and also his 20-year tenure in the Mississippi House of Representatives and as Benton County Superintendent of Schools after that. We have several full time or part time people in our building, including two staffers of the Mississippi Dyslexia Center – Danielle Snyder and Claire Goodson – and one staffer from the Mississippi Department of Human Services – John Brown, an Oxford native. Our field educators are a dedicated and motivated group, including Wesley Bell, Laura Gillom, Blakely Beggs, LaConda H. Thompson and Ashley Pfahler. Also Jan Mays and Connie Hunter work with our online high school program, and they are totally focused on helping our students graduate with a diploma. This semester we have two Ole Miss student social work interns in our office – Ben Salvador and Bremeika Jones. Also on staff now is Dr. Debra Moore, who recently retired from her position as field education director of the social work department at Ole Miss. She has already helped lift our organization’s outreach and awareness in a short period of time. Also part time staffers or tutors are Ole Miss students Hunter Grissom, Hallie Goodson, Abby Barker, Bailey Brown and Jeanie Anne Edwards. These are our current staff members, and it is truly an amazing group of people. We’re like a big family, and that is the environment we want people to feel when they walk in our door.
Vassallo: Describe your basic approach in assisting people.
Roberson: When someone walks into our building asking about our services or is sent to us by the courts, we want them to know immediately we are there to help. We make certain of that as soon as they open the door. When they tell us their situation, then we direct them to the person that can help, either in our organization or with one of our partner organizations. Then we walk with them all the way through their time with us, whether that is one singular visit or several months of classes or services.
Vassallo: Youth development is an area that the center highlights. What exactly does this mean?
Roberson: Our youth development program focuses on making healthy choices, understanding consequences and the impact decisions make on goals and future plans. We provide classes, workshops, presentations, outreach activities, support groups and peer mentoring programs to youth in the community and the counties in our region.
Vassallo: Does Johnny Flynt direct the fatherhood activity and if so, how does this program function?
Roberson: Some know him as Coach Flynt, others as Brother Johnny. We all know him as a friend and a great addition to our team one year ago. Johnny, and also Wesley Bell on our staff, encourage and strengthen fathers and their families to help make a better living situation for all members of a household. Johnny was Jake Gibbs’ longtime baseball assistant at Ole Miss and also was on staff at North Oxford Baptist Church. Now he helps us help people and is always ready with another great story or joke. We enjoy Johnny being a part of Family Resource Center, and his outreach to the region has been valuable.
Vassallo: Jeff, what have we failed to ask you that would be of interest to our readers?
Roberson: We’ve covered a lot of ground. But the main things to know are that we as an organization are here to help, and we want people to reach out to us. Come by 104 Skyline Drive in Oxford, call us at 662-638-6999 or go to the Families First for Mississippi website no matter where in the state you live. We are there to help you. And remember, all our services are free. Thanks for letting me share our story.

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Steve Vassallo is a HottyToddy.com contributor. Steve writes on Ole Miss athletics, Oxford business, politics and other subjects. He is an Ole Miss grad and former radio announcer for the basketball team. Currently, Steve is a highly successful leader in the real estate business who lives in Oxford with his wife Rosie. You can contact Steve at sovassallo@gmail.com or call him at 985-852-7745.
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