SUMNER — The Emmett Till Interpretive Center (ETIC) here has been honored as 2022 Non-Profit of the Year by the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi.
The honor, one of four Community Star Awards the foundation confers each year in its 11-county region, was presented during the foundation's Jan. 21 Crystal Ball Gala at The Arena in Southaven.
Accepting the award on behalf of the Sumner center was Rev. Willie Williams, who chairs the ETIC board of directors.
The Non-Profit of the Year award is given to organizations that are truly making a difference for the betterment of their community through leadership and community spirit.
A nearly 6-minute video introducing this year's honoree shared how the ETIC partnered with the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Indiana, and others to coordinate the "Emmett Till and Mamie Till Mobley: Let the World See" exhibit in that city. The exhibit drew over 27,000 attendants — more than 5,000 of them schoolchildren — during its six-week run there and is now touring the country.
The video also featured numerous other people, some of them affiliated with the center, who expanded upon the work of the ETIC in telling the story of Emmett Till, engaging youth in educational activities and promoting racial harmony.
At the end of the video, ETIC Executive Director Patrick Weems expressed appreciation.
“We’re incredibly grateful and thankful to the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi for this prestigious honor," said Weems. "It means the world to us and our organization.”
Tallahatchie County has been mentioned in connection with several foundation honors over the years.
The Charleston Arts and Revitalization Effort (CARE) won the 2009 Non-Profit of the Year; Cal Trout of Charleston was named the 2013 Dan Maddux Man of the Year; and Tallahatchie General Hospital was honored as 2015 Business of the Year.
The Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi manages 270 donor-established funds and has disbursed over $35 million to support more than 800 charitable organizations.
Established in 2002 with a generous grant from the Maddox Foundation, the Community Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) charitable organization and serves Bolivar, Coahoma, DeSoto, Leflore, Marshall, Panola, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate and Tunica counties.
Mike Wagner, the owner of Two Brooks Farm near Sumner, represents Tallahatchie County on the Community Foundation's board of directors. Frank Mitchener of Sumner formerly represented the county on that body.
According to a 2022 report, the Community Foundation has granted a total of $966,060 to 15 grantees in Tallahatchie County since 2002. The list of recipients includes Calvary Chapel at Parchman, CARE, Charleston Community Center, Charleston Main Street Association, ETIC, Emmett Till Memorial Commission of Tallahatchie County, Eva Covington Head Start Center, James C. Kennedy Wellness Center, Old Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, SonEdna Foundation Inc., Tallahatchie County, Tallahatchie County Library, Town of Sumner, Tutwiler Community Education Center and West Tallahatchie Habitat for Humanity.
