Storytelling ambassadors from the Mississippi Delta are taking control of their narrative, honoring overlooked histories and building economic opportunity

"Everyone needs an education. Everybody has to have knowledge - and literacy is the foundation for everything," says Taurean Morton, state director for Reading Roadmap in Mississippi. The organization provides reading interventions for students in kindergarten through second grade, helping at-risk students in the Mississippi Delta region become fluent readers.

"No one knows a classroom better than someone who is in a classroom all day," says Sanford Johnson, executive director of Teach Plus in Mississippi. Teach Plus works to empower teachers to influence decisions that are going to improve the quality of education for students in the Mississippi Delta.

The foundation’s “Theory of Change” for the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta is designed as a resource for grantees and other partners

One local leader from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, is revitalizing neighborhoods and setting low-income neighbors on the path to home ownership.

Matt Mosler founded Home Again Pine Bluff several years ago to begin revitalizing the city of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, block by block. The nonprofit organization renovates homes and rents them at below-market value. It’s also setting residents on the path to home ownership. After three to five years, tenants can purchase the property for half the appraised value.

Drew Smith is in the business of creating joy. Through his Helena, Arkansas-based nonprofit Delta Magic, Drew is connecting the dots between what people want and how to find it. The organization is playing a vital role in building the social infrastructure in the community.

How Pam Chatman's innovative bus service is helping her neighbors in the Delta reach economic security

An innovative bus service transports FedEx workers from small rural communities to and from their jobs. Pam Chatman’s idea has helped improve lives in the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta by opening new employment opportunities for the region’s resident.

Through financial literacy and friendship, Delta Circles is improving the lives of Black women in the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta

Through Delta Circles, Patricia Ashanti is helping Black women in the region build financial stability and independence. But the Helena, Arkansas-based nonprofit is also doing much more. It’s become a place of fellowship and friendship, where Black women build connection and confidence in the future.

From education to housing to financial literacy, Delta residents are invested in the future

The Arkansas-Mississippi Delta is a region ripe with talent. But like so many rural parts of America, its potential is often overlooked. The Walton Family Foundation is committed to supporting the exceptional people building lasting impact here. We’re proud to share the stories of the incredible people changing their communities for the better.

In the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta, filmmaker Nolan Dean tells stories that empower communities and people whose voices are often unheard

Working Credit is helping residents in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, forge a new path to financial security, and even home ownership

Supporting great ideas in the Delta begins with looking for emerging leaders