A significant step towards fostering improved health and community well-being in Perry County was taken on June 13 at the Community Conversation Dinner held at Lottie’s Restaurant in Marion, Alabama, jointly sponsored by the Alabama Coalition for Healthy Mothers and Children (ACHMC) and Sowing Seeds of Hope. The event brought together key community leaders, including members of the Social and Spiritual Task Force of Sowing Seeds of Hope, to lay the groundwork for impactful collaborative initiatives.

Attendees included pastors, lay leaders, and notable community figures such as Judge Don McMillan, Perry County Circuit Court Judge, and Jennifer McMillan, Perry County Site Director for Project Horseshoe Farms. The evening was facilitated by Sowing Seeds of Hope staff, including Susan Jones and Frances Ford.

A highlight of the dinner was the introduction of Haley Fenn, the Project Manager from Nurse Family Partnership (NFP), a program through the UAB School of Nursing, that is poised to launch in Perry County this fall. NFP will work with Medicaid mothers to support healthy beginnings for mothers and babies, a much-anticipated initiative that was met with enthusiastic approval from the task force members.

Gary Furr, Founder and President of ACHMC, facilitated small-group discussions that underscored a strong collective desire for enhanced cooperation and collaborative efforts to drive positive change within the community. This sentiment was further amplified by the presentation of an initial gift from ACHMC by Dale Tadlock, Director of Development and Community Engagement, to Frances Ford, Perry County Healthcare Coordinator for Sowing Seeds of Hope. This funding will provide crucial support for feeding and healthcare equity programs currently being developed by the task force. The announcement of the grant was met with an outburst of applause and excitement, signifying widespread community support. Later this summer, the Task Force and partners will be producing a Back to School event for children across Perry County.

This gathering marks the beginning of partnerships among Sowing Seeds of Hope, the Alabama Coalition for Healthy Mothers and Children, Nurse Family Partnership, Project Horseshoe Farms, and the Perry County Social and Spiritual Task Force.

In addition to the healthcare initiatives, Jennifer McMillan of Project Horseshoe Farms led attendees on a tour of the community garden recently established with work by Project Horseshoe Farms interns. Plans are underway to expand this garden through partnerships with other organizations and community members, aiming to promote healthier food consumption and sustainable family gardening across Perry County.

The collaborative spirit and tangible commitments made at the Community Conversation Dinner signal a new era of proactive and unified efforts to address critical health and wellness needs within Perry County driven by the longtime partnership between ACHMC and Sowing Seeds of Hope.