1999 Annual Report Executive Summary*
North Delta Mississippi Enterprise Community
During 1999, North Delta Mississippi Enterprise Community (NDMEC or the EC), had a banner year. Emphasizing collaboration, NDMEC received national recognition for its programs and its "turn around." Particular new emphases have been focused on training and race relations in the EC.
The community participation has increased. Through regular and ad hoc meetings, special events, a well-done newsletter, and traditional media exposure, EC news and services are extended to thousands of people, especially low-income and minority people.
New and existing partnerships are a highlight of the EC’s work. NDMEC takes seriously the concepts of collaboration, sustainability, leveraging and creativity.
Problems in the EC area include lack of resources, feelings of powerlessness, vestiges of racism and under-education. Solutions various strategies for resource acquisition, empowerment of the traditionally disempowered, a variety of approaches to improving race relations, and training, training, training.
Best practices are based on the Empowerment Initiative principles of economic development, empowering grassroots people, sustainability and leveraging. NDMEC has added creativity as a fifth basic principle.
Plans for the future include a partnership with an expanding credit union, including the purchase of a bank building as its headquarters. An alliance with a minority business being recruited into the EC is another new goal. Race relations and training continue to be at the top of the list of things to be addressed.
NDMEC has now surpassed most of its Benchmarks and much of its Strategic Plan. However, to catch up with the national prosperity, much work remains to be done.