On Tuesday, July 15, the DeSoto County Dream Center in Horn Lake, Mississippi, welcomed the spouses of the Baptist Board of Trustees. After a tour, the group had lunch and heard presentations from leaders of the Dream Center and ARTSmemphis.
Brian Hogan, Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto CEO and administrator, and Jenna Kern, DeSoto County Dream Center director, welcomed the group to the Dream Center, which ministers to the local community, helping with education, health care, food and clothing. The Dream Center offers an emergency needs closet and a food pantry for families, as well as a backpack food program that provides students with healthy food for weekends.
Baptist DeSoto team members have supported the Dream Center through monetary donations and a recent employee food drive, which collected more than 2,400 pounds of food.
The Dream Center has two programs for Title 1 students in DeSoto County — 1) an elementary education program focusing on reading and math enrichment for third through fifth grades and 2) a leadership program to help middle and high school students develop strong character traits and prepare for a successful future.
The Trinity Health Center at the Dream Center aims to provide hope and healing to the working uninsured in DeSoto County. It offers primary care services, including management of such chronic conditions as diabetes, hypertension and asthma. Baptist DeSoto’s Family Practice Residency Program physicians treat patients at the clinic.
After the Dream Center presentation, the group heard from ARTSmemphis President and CEO Elizabeth Rouse and Senior Director of Development Colleen McCartney. They shared their vision and explained how the organization supports more than 80 area organizations and artists. ARTSmemphis recently celebrated a $100 million milestone in distribution of grant dollars to local arts organizations and artists since its inception.
