Neighborhood Philanthropy: 2nd Chance MS
Sarah Rose Lomenick, Program Director & Cassidy Grace Porter, Marketing Director
Oxford is host to some wonderful non-profit organizations that provide for our community in so many ways. We want to provide a glimpse of these organizations each month. 2nd Chance MS raises funds and awareness for Mississippi’s Adult Education Programs. Specifically, they provide needed financial assistance and help to remove barriers for lower income adult students.
As 2nd Chance MS’s website states, “Did you know that Mississippi ranks last in the country in the workforce participation rate, which measures the percentage of adults who are either working or looking for work. Only 52% of Mississippi adults are working. Only 31% of Mississippi’s lower income adults are currently in the workforce. And what almost every one of these non-working adult Mississippians have in common is that they lack the education, skills and credentials to get into the workforce.”
Established in 2016, 2nd Chance MS has provided support to over 2,196 lower income adult students in Mississippi. This support includes money for tuition, transportation assistance and, most recently, testing fees and has resulted in 847 High School Equivalencies (HIE), 532 Employable Workforce Certifications and 826 Smart Start/Career Readiness Credentials. As their website states, “The goal and expectation for these students upon their completion of these respective programs is that they either: (i) obtain good or better employment, or (ii) continue their education with the community college and obtain even more valuable and employable skills and certifications that can lead to even higher wage employment.”
2nd Chance MS hosts its annual fundraiser each year, Party on the Green. This year’s Party on the Green will take place at the Isom House (1003 Jefferson Avenue) on Thursday, September 26th from 5:30 – 8:30 pm. Tickets are $75 or you can become a sponsor! Find out more here.
We are so grateful to 2nd Chance MS for bringing awareness and providing funding for Mississippi’s lower income adults and helping them to reach their full potential in the workforce. Their office is located at 1723-B University Avenue. For more information, contact
