Institute for Disability Studies Awarded Ann Morris Grant through Pinebelt Foundation

Mon, 05/13/2024 - 09:50am | By: Van Arnold

The Institute for Disability Studies, at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) was recently awarded an Ann Morris grant through the Pinebelt Foundation.

Funding through this grant will provide community engagement, socialization, personal development, and educational opportunities and activities for members of our “Serving Together, Encouraging Peers with Opportunities and Understanding Today” (STEP OUT) program.

Created in 2022, the STEP OUT program was designed specifically to serve adults 25 years of age and older and assist in meeting the evolving needs of this group by recruiting those with and without disabilities from the Hattiesburg area. The Ann Morris grant award will further enhance current STEP OUT program efforts and activities to create an inclusive interpersonal network that contributes to the social development, maturation, and overall well-being of its members.

The Ann Morris Memorial Fund is set up to support programs, services, and activities —as offered by area organizations — whose purpose is to enrich the quality of life of persons of advanced age with an intellectual or cognitive disability.