The Mid-Delta Baptist Association has opened its warehouse and hearts to the Mississippi Medical Reserve Corps.
The Mid-Delta Baptist Association normally uses its building on 310 Lamar Street for a food and clothing distribution location. The Association represents three counties, Leflore, Bolivar and Sunflower.
Currently the food bank is serving 190 families, said Dick Stafford the associate director of Mid-Delta Baptist Association.
But Thursday's agenda included making room for The Mississippi Medical Reserve Corps' boxes full of medical supplies.
The MMRC is a non-profit organization of trained responders. They are Mississippi's only Medical Surge response Unit. The response may be to a natural disaster, deliberately caused emergency, or unmet health needs, said Dr. Anita Batman, the Corps' commander.
Comprised of about half health care professionals and half people of good heart, the Corps offers a quickly mobilized, coordinated and effective medical response to needs that exceed the capacity of day-to-day operating entities, she said.
They are the first group to go in and help people in need while waiting on state and federal response units to be activated and deployed. The MMRC covers the gap and can help save lives, Batman explained.
Bobby Douglas who is the director of the Mid-Delta Baptist Association said, "The partnership between Mid-Delta Baptist Association and the Mississippi Medical Reserve Corps seemed like a good thing for us to do. MMRC needed one location to stockpile their medical supplies and we had available space."
Douglas thinks it's a great idea to combine resources with "people who are so keenly trained."
Batman said the Mississippi Reserve Corps is grateful for the partnership. She said she is truly impressed with The Mid-Delta Baptist Association. "They have a commitment to service as does the Mississippi Medical Reserve Corps."
