Friends of SMSH

Friends of South Mississippi State Hospital is a volunteer-based, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting understanding of mental health and the needs of individuals with mental illness, improving the quality of life for patients, and providing recognition and support for employees.

What Friends of SMSH Pays For

For new employees, Friends pays for two free meals in the employee cafeteria.

For employees, Friends sponsors service awards, including:

• One-year service pins
• Five-year service pins and SMSH tote bag
• Ten-year service pins and SMSH embossed mini portfolio
• $25 Wal-Mart gift card for monthly No Call-In drawing
• $100 award for Employee of the Quarter
• $250 award for Employee of the year
• Employee of the Year plaque
• Employee of the Quarter and Year wall plaques in SMSH dining room
• Other employee incentive-related supplies and materials such as certificate folders, etc.

          

     

For patients, Friends provides the funding for long distance phone calls to their families, bus tickets upon discharge, Christmas party expenses and gifts, a summer watermelon party, and other miscellaneous expenses.

Friends also sponsors special events that occur at SMSH, such as the Friends Annual Meeting, Employee Appreciation Day, refreshments for fundraisers, and gifts for volunteers.

          

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Membership

Membership is made up of individuals from the hospital staff, members of civic and service groups, and individuals from the community. 

Anyone who is interested in serving as an advocate for individuals with mental illness can be a member. Annual membership fees are $10.00.

Click HERE to download an application to join Friends of South Mississippi State Hospital.

The application for Corporate Sponsorship can be found HERE.

Friends of SMSH, Inc. is classified as a public charity and is exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to Friends of SMSH are deductible under section 170 of the Code.

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Friends of SMSH Board of Directors:

Name:	Organization:	Position Held:
Debbie Thorn	Community Bank	President
Debbie Sinopoli	Debbie Sinopoli Real Estate	Vice-President
Missy Gipson	Hancock Bank	Immediate Past President
Mark Barham	Mississippi Power Company
John Blanks	Community Volunteer
Marvin Breazeale	Community Volunteer
DeVon Byrd	SMSH	2009 Employee of the Year
Suzanne Cox	SMSH	2010 Employee of the Year
Bill Coll	Community Volunteer
Joey Fillingane	Mississippi State Senate
Heath Grames	University of Southern Mississippi
Fred Hatten	Lamar County Board of Supervisors
Meri-Beth Koch	Community Volunteer
Greg Lowery	Owens Business Machines
Jeff Mayo	Oak Grove Heating & Air
Harold Myatt	Community Volunteer
Wynona Winfield	Community Volunteer
Clint Ashley	SMSH Director	Ex-Officio
Andy Tucker	SMSH Fiscal Services Director	Ex-Officio, Friends Treasurer
Donna Simmons	SMSH Public Relations Director	Ex-Officio, Friends Secretary
Mary Elizabeth Ray		Director Emeritus
Sharon Rainey		Director Emeritus
Sue Howell		Director Emeritus

Corporate Sponsors:

Platinum Sponsors:	Byrdland
	Exchange Club of Purvis
	Grand Bank
	Fred Hatten
	Hattiesburg Area Assoc. of Realtors
	Hub Refrigeration
	William & Sandra MacLauchlan
	Mental Health Association of the Pine Belt
	Harold Myatt
	Oak Grove Heating & Air
	Kevin M. Passer, M.D. PA
	Terry-Tran Service Agency
Gold Sponsors:	John Blanks
	Marvin Breazeale
	Charlie’s Trophy Shop
	Community Bank
	The First
	Hancock Bank
	Donna & David Hobgood
	Mississippi Power Company
	Southern Development of Mississippi, Inc.
Silver Sponsors:	Bill Coll
	Lanny Irwin
	Muse Disability Services
	Purvis Women’s Club
	Sparta Spring Waters
	Speedy Printing

In-Kind Sponsors:

Pearl Level:	Hattiesburg Coca-Cola
	Debbie Sinopoli & Associates Real Estate
	Water Flow Productions
	Wildflower Florist
	Purvis Antique Mall

Friends of SMSH Employee Giving:

Diamond Level:	Clint Ashley
	Misty Barrett
	Jo Burleson
	DeVon Byrd
	Suzanne Cox
	Dr. Allen Harris
	Racheal Katerski
	Helen Little
	Brown Ray
	Dr. Scott Willoughby
Sapphire Level:	Donna Simmons
	Sabrina Young
Ruby Level:	J. P. Craft
	LaWanda Gregg
	Cindy Jackson
Emerald Level:	Norma Brewer
	Pam Brinson
	Kim Corsentino
	Debbie Dale
	Karl Hess
	April Holder
	Cindy Hyden
	Tonya Jenkins
	Arif Kamal
	Joan Kyle
	Brandon Nabors
	Judy Sanderson
	Byron Taylor
	Doris Ann Watson
General Membership:	Monika Ford
	Gwen Kelly
	Mark Pendergrass
	Kelly Reid