Move the Mission Allocation Request

The Forrester Siblings

Magdaline, the eldest, lives in Tupelo, Mississippi, where she works as a school social worker, inspired by the care she received at Tupelo Children’s Mansion. A devoted mother of two, she balances her career and family life while enjoying travel. Chris, in Memphis, Tennessee, has found fulfillment in law enforcement after graduating from the Tupelo Police Academy and completing SWAT school. Cristina has embarked on an adventurous journey as a Surgical ICU nurse in Seattle, motivated by her experiences at Tupelo Children’s Mansion and her volunteer work abroad. Lastly, JoJo, the youngest, resides in Nashville, pursuing entrepreneurship and following the F.I.R.E. movement with dreams of creating impactful documentaries. Despite their different paths and distances, these four siblings remain deeply connected, honoring their mother’s wish to “stick together because you are all you have,” and their strong bond serves as a testament to the love and care they received at Tupelo Children’s Mansion.

Allocation Request

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks for the generous allocation of funds provided in 2023. These resources, alongside the 2022 allocation, were designated for the renovation of Travis Hall. Originally constructed in 1962 with funds from “Sheaves for Christ,” Travis Hall has long served dual purposes: housing children on the upper floor and functioning as the dining hall on the lower floor. Given the building’s age and the complexity of shared plumbing, electrical, and security/fire systems, the renovation will take significant time and strategic moves. This, combined with staffing challenges, has impacted the progress of this project. TCM also underwent a leadership transition during this time, and the new administration further delayed the work, but for good reason.

With a fresh perspective and new vision for the future of TCM, we have re-evaluated our plans for Travis Hall to ensure that its continued functionality aligns with our evolving needs. This revised strategy forms the basis of our 2024 allocation request. We respectfully request an allocation of $300,000 to construct a new dining hall on campus. Our plan involves repurposing a centrally-located building currently used for storage and the maintenance shop. This new dining hall will address the persistent plumbing issues associated with housing children above the dining area and provide a larger, more functional space to accommodate future growth, complete with an upgraded kitchen.

Following the relocation of the dining facilities, Travis Hall will be repurposed to expand Tupelo Christian Academy, our educational program. This transformation will allow for larger classrooms and dedicated calming rooms for children with sensory challenges. This expansion will facilitate our plan to reopen our school to tuition-paying families within the community, diversifying our income streams and enhancing our extracurricular and elective offerings. These initiatives will improve cash flow, support growth, enhance services for our children, and foster greater community engagement. This project is scheduled to begin on October 7, 2024.