In Jackson, MS, local Christina Spann has gone viral with a video of her singing to neighbors from the sunroof of her car while her boyfriend drove her throughout the neighborhood. It's extraordinary and Christina is such an uplifting light that the world needs more of right now. Coronavirus can't lock down this voice! To see the video for yourself, check out Good News Movement's Instagram feature here! We had the chance to catch up with Christina recently and wanted to share more of her story with you...

Tell us a little more about you. A: My name is Christina Spann and I am originally from Jackson, MS. I have lived in the Jackson Metro area for the majority of my life. I graduated from St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in 2009. I received a degree in Social Work from Mississippi College in 2013 and a Masters in Public Policy and Administration from Jackson State University in 2015. I will begin working on my Masters Degree in Mental Health Counseling in the summer at Mississippi College.

What inspired you to start this mobile concert series? A: Growing up I have always loved to sing. Music was therapy for me after my father passed away at a young age. I started singing in the church choir and the Mississippi Girl Choir! I always have had a passion for making people happy and smile or laugh. My favorite thing to see is someone laughing or smiling from something I did. Two weeks ago, I was walking with my boyfriend Duncan Dent in the Belhaven Neighborhood and I just started singing “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” by Whitney Houston and I heard dogs barking so I immediately posted on Nextdoor an apology for disturbing anyone. Soon after, responses came on Nextdoor for me to KEEP SINGING. So, the next day I decided to get in my car and have my boyfriend drive as I sang on top of my sunroof! 

With so much uncertainty surrounding the world right now, what keeps you grounded and joyful? A: Everyone is cooped up right now and there is so much uncertainty about what our world will look like in the coming months. One thing is for certain is that music is a great equalizer and it brings people together. What keeps me grounded is my faith. Everyday we are faced with new numbers of illness and its scary, but I know that God has a plan for this and when we lean closer to God he shows up. 

How can we follow along and stay in touch with you? A: You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram at LadyTeena, also on NextDoor! 

Christina, you inspire us! Thank you so much for taking the time to peek into your world and for spreading joy! We look forward to hearing that voice again soon!

 The Front Steps Project 2020... Our precious and talented friend, Allison Muirhead, has used her talents as a photographer to bless families, document this time in history and give back to the businesses in need right now.  Allison posted a message on Facebook Sunday, March 22nd, saying that she would be offering to take quick "front step portraits" of families around our community. These front step portraits would be taken by filling out a form and scheduling a time window of when she'd be in that neighborhood. There was no physical interaction and all pictures were taken with a zoom lense from a safe 10 feet away. Allison only requested a couple of things in exchange... for families to make a positive sign/poster for the photo to be posted on social media, to purchase a gift card to your favorite small business or restaurant in the area or to make a donation to a local charity. She had such an incredible response to her post that she filled all of her slots within a little over 24 hours. Thank you so much Allison for being the light and spreading the love! Take a look at some of these incredible photos from the project. There's a whole album that can be found here!

Happy Tuesday and Happy Great American Takeout day! This is a nation wide day picked for all of us to support our local restaurants during this incredibly uncertain and stressful crisis that they face due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As you know, most restaurants have shut down their actual restaurant BUT are still up and running to provide families with takeout options. Restaurants are asking us to support them specifically by joining in on "The Great American Takeout". Today, March 24th, join us by eating a pick-up or delivery meal from a local restaurant! Visit this post here for some deals that are currently happening. Let's lean in and lift up our restaurants, y'all!

If you are a small business owner in Mississippi and you are suffering an economic loss due to the coronavirus pandemic, this post is for you! Governor Tate Reeves has requested a federal disaster declaration from the SBA (Small Business Administration). This declaration should free up funds available to small businesses that have been affected. If this applies to you, you must fill out a loan application to be submitted. The more of these that are submitted, the faster this process should go. 
More information and forms found here!

Hey friends! We are so happy that you are here right now and chose to click on this particular blog post. What a crazy couple of weeks and days... With the arrival of coronavirus and the important need to practice social distancing, many small businesses and restaurants have taken a HUGE hit. So many of these businesses need us now more than ever. Here are some ways that we can support small businesses during this time!

Below is a very fluid list of small businesses in Mississippi, their operations right now and specific ways that we can support them. All links will take you directly to their page for more information. (Please note that we will be updating this list constantly as things change.)

1) Brown Bottling: "Brown Bottling is working hard to keep convenience, dollar and grocery stores stocked for Mississippians while ensuring enhanced sanitation protocols are in place as the safety of our team members and the community is our top priority."
2)  Fresh Cut: Frozen meals available (feeds 12-15 people). Delivery and pick-up options. Menu options... Entrees : chicken spaghetti $28, poppyseed chicken $28, swiss almond chicken $28, gumbo $28, lasagna $24, bolognese $48, jambalaya $24, BBQ pork $28, breakfast casserole $15, shrimp pasta $28. // Sides: turnip greens $18, lima beans $18, black eyed peas $18, green beans $14, corn $14, mashed potatoes $18, sweet potatoes $18, creamed spinach $18, brussel sprouts $18 // Desserts: key lime pie $14, strawberry shortcake $14, coconut creme pie $14, blueberry flip cake $14, apple flip cake $14, oreo trifle $14
3)  Georgia Blue: Read here.
4)  Custom Travel Professionals: Move your travel dates vs. cancelling them alltogether
5)  4 Top Restaurants: Char, Saltine, Anjou, Sombra. To- go menus for: Char, Saltine, Anjou, Amerigo
6)  Fine & Dandy & Sophomore Spanish Club: Read here.
7)  Kendra Scott, Highland Village: Read here.
8)  Koestler Prime: Read here.
9) Mangia Bene: Bravo, Broad Street Baking Company, Sal & Mookies 
10) Primos Cafe: Read here.
11) Table 100: Read here.
12) Gifts By KPEP: 30% off, curbside pickup and free shipping. Read here.