The recipient entity's physical address:
           2325 Highway 15
Winnsboro, LA 71295

The recipient entity's mailing address (if different):
           P.O. Box 907
2325 Highway 15
Winnsboro, LA 71295

Type of Entity (for instance, a nonprofit corporation):  Non-Profit Corporation

If the entity is a corporation, list the names of the incorporators:
          Michael Blaise Sims

The last four digits of the entity's taxpayer ID number:  7004

What is the dollar amount of the request?  $97,560

What type of request is this?  Both

Is this entity in good standing with the Secretary of State?  Yes

Provide the name of each member of the recipient entity's governing board and officers:
           Michael Blaise Sims, MBA, Director-President
670 Highway 868
Winnsboro, LA 71295

Michael Ellington, JD, Director-Vice President
225 Ellington Road
Winnsboro, LA 71295

Carmen R. Sims, MBA, Director-Secretary
2325 Highway 15
Winnsboro, LA 71295

Kirk E. Thevis, CPA, Director-Treasurer
1739 Sugar Cane Lane
Baton Rouge, LA 70810

Hunter White, BS, Director-Officer at Large
1082 New Zion Road
Winnsboro, LA 71295

Caroline C. Sims, BSN, Director
670 Highway 878
Winnsboro, LA 71295

Melanie Christian, COTA, Director
2714 Carondelet Lane
Monroe, LA 71201

Lauren D. Reed, BS, Director
1307 Althea Street
Houston, TX 77018

Stacy Moroni, Project Coordinator-CHOW-FRANKLIN
7668 Highway 128
Winnsboro, LA 71295

Provide a summary of the project or program:
           The Brandon Kirk Sims Foundation Inc. (BKSF), a 501(c)3 formed in 2010, is a completely volunteer program providing community service through its endeavors. This request is for two projects in Franklin Parish, CHOW-FRANKLIN and MERIT.
Combating Hunger on Weekends (CHOW)-Franklin, which began with the 2019-2020 school year, provides non-perishable food items in a brown bag for students at nutritional risk on weekends during the school year. Through a CEA with the Franklin Parish Sheriff's Office (FPSO) the number of bags requested by any public school in Franklin Parish are delivered weekly by FPSO employee for distribution by school staff. Through the 2023-2024 school year, 1,543 students have been served, providing 55,493 CHOW-KITS containing over 523,629 food items. These CHOW-KITS are bagged by volunteer groups in the community and represent over 4,304 volunteer hours provided to serve the needed students of Franklin Parish. The request is to purchase food items, brown bags, and plastic containers for CHOW-KIT delivery for the second semester 2024-2025 and the full school year 2025-2026. CHOW-FRANKLIN prepares 410 CHOS-KITS/week for 36 weeks of the school year at a budget of $4.00/Kit for the weekend non-perishable provisions.
Meaningful Engagement Recognizing Individual Talent (MERIT) began August of 2022 in response to a need for services for students post COVID and the lack of available activity for adults with disabilities living at home in Franklin Parish, by the FPSO with a CEA with the BKSF to provide free tutoring for any student in Franklin Parish as well as a free day program for adults with disabilities. Presently, the MERIT program is serving hundreds of students and adults monthly. The BKSF supports this program providing needed equipment and supplies necessary for activities of MERIT. Various community organizations also provide educational programs at MERIT, including LSU extension center, Red Cross, FPSO, etc. The BKSF provides meals for monthly birthday celebrations, field trips, etc. for adults with disabilities, snacks and drinks, supplies for craft projects, table cloths for table protection, etc. This program reaches hundreds of individuals throughout Franklin Parish providing needs that had previously gone unmet. Quality of Life, as reported by the adults with disabilities and their families is improved since the creation of MERIT. Students attending MERIT regularly show improvement in grades on report cards and leap test scores. The BKSF budgets $500/month to provide supplies for the MERIT program.

What is the budget relative to the project for which funding is requested?:
          Salaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Professional Services. . . $0
          Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . $97,560
          Major Repairs . . . . . . . $0
          Operating Services. . . . $0
          Other Charges. . . . . . . $0

Does your organization have any outstanding audit issues or findings?  No

If 'Yes' is your organization working with the appropriate governmental agencies to resolve those issues or findings?
          

What is the entity's public purpose, sought to be achieved through the use of state monies?
          The mission of The Brandon Kirk Sims Foundation Inc. is to reach out into the community through financial contributions, community service and spiritual endeavors in order to provide for a better community. The public purpose of this request is to provide a more stable nutritional status for children in Franklin Parish that are food deprived. The "Map the Meal Gap" 2018 study by Feeding America stated over 26% of children are facing hunger - more than 1 in 4 children in Franklin Parish struggle with hunger everyday. Hunger affects a child's ability to learn and perform well at school. Nourished students are better able to learn and become productive citizens. CHOW-FRANKLIN endeavors to end childhood hunger in Franklin Parish one backpack at a time. MERIT provides tutoring services and a "safe place" for recreation and snacks for students outside of school hours. MERIT also provides a place for socialization, recreation and vocational training for adults with disabilities. Providing supplies and food for this program enhances its ability to support this adults and students in health, education and quality of life. These programs provide a holistic approach to supporting needy citizens in Franklin Parish in order to facilitate healthy, happy, productive citizens today and in the future.

What are the goals and objectives for achieving such purpose?
          The goal of CHOW-FRANKLIN is to provide the needed CHOW-KITS for our student population. At this time the need is indicated at 410 CHOW-KITS/school week. We deliver for 36 school week/school year. Our ultimate goal is to end childhood hunger in Franklin Parish.
We accomplish this through the systematic purchase of non-perishable food items, place the items brown paper bags, box them for delivery by the FPSO to each public school in Franklin Parish.
Our goal with MERIT is to provide a free, safe place for learning, social interaction and improved quality of life for students and adults with disabilities in Franklin Parish.
We accomplish this by providing a place for tutoring with certified teachers, snack items, recreational space both indoor and out and a morning program for adults with disabilities living at home. Monthly lunch celebrations, field trips and arts and crafts are incorporated into the program.

What is the proposed length of time estimated by the entity to accomplish the purpose?
           January 2025 through May 2026

If any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official is an officer, director, trustee, or employee of the recipient entity who receives compensation or holds any ownership interest therein:
     (a) If an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of the official and the office held by such person:
                 NA
    
     (b) If an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of such person; the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related; and the nature of the relationship:
                 NA

     (c) The percentage of the official's or immediate family member's ownership interest in the recipient entity, if any:
                 0

     (d) The position, if any, held by the official or immediate family member in the recipient entity:
                  NA

If the recipient entity has a contract with any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official or with the state or any political subdivision of the state:
(a) If the contract is with an elected or appointed state official, provide the name and address of the official and the office held by such person: 
               NA

(b) If the contract is with an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official:
          Provide the name and address of such person:
               NA

          Provide the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related:
                NA

          What is the nature of the relationship?  NA

(c) If the contract is with the state or a political subdivision of the state, provide the name and address of the state entity or political subdivision of the state:
                 NA

(d) The nature of the contract, including a description of the goods or services provided or to be provided pursuant to the contract:
               NA


Contact Information
name:  Carmen Sims 
                                       address:  P.O. Box 907
2325 Highway 15
Winnsboro, LA 71295
                                       phone:  318-366-5385
                                       fax: 
                                       e-mail:  carmenrsims@gmail.com
                                       relationship to entity:  Director, Secretary