Starkville Strong holds benefit concert
Starkville Strong's mission of uplifting the community by connecting them with resources is powered by community support and donations.
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – When a person is in a bad situation, it can be overwhelming.
Navigating the process of applications for charitable services can be a lot when a person doesn’t know where their next meal is coming from.
That’s where organizations like Starkville Strong come in.
Brandi Herrington, the Starkville Strong executive director and founder, said the community is what makes her organization.
“The community owns Starkville Strong,” Herrington said. “Volunteers run Starkville Strong. And so, with the community and crowdsourcing. And one of our core values is thinking outside the box. We’ve really just been innovative and creative in ways to sustain what we’re doing. And we’re finally at a point that we are sustaining, and now we’re ready to scale.”
Herrington is excited to see Starkville Strong grow.
“It’s scary a little bit,” Herrington said. “But I’m so humbled every single day to wake up with a purpose. And being able to find other people that believe in that same purpose. Because people matter, our neighbors matter. And to have the community believe that too is everything.”
Starkville Strong volunteer Olivia Jackson said she’s happy to give back to the town that has given so much to her.
“I’ve always loved Starkville,” Jackson said. “Starkville has done a lot for me, and it’s been the best years of my life being here. And the people here are just amazing. So I feel like it’s only right to give back to the community that’s impacted my life in such beneficial ways.”
Another Starkville Strong volunteer, Jaiden Brown, said the work means a lot.
“I wanted to stay in this community, getting to know everybody that I’ve known around campus, just around Starkville,” Brown said. “It really means a lot.”
Herrington said when the community comes together, anything is possible.
“Every bit of fuel, every bit of legwork and boots on the ground that we put into this- we see come back to us from the community,” Herrington said. “Through support, through kind words, through donations, through in-kind services just to make this event happen. Like Rick’s donating the venue. So when everybody comes together and we lock arms, we can literally do anything.”
Starkville Strong is in the process of establishing their Stronghold.
The on-stop-shop for those in need is set to start construction in January of 2026.
