It takes village to build a market!

Market director Betsy Chapman is entering her seventh season with OXCM. Before joining OXCM, Betsy worked at Yokna Bottoms Farm. She counts OXCM vendors as her extended family.

Americorps VISTA
Brianna McCollum

Hi! My name is Brianna McCollum, and I am a recent graduate from Ole Miss with a degree in Biology. I’m from Jackson, Mississippi and have been volunteering with OXCM for the past two years. Along with fellow volunteer, Gabrielle Miller, I helped to found and plan activities for the kids’ Grow Club at the CB Webb Neighborhood Resilience Garden founded by OXCM and community partners in 2020. The Grow Club provides tools for personal growth & garden growth by facilitating learning and recreation for children on a weekly basis. Grow Club and OXCM quickly became one of the most memorable and meaningful aspects of my collegiate career, prompting me to continue my service to the market as a VISTA. I found service with OXCM and the relationships I built within the market to be a great source of fulfillment and joy for me, so becoming a VISTA was an easy decision to make! During my year as a VISTA I hope to carry out a great deal of good and impactful work that will leave a positive and long standing legacy.

Americorps VISTA Hadyn Perler

I am an architectural design graduate from James Madison University. My thesis focused on food insecurity and sustainability and that is exactly what I will be working on with the Community Market. I moved to Mississippi after I graduated in 2022 to support my family on their local farm. I believe in **empowering** people to learn and sustain themselves and the market’s focus on outreach and creating food literacy are the programs I align myself most with.
I have been involved in both volunteering and the farmer’s market my whole life and I’m passionate about people having access to local, quality, healthy food. I’m hopeful that I can contribute my own systems or even programs for the future of the Market.
**on sabbatical**

Board of Directors

Doug Davis, Chairman
Owner of Yokna Bottoms Farm, Associate Professor of Doctoral Programs in Educational Leadership at the University of Mississippi

Carley Lovorn, Vice-Chair
National Geographic Society

Halima Salazar, Secretary
Brown’s Farm/Justevia Teas

Antonia Eliason, Treasurer
UM School of Law

Kendra Campbell
County Director with the Lafayette County Department of Human Services

Steve Davis
UM Chemistry

Laura Beth Walker
Lafayette County and Oxford Public Library

OXCM FLower of Life Volunteer Squad Leadership team

Jackson McArthur — Co-Lead & Food Rescue Coordinator

I am a student at the University of Mississippi who, in October 2020, started the OXCM Flower of Life food rescue program with the wonderful support and enthusiasm of Betsy Chapman of the OXCM. Since then we have served over 5,000 meals to Oxford communities in need and have fostered priceless relationships with both community members and the student volunteers. Community work is important to me because I like to make a positive difference in people’s lives and form relationships with people that I wouldn’t otherwise have known. The most precious possessions you have in this world are your family, your friends and your community. I guess I’m just another one of those bright-eyed college kids that thinks they can change the world, until I graduate with a dead-end job. My favorite vegetable is broccoli because I like to put it on chicken and rice so I get other nutrients besides just macros. I also play banjo and caught a 600 pound tiger shark once. I am extremely grateful to everyone who has helped me along this incredible journey, it has been one of the greatest experiences of my life.

**Verna Stokes - Community Connections Coordinator**

My name is Verna Stokes. I am 61 years of age. I have been a resident of Lafayette County for 12 1/2 years. I am a Personal Care Attendant & have worked for a lot of prominent people in the community. This is the most friendly town I've lived in, the people are wonderful & very helpful. I met Mrs. Betsy a few years ago when they would come to our community & serve plates & also planted community garden in our neighborhood. She introduced me to a lot people & students as well that worked with her. So that just inspired me to help them when they come to my neighborhood I helped serve plates & whatever event is going on, I helped spread the word. It is a pleasure to be able to help out.

**Ethel Goolsby - Community Connections Coordinator**

I am Ethel Goolsby. I’m from Oxford. I’ve been living in Oxford for 69 years and I enjoy it. I enjoy helping the community because there’s such a great need for it.

Gabrielle Miller — Co-Lead & Grow Club Co-Coordinator

Hi! My name is Gabrielle Miller, and I am from Biloxi, MS. I have studied Social Work and Spanish at the University of Mississippi, and I plan to pursue a graduate degree in public health. Working each Friday passing out meals, interacting with the residents, and spending time with the kids has been a truly rewarding experience. I came to Ole Miss as a student with goals of one day having an impact and helping others post-grad , but it has been through working with the market that I can see the positive impact students can create when they delve in and take the time to invest in the community they live in!

Emma Clark — Marketing Coordinator, IMC Intern

My name is Emma and I am a senior at the University of Mississippi studying Integrated Marketing Communications!

I am originally from Frisco, Texas but have loved being here in Oxford for the past 3 years. I love design, being outdoors, exploring new places around Oxford, and am so excited to be working with OXCM this semester!

Anthony Day — UM Bonner Scholar

My name is Anthony Day. I am pursuing a B.A. in Biochemistry at Ole Miss My hometown is Olive Branch, MS. I have great interest working with the Oxford Community Market. I believe local vegetables and goods are the best ways to energize the human body, while also supporting the local economic community.