Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. during the Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting Thursday, Oct. 10, said he wanted to clarify how and why money is given by the city to local religious groups, as well as to colleges and universities.

Flaggs said, over the last four years, the City of Vicksburg has given a total of $173,500 to “faith-based organizations,” adding those sponsorships and other contributions cannot be given directly to churches, but are instead made to “extensions” of those institutions that contribute community services inside Vicksburg.

“Let me take this opportunity to clarify some misinformation that is in your community,” Flaggs said. “That (money) was never, never, never delivered to the churches. It was always to the faith-base of the churches. Some of them have the church’s name, but you can’t give money to churches. You can only give it to the extension of the churches.”

Flaggs said money given to colleges and universities by the city are likewise distributed based on the way those institutions reinvest in the community.

Flaggs said $11,650 has been given to Alcorn State University from the city over the last four years, while Jackson State University has received only $2,250. Flaggs said the city applies a test for how to distribute funds based on the individual school’s impact locally.

“For Alcorn State, $11,650 was given in sponsorships,” he said. “I’m told – and I’m just estimating and rounding off – in just two weekends, there was an estimated economic impact that was roughly a couple hundred thousand; spending in hotels, restaurants and etcetera. You can’t beat that nowhere in America; you can’t get a return on investment like that. So, that’s the reason why we put more money into Alcorn than we do Jackson State, Mississippi State, Ole Miss and others.”

According to city records, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in 2021 approved a total of $13,000 in sponsorships and other monies distributed to faith-based organizations, including:

• $1,000 each to Trinity Temple Baptist Church, Mt. Carmel Ministries of Vicksburg, New Beginning Church in Christ, Bright Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, Cool Springs Baptist Church, Faith Christian Center, Pleasant Green Baptist Church Vicksburg, Rose Hill Missionary Baptist Church, St. James AME Church, Triumphant Baptist Church and Word of Faith Christian Center; and
• $2,000 to the Vicksburg Ministerial Alliance.

In 2022, that number jumped to $125,000 and included sponsorships of:

• $1,000 to Greater Grove Street Missionary Baptist Church;
• $3,500 each to Oak Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church, Gospel Temple Church, Mt. Zion M.B. Church, Spring Hill M.B. Church, Beech Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Bethel AME Church, China Grove No. 2, House of Peace Worship Church International, King of Kings Christian Center, Mt. Carmel M.B. Church, Pleasant Valley M.B. Church, Total Praise Ministries, Travelers Rest Baptist Church;
• $5,000 each to Cool Springs Baptist Church, Word of Faith Christian Center, Triumphant Baptist Church, Greater Rose Hill M.B. Church, Mt. Carmel Ministries, Bright Morning Star M.B. Church, Greater Grove Street M.B. Church, New Beginning of Vicksburg, Pleasant Green Baptist Church, St. James AME Church, Trinity Temple Baptist Church, Vicksburg Ministerial Alliance, Faith Christian Center; and
• $10,000 to Triumph Ministries, Inc.

In 2023, that number dropped to $35,500 and included:

• $1,000 each to Vicksburg Ministerial Alliance, Pleasant Valley M.B. Church, Trinity Temple Baptist Church, Bethel AME Church, House of Peace Worship Church International, Mt. Carmel Ministries, Word of Faith Christian Center, Beech Grove Missionary Baptist Church, Bright Morning Star M.B. Church, China Grove No. 2, Cool Springs Baptist Church, Gospel Temple Church, Greater Grove Street M.B. Church, King of Kings Christian Center, Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church, Mt. Olive M.B. Church, Mt. Zion M.B. Church, New Beginning of Vicksburg, Oak Chapel M.B. Church, Spring Hill M.B. Church, St. James AME Church, Total Praise Ministries, Triumphant Baptist Church, Vicksburg Ministerial Alliance;
• $1,500 to Trinity Temple Ministries; and
• $10,000 to Triumph Ministries, Inc.