programs
Foot Soldiers Park is developing community programming to address the systemic racism and resulting poverty that exists in Selma,
foster community and build thriving neighborhoods.
Selma today is one of the poorest cities in Alabama, which is one of the poorest states in the country. 80% BIPOC, 41% of residents live in poverty, 30% suffer from food insecurity and the average annual household income is almost half the state average, around $27,000. Investment in this vibrant, resilient community is long overdue.
Foot Soldiers Park is committed to a working model that engages with, and centers the needs and desires of, Selma residents when developing programs to benefit the community.
Our campus will bring much-needed amenities and resources to Selma’s residents including:
Healthcare provider clinics and office hours within our facilities with a focus on both physical and mental health
Nutrition and cooking workshops with food access opportunities
A community teaching garden with plots for families and educators
Playing fields and basketball courts with bleachers for community use and facilitated programs
Walking paths lined by native plantings
Additional programs include:
Selma Healthy Start Initiative
Nearly 85% of children in Selma participate in the free and reduced price meals program, a key indicator of food insecurity. Our pilot Healthy Start initiative will provide nutrition education, cooking materials and fresh groceries to 250 families with children under five.
The Partnership for Equitable and Resilient Communities
In 2022, FSP became a backbone organization for the Partnership for Equitable and Resilient Communities (PERC). Through the brokering of partnerships between communities, philanthropy and government, PERC seeks to increase racial equity and justice by increasing government investment in low-wealth, under-resourced communities and empowering Black, Indigenous, and Latino/a/x residents to determine how these funds should be used.
In addition, PERC provides:
Technical assistance to help communities collaboratively identify priorities, develop implementation plans and blend federal funding with local, state and private support
Flexible support to build capacity, hire staff, pay community participants for their time, create small pilots, etc.
Access to a capital/credit enhancement pool to jumpstart projects
Visit Selma’s PERC page.
We look forward to sharing more information as our work with PERC progress.
The historic exclusion of Black, Indigenous and Latino/a/x residents from decision-making in how federal, state and local investment dollars are spent within their communities has resulted in inequitable access to education, employment, wealth and opportunity and the exclusion of these groups from full participation in the country’s economy.
Foot Soldiers Park has been awarded up to $5 million over three years to help the city of Selma implement equity-based housing and community development plans.
Foot Soldiers Park Youth Advisory Board
The Foot Soldiers Park Youth Advisory Board (YAB) brings together young activists under the age of 18 from Selma and around the country who are interested in voting rights and social justice. The initiative was launched in 2022 with seed funding from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
The board will work alongside staff to evaluate community needs and opportunities for impact as well as participate in the formal visioning process for our built spaces and long term programming.
YAB also runs our PlayPals program, working with young children in Selma to engage in play that teaches and integrates the city’s history.
Board members are recruited through our national educational partnerships, HBCU networks, faith-based networks and recognized non-profit leaders in this space.
