Committed to Improving the Health and Well-Being of Individuals and Communities Across the State
Upcoming Events
Saturday, Mar. 22nd at 2 pm
Special guest Warren County Sheriff, Martin Pace, as we explore personal experiences in fostering community resilience.
Saturday, Apr. 5th at 2 pm
Our Mission
Welcome to Shape Up Mississippi, where we are committed to improving the health and well-being of individuals and communities across our great state. Our mission is to create a healthier, more inclusive, and culturally rich environment that uplifts diverse voices and fosters positive change. Through a variety of initiatives, we provide the tools, knowledge, and support needed to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. Join us in our journey to make Mississippi a place where everyone can thrive.
Our Leadership
Led by Linda Fondren, Executive Director and a visionary community leader who has been instrumental in transforming the health landscape of Vicksburg. Shape Up Mississippi builds on her legacy of promoting wellness and community engagement. Linda’s dedication to improving public health earned Vicksburg the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Culture of Health Prize, recognizing the city’s efforts to foster a healthy environment for all its residents.
Our Board of Directors
Corin Morrison
Donna Ingram
James Fondren
Brig. Gen. Robert Crear
Barbara Tolliver
Joey Halinski
Bill Justice
Linda Fondren
Explore Our Initiatives
Dive into the heart of Vicksburg with stories that celebrate our community’s resilience, diversity, and history. Learn more about our partners and the impact we’re making together.
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Discover the rich cultural heritage of Vicksburg at the Catfish Row Museum, where history comes to life through exhibits, stories, and events that honor our past and inspire our future.
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Cultivating health from the ground up, our community garden provides fresh produce and a space for learning about nutrition and sustainable living.
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Get involved in our community-wide health initiative designed to promote physical activity, healthy eating, and overall wellness in Vicksburg and beyond.
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Our Stories
Uncover Your Roots at Catfish Row Museum Genealogy Workshop
Celebrate Black History MonthUncover Your Roots at Catfish Row Museum Genealogy Workshop By Lauchlin Fields, LF Voices Collective Every family has a story, but many remain untold, hidden in old records, whispered among elders, or lost over time. As Vicksburg...
Honoring Peter Crosby
Bicentennial Vicksburg Voices: Honoring Peter Crosby at Catfish Row Museum A Legacy of Leadership and Resilience in Reconstruction-Era Vicksburg By Jim Beaugez The surrender of Vicksburg by Confederate Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton to Union forces led by Maj. Gen....
Unsung Heroes of Vicksburg: U.S.C.T.
Unsung Heroes: On the trail of the U.S. Colored Troops in Vicksburg Researchers uncover records of Black soldiers who served during the Union’s Vicksburg campaign By Jim Beaugez Under cover of darkness during the early hours of June 7, 1863, an army of 1,500...
Honoring the Rosenwald Legacy
Honoring the Rosenwald Legacy Vicksburg celebrates the impact of Rosenwald Schools and community-driven education through storytelling and preservation By Erica Hensley Growing up in Byhalia, just outside of Memphis, Alex McClarty passed the humble,...
Vicksburg’s Academy Model
How Vicksburg Warren School District’s ‘academy’ approach is building intergenerational opportunity As the city of Vicksburg approaches its bicentennial, we look back on the evolution of education. By Jim Beaugez When history and memory are reduced to internet...
Storytelling Workshop
Vicksburg storytelling workshop invites community to explore education’s legacy By Vicksburg Voices Experience the power of storytelling at the Catfish Row Museum with the Vicksburg Voices workshop. This free event celebrates the legacy of education, Rosenwald...
Vicksburg Voices
Vicksburg Voices to rise during city’s bicentennial New initiative will tell lesser-known stories from 200 years of Vicksburg history By Jim Beaugez In the leadup to Vicksburg’s bicentennial in 2025, a new project called Vicksburg Voices will reach into the...
Welcome to Vicksburg Voices
A Message from Linda Fondren: Welcome to Vicksburg Voices Dear Friends and Neighbors, It is with great excitement and pride that I introduce to you our newest initiative under Shape Up Mississippi—Vicksburg Voices. This project holds a special place in my...
A Special Thanks to Our Partners
