IN EARLY 2021, DOWNTOWN JACKSON PARTNERS INTRODUCED AN ANNUAL REPORT FOR FY2019-2020, AN INITIATIVE DJP HOPES WILL BE RELEASED ANNUALLY IN THE YEARS TO COME. ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE FISCAL YEAR, WHICH RUNS FROM OCTOBER TO SEPTEMBER OF THE FOLLOWING YEAR, WAS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, MUCH WAS ACCOMPLISHED, AND WE ARE PROUD OF THE EFFORTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
THE 19-PAGE BOOKLET PROVIDES A CURRENT OVERVIEW OF THE DOWNTOWN JACKSON PARTNERS BOARD OF DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, AND ADVISORY COUNCIL, AS WELL AS A LETTER FROM THE DOWNTOWN JACKSON PARTNERS PRESIDENT. A GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE DOWNTOWN JACKSON BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, INCLUDING A MAP OF THE DISTRICT, AND A BRIEF BUSINESS SUMMARY WITH RESIDENTIAL DEMOGRAPHICS ARE ALSO PROVIDED. A FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT OF THE DJP BUDGET IS ALSO REPORTED.
A TIMELINE DISPLAYED ACROSS A FULL TWO-PAGE SPREAD HIGHLIGHT THE HAPPENINGS OF THE YEAR, WHICH ARE FURTHER EXPLAINED IN DETAIL LATER IN THE REPORT. VARIOUS PROJECTS, PROGRAMS, & INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE CAPITOL STREET RENAISSANCE PROJECT, THE INSTALLATION OF THE SEC HISTORICAL MARKER, THE GOOD FOOD IN GRATITUDE INITIATIVE OF WHICH DJP WAS A PART, AND MORE, ARE DISCUSSED. THE CREATION OF THE DOWNTOWN JACKSON PARTNERS 2020FOCUS COMMITTEE GROUPS AND THEIR ENDEAVORS WITHIN BEAUTIFICATION, PLACEMAKING, HOMELESSNESS, SAFETY, AND THE CONTINUATION OF THE SMITH PARK RENAISSANCE PROJECT ARE MENTIONED.
THE DOWNTOWN AMBASSADORS’ ACCOMPLISHMENTS WERE DOCUMENTED IN THE REPORT AND INCLUDED THE REMOVAL OF OVER 91,000 LBS OF TRASH AND GARBAGE, AND OVER 200 INSTANCES OF GRAFFITI, AS WELL AS THEIR EFFORTS IN STEPPING UP TO THE CHALLENGES OF INCREASED CLEANING AND SAFETY, ABOVE NORMAL OPERATIONS, WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY DURING COVID-19.
ALSO NOTED ARE SPECIAL AWARDS, SUCH AS THE FRIEND OF PRESERVATION AWARD PRESENTED TO DJP BY THE MISSISSIPPI HERITAGE TRUST, AND DONATIONS, INCLUDING THE DOWNTOWN AMBASSADOR SEGWAY FROM MCLAW. DOWNTOWN JACKSON PARTNERS WAS HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO SPONSOR SEVERAL PROJECTS WITHIN THE YEAR, INCLUDING THE INTERNATIONAL GUMBO FESTIVAL, THE DOWNTOWN HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE, THE FESTIVAL OF TREES, THE MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF ART’S MUSEUM AFTER HOURS EVENTS FOR 2020, A NEW MURAL BY ARTIST ELI CHILDERS TITLED “THE DRAGON AND THE DANCERS” AT THE ARTS CENTER OF MISSISSIPPI, AND THE JACKSON FREE PRESS’ BEST OF JACKSON KICKOFF PARTY WHICH CELEBRATES THOSE WHO WERE RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR HARD WORK IN AND AROUND OUR GREAT CITY.
DURING THIS FISCAL YEAR, DOWNTOWN JACKSON PARTNERS WAS ALSO ABLE TO RELEASE THE FIRST-EVER SEVEN PIECE EDITION SUITE OF RESOURCES, ANNOUNCE A NEW WEBSITE REDESIGN, UNDERGO A BRANDING REFRESH, AND CREATE A LOCALIZED STOCK-PHOTOGRAPHY PORTFOLIO WHICH WILL BE USED TO HELP PROMOTE THE DOWNTOWN DISTRICT – ALL OF WHICH IS DISCUSSED IN FURTHER DETAIL IN THE REPORT. TO FIND THE FULL FY2019-2020 ANNUAL REPORT ON OUR WEBSITE, CLICK ABOUT DJP > SERVICES AND SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.