The Phil Hardin Foundation

In 1964, The Phil Hardin Foundation was founded by Phil Hardin himself. Hardin, the owner of Hardin’s Bakeries, noticed a need for educational support in Mississippi. The foundation started by focusing on loans and scholarships during the 1960’s for students who otherwise may not have been able to afford it, especially considering there was little to no governmental loans for education at the time. During the 1970’s the foundation broadened into other endeavors, shifting to only providing grants to schools, colleges, universities and 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations aiming to improve and provide educational opportunities throughout Meridian/Lauderdale County and the State of Mississippi. Over the past 57 years, the foundation has supported numerous education focused organizations throughout Meridian and Lauderdale County. Amongst these organizations are the MAX and The Meridian Children’s Museum, who the foundation was the first major private organization to commit funding to, promising $3 million to each over 10 years.

Starting from an initial investment of $5,000 from Phil Hardin himself, The Hardin Foundation’s assets are now worth an incredible $70 million, 5% of which is required to be given away annually by the IRS, equating to roughly $3.5 million annually. Of all their funding endeavors throughout Mississippi, around 50% of their grant making is made here, in Meridian and Lauderdale County including Any Given Child, Leader in Me, and many other Meridian Public School initiatives. The foundation has always believed that education is not only the foundation for individual growth and improvement, but also for community health and prosperity saying, a strongly supported education system is essential for the growth of Meridian and the continuance of becoming a strong and prosperous community.

As a resident of Meridian, Hardin was focused on improving the education of those throughout this community, and being able to uphold the initial goal of the foundation is incredibly rewarding, working with organizations within Meridian and Lauderdale County. Through all their work, Executive Director, Lloyd Gray says, “The most gratifying thing about the work that the Phil Hardin Foundation does is being able to see the community impact that our investments are able to make, whether it be through the Meridian Children’s Museum, The MAX, or other organizations that the foundation contributes to. Seeing the results of programs like the Meridian Freedom Project, who we help fund and support, who may not be able to continue the work they do without support from our foundation, shows the importance of the community outreach efforts that we support.” The foundation believes in community building and community collaboration, and supporting the Chamber and EMBDC, as primary vehicles for such, allows to continue growth throughout the community.

The Phil Hardin Foundation
2750 N. Park Dr., Meridian, MS